India, Japan to focus on clean energy: Goyal

India and Japan will focus on renewable energy, clean coal and energy efficiency during the Strategic Energy Dialogue between the two nations in Tokyo, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today. Goyal, who is on a three-day visit to Japan, told PTI before leaving for Tokyo that the Strategic Energy Dialogue between the two countries is not about specific targets of investment but building technology partnerships and engagement for investment in different areas of energy, including coal and renewable energy. Later he tweeted after reaching Tokyo that "the visit's focus will be on renewable energy, clean coal and energy efficiency".

Goyal is also accompanied by a CII delegation which will participate in various discussions on key areas across the energy value chain including renewable, clean coal and energy efficiency. The visit comes at a time when India has set a target of 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022. "CII is privileged to lead a CEOs delegation as part of the 8th Indo-Japan Strategic Energy Dialogue from 12-14 January, 2016," said CII National Committee on Renewable Energy Co-chairman Sumant Sinha who is also Chairman and CEO of RenewPower.

The delegation is being led by Sinha. "We could be looking at debt financing from various Japanese companies and we could also be looking at equity financing from various Japanese corporates. "We could also be looking at technology transfer in the areas of clean coal, energy storage and LED appliances among others," he said.

There is a huge opportunity to further the energy cooperation across the energy value chain in key areas including energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean coal, smart grids between both the nations, he said. He also exuded confidence that over the course of the next few days "we will be able to identify key areas for collaboration across the energy spectrum and take the discussion forward from the drawing board to reality". Other members of the delegation include Jindal Steel & Power Ltd Managing Director & CEO Ravi Uppal, CLP India MD Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Hindustan Power Projects Chairman Ratul Puri and Sun Group of Companies Vice-Chairman Uday Khemka.