Energy transition to create 3.2 million jobs by 2050, says Bhagwanth Khuba

New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI): Union Minister Bhagwanth Khuba on Tuesday stressed the need for the energy transition in view of rising demand, which can eventually help create 3.2 million jobs by 2050. The minister of state for new & renewable energy was speaking at a curtain raiser event for the third edition of Hybrid Conference & Digital Exhibition on ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat – Making India a Global Manufacturing Hub for Renewable Energy’ organised by industry body CII.

“Energy transition is an important step to cater to the increasing demand and can help the economy by creating jobs, which is estimated to employ 3.2 million people by 2050,” Khuba said. The transition will help reduce the dependence on imported fuel, which will improve trade balance and cut the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, he noted.

According to the minister, economic growth, increasing prosperity, a growing rate of urbanisation and rising per capita energy consumption are the key contributors to increasing demand for energy in the country.

“With the global economy recovering in the post-pandemic period, I urge all of you to embrace this opportunity to redefine the global supply chain and work towards making India a net energy exporter,” Khuba noted.

Participating in the event, Ambassador of Brazil to India, Andre Aranha Correa do Lago stated that Brazil looks toward India as a potential manufacturing export partner for the solar panel as it aims to install 52 GW of solar. He suggested that India may reap the benefits of the Brazilian experience with ethanol fuel to build and boost its own industry.

The country records the largest proportion of ethanol consumption in its transport matrix. And about 85 per cent of the Brazilian fleet are on flex-fuel. Minister Counsellor, Embassy of Kingdom of Denmark, stated that green hydrogen is emerging as one the most promising propositions across the world to move towards green fuels.

India and Denmark have agreed to partner for development programmes for green hydrogen and can together decarbonise the economy, he noted. Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are the partner states for the conference and exhibition, while Denmark, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Japan are partner countries.

During the conference, a knowledge paper on manufacturing for the global market will be launched. It will focus on wind, solar biomass, hydrogen, storage and distributing renewable energy systems.