Ottawa: Several renewable energy groups in Canada have welcomed new agreements signed with India this week to strengthen cooperation in solar, wind and hydrogen energy, Vancouver Is Awesome reported.
Prime Minister Mark Carney spent four days in Mumbai and New Delhi, where he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit concluded with the signing of several agreements, including a strategic energy partnership.
As part of the agreements, Canada will join the India-led International Solar Alliance, which aims to expand solar energy capacity. All other G7 nations are already members.
In another development, Simon Fraser University signed an agreement with the Hydrogen Association of India to work with Indian researchers on advancing hydrogen technology.
Canada will also move to full membership in the Global Biofuels Alliance. The alliance was launched by Modi during the 2023 G20 summit. Canada had previously held observer status.
Rachel Doran, executive director of the think tank Clean Energy Canada, said the agreements reflect Canada’s focus on working with multiple international partners. She said the move is timely as countries look to diversify energy supply chains, particularly in areas such as solar and battery production.
Doran noted that India is a global leader in renewable energy expansion. According to India’s ministry of new and renewable energy, the country is generating more than 271 gigawatts of renewable power, and renewables now account for over half of its electricity supply.
Although Canada has a higher share of non-emitting electricity, mainly from hydropower, experts say it can learn from India’s rapid expansion of solar and storage systems.
Vittoria Bellissimo, chief executive officer of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, said India is expanding its power system at a record pace and is expected to rely heavily on solar energy. She said cooperation will help Canada gain experience in large-scale solar development.
The two countries also signed agreements related to the supply of uranium and critical minerals to India, broadening Canada’s export markets in the energy sector.
However, Adam Chambers, the Conservative party’s critic for international trade, said the government must move more quickly to develop routes and infrastructure to bring energy exports to market, especially to the West Coast. He said there is growing demand from India and other countries for Canadian energy, but progress has been slow.
Bellissimo also highlighted plans to host an India-Canada Renewable Energy and Storage Summit later this year. According to a joint statement by Carney and Modi, the summit will bring together industry leaders, investors and government officials to expand trade in clean energy technologies and strengthen supply chains.
She said greater cooperation will support efforts to expand electricity generation and ensure stable supply chains, adding that any step toward closer partnership is a positive development.
