New coal research centre to boost Aus-India energy partnership

Premier energy research institutions of India and Australia have signed a deal to start a new centre for bilateral collaboration in research and technology development for both fossil fuels and renewable energy with a focus on clean coal technologies.
Australia-based Curtin University and Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad (Jharkhand), have inked an agreement to establish and operate Australia-India Joint Research Centre for coal and energy technology.
"The new centre will act as a platform for bilateral collaboration in research and technology development for both fossil fuels and renewable energy, with a focus on clean coal technologies," according to a statement by the Curtin University.

The research centre will provide joint PhD training, technology development, student and staff exchange, shared use of research facilities, joint research projects and publications as well as workshops and symposia.
The agreement was signed by Vice-Chancellor Deborah Terry during her recent trip to India.
She said the establishment of the joint research centre was important as India undergoes major economic development.

"This is a very important step for co-operation in energy technology development between the two countries, especially in light of the urgent global priority to secure cheap energy supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Terry said.
The Australian node will be directed by professor Chun-Zhu Li from Fuels and Energy Technology Institute of the university.

He said the clean energy technologies to be developed could bring substantial economic benefits to both Australia and India.
"The development of clean and economically competitive energy technologies will be vitally important for sustainable development in India while Australia is also facing a major challenge in meeting its ever-increasing demand for clean energy," Li said.
The centre's deputy director Hari Vuthaluru said with increasing population, the demand for effective coal utilisation and efficient utility operations in India will become inevitable.
"There is a big scope for the development of sustainable technologies which could potentially lead to environmentally clean energy," Vuthaluru said.

The joint research centre has been incepted in response to a joint statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott last year who welcomed the intention to explore opportunities for partnership between Australian institutions and the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad.
According to Prime Minister Abbott, Indian investment in the resource sector in Australia promises to create jobs and value for the Australian economy just as Australian investment in energy, infrastructure and other sectors can do for the Indian economy.