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Solar nuclear climate progress possible on Obama India visit

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Solar nuclear climate progress possible on Obama India visit

Unread postby Graeme » Sun 11 Jan 2015, 17:14:26

Solar, nuclear, climate progress possible on Obama India visit

There could be progress on U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation, solar power and climate change when U.S. President Barack Obama visits India in two weeks, U.S. officials said on Sunday.

While stressing there were no guarantees that some of the most vexing economic issues between India and the United States would be resolved, the officials said some agreements were conceivable.

"We are working on the civil nuclear liability issue," a senior State Department official told reporters traveling with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The goal is to have very concrete and tangible things that we can show forward movement on when President Obama and Prime Minister Modi meet, including on climate change," he said.

Obama's visit to India and trips by Kerry and other U.S. senior officials aim to woo India as a strategic partner and to win greater access to the vast Indian market of 1.2 billion people for U.S. companies.

U.S. officials have long argued that Indian policies are a barrier to U.S. investment and trade, including its tariff and customs practices and its requirements that foreign companies in some industries ensure a given percentage of local content.

Asked where Washington and New Delhi might make headway in time for Obama's visit, the senior U.S. official also cited the solar industry and finding a way to address U.S. concerns about the liability from building nuclear power plants in India.

Under a 2010 nuclear liability law, equipment suppliers are liable for damages from an accident, which companies say deviates from international norms that put the onus on the operator to maintain safety.

India's national law grew out of the 1984 Bhopal disaster, the world's deadliest industrial accident, at a factory owned by U.S. multinational Union Carbide Corp which Indian families are still pursuing for compensation.

The law effectively shut out Western companies from a huge market and also strained U.S.-Indian relations since they reached a deal on nuclear cooperation in 2008.

"I don't know whether [the nuclear civil liability issue] will be resolved in time for the president's visit, but I would say I think there is progress being made there," the senior U.S. official said.

India is offering to set up an insurance pool to indemnify global nuclear suppliers against liability in the case of a nuclear accident.


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Re: Solar nuclear climate progress possible on Obama India v

Unread postby Graeme » Sun 25 Jan 2015, 15:56:42

India, US achieve breakthrough in operationalising N-deal

India and the US today achieved a breakthrough in operationalisation of the stalled nuclear deal in a major outcome of the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama here today.

It is understood that the breakthrough was achieved over one-on-one talks between the two leaders over tea.

Both leaders also held extensive discussions on enhancing cooperation in crucial areas of defence, trade and commerce and climate change.

The ticklish liability issue had stalled the implementation of the nuclear agreement inked in 2005 between then US President George Bush and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Indian liability law holds the suppliers directly liable in case of a nuclear accident while countries like France and the US have asked India to follow global norms under which the primary liability lies with the operator.


economictimes

India, US to increase focus on solar power

India and the US on Sunday agreed to work closely on efforts to promote solar energy and increase cooperation in attempts to strike a global climate change deal later this year in Paris. The two countries also agreed to work together on clean energy and launch joint projects on improving the air quality in Indian cities. “Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi described to me his ambitious efforts to ensure clean water clean air for Indian people. We want to be partners in this effort. I am also pleased that we agreed to a number of important steps to promote clean energy and to confront climate change. We very much support India’s ambitious goal for solar energy and stand ready to speed this expansion with additional financing,” said US President Barack Obama after his summit level meeting with Narendra Modi in the national capital.


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Re: Solar nuclear climate progress possible on Obama India v

Unread postby Graeme » Mon 26 Jan 2015, 15:45:52

India Gets Obama’s Backing for $160 Billion Solar Push

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who pioneered India’s first solar incentives as governor of the southern state of Gujarat, won backing from U.S. President Barack Obama for an expansion of the technology nationwide.

Without giving any detail, Obama said the U.S. will “stand ready to speed this advancement with additional financing.” The remark was made at a press conference on Sunday in New Delhi as Modi reiterated his aim for India to install by 2022 as many photovoltaics as the U.S. has now.

India’s ambition would require $160 billion, according to Arunabha Ghosh, chief executive officer at the New Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment & Water. It would spread solar panels across an area the equivalent of three times the size of India’s most populous city, Mumbai, and require the government to cut back on thickets of regulation holding up projects.

“Whether Modi can achieve the target hinges on funding,” Izumi Kaizuka, manager of the research division for RTS Corp., a Tokyo-based consulting firm for the solar energy industry, said by telephone. “The pace of solar expansion has tended to be delayed even under the previous goal which was much lower.”


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