Clean energy to be discussed during PM visit to US next month

Clean energy will be discussed at length during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US next month apart from talks on strategic affairs and trade.
Earlier, trade and strategic affairs used to dominate the Indo-US discussion, but this time clean energy will be in focus and discussed, US Ambassador Richard R Verma said at a function here.
Elaborating about the big investment opportunity in India, he said, "India is a nation on the move. The last two decades have witnessed a dramatic transformation; the coming decades even more so. Two-thirds of the India of 2030 is yet to be built.

"This is a daunting challenge, but also an opportunity to use innovative technologies to leapfrog development. Nowhere is this more true than in the field of energy. If we can work together to make the right investments now, the India of tomorrow can have access to clean and reliable power to fuel its economic rise, while also combating the effects of climate change."
He further said the government does not have all the answers and cannot solve all the problems. "But the public sector can play a role in empowering ordinary citizens. That's what the PACEsetter Fund is all about."

The PACEsetter Fund is a Rs 50 crore (USD 7.9 million) account maintained jointly between the two governments.

PACEsetter Fund awards are given to projects focused on improving the commercial viability of off-grid renewable energy businesses and organisations.
Verma also announced the launch of second round of the PACEsetter Fund.
"Starting today, you are free to go online to PACEsetterfund.Org ... The program will accept Expressions of Interest until August 1 of this year," he said.