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Mission InnovationMission Innovation | Our members | India | Highlights in 2019

Highlights in 2019
Highlights in 2019

 

High impact innovation activity triggered by MI

Funding Opportunity Announcements:

  • Initiating large scale activity in the areas of Sustainable Biofuels, Carbon Dioxide Capture/ utilisation and in Storable Sun Fuels. By funding a large number of projects in close association with MI countries a strong research base and trained human resources will be established. These areas will get a boost because of Mission Innovation activities.
  • India being a co-lead in IC1 launched nine smart grids R&D projects under the umbrella of Mission Innovation in collaboration with the nine MI IC1 member countries by investing $5 million to financially support activities towards research, development and deployment. The nine projects helped to bring academia, utility and industry into a single platform in their respective topics. In this multilateral collaboration total Indian Institutes, Foreign Institutes, Industries involved are 17, 22 and 15 respectively. India also collaborated with several MI countries for off grid challenges. This could happen only as a result of the Mission Innovation platform.

Increased Private Sector Engagement & Investment:

  • Under the Mission Innovation mandate, the Clean Energy International Incubation Centre launched a National Product Energy Challenge which resulted in 15 winning solutions/technologies for smart metering, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, innovative EV solutions, clean cooking devices, innovative battery technologies, energy monitoring systems and hydro turbine technologies among others.

A Global Cooling Prize:

  • This international innovation competition (announced by Hon’ble Minister of S&T ES and H&FW) led by the Government of India alongside the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and Mission Innovation is spurring the development of super-efficient and climate-friendly residential cooling solutions for homes. This could only have been possible because of Mission Innovation Platform.

Overall Impact:

A number of developments in the international clean energy RD&D space would not have happened without Mission innovation activities (ICs). The ICs activity under Mission Innovation have enabled MI members to:

  • Fill gaps in the clean energy ecosystem
  • Convene the international clean energy RD&D community
  • Enhance bilateral and multilateral relationships
  • Identify gaps and opportunities for innovation
  • Leverage Resources and Expertise
  • Deliver performance breakthroughs

Impact of your national clean energy innovation activity

  • A trained pool of more than 100 scientists has been created in these advanced areas of research.
  • The Clean Energy solutions so developed will have a significant effect on development of clean energy technologies. More number of researchers are now getting attracted toward working in clean energy sector.
  • Specific funding programme has assisted to bridge the gap “from the lab to the market “.
  • Exchange of best practices and sharing of information on existing and perspective collaborative projects.
  • Technology development through knowledge sharing among nine MI IC1 member countries.
  • The involvement of Industry/Utility from its initiation have a practical impact of deployment of these developed technologies for social welfare.
  • We expect a collaborative framework and network of researchers, innovators and industries to be developed as a result of these endeavours.
  • This strategic planning would help foster long-term technology innovation growth, including in focus areas that may seem niche today (e.g. energy storage, net-zero buildings, CCUS, geothermal and marine energy).

Update on clean energy innovation policies and strategies

Atma Nirbhar Mission: Self Reliant India:2020: The intended objective of this plan launched in 2020, is two-fold, first, interim measures such as liquidity infusion and direct cash transfers for the poor and secondly long-term reforms in growth-critical sectors impacted by COVID19, to make them globally competitive & attractive and create new opportunities for growth in sectors like agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

In line with National Policy on Biofuels, the Government of India revisited its Biofuel policy and has approved “Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana” for providing financial support to Integrated Bio-Ethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass & biomass & another renewable feedstock. In first phase, four commercial scale cellulosic ethanol plants, each with 100KL/day ethanol capacity and using agricultural residues have been selected for viability gap funding. This fund will also support setting up of 10 R&D scale up plants.

Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, 2020: The Government of India initiated the process of formulation of Science, Technology and Innovation policy with energy as a major pillar.

National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage (2019). (IEA,2019a) was launched by the Government of India, in 2019 to promote Clean, Connected, Shared and Holistic Mobility Initiatives & Phased Manufacturing Programmes for batteries and electric vehicle components.

The Government of India in 2019, issued a notification with guidelines for sale of Biodiesel which can be later used for blending with high speed diesel for transportation purposes.

As part of the SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) initiative scheme, Expression of Interest (EoI) have been requested for procurement of Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) from the entrepreneurs at an assured price. A total of 5000 CBG plants are planned in five years.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) aimed to provide custom and excise duty benefits to the solar rooftop sector, which in turn will lower the cost of setting up as well as generate power, thus boosting growth.

Several major initiatives have been introduced to better target the subsidies, notably through the PAHAL, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). PAHAL, also known as the Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG scheme, one of the largest direct support schemes, sends the subsidy for the LPG purchased directly to a citizen’s bank account. Key to the scheme’s success has been the Aadhaar identity system, which links subsidy payments to bank accounts, and the better targeting of subsidies directly to women, which has increased women’s financial inclusion and access to clean cooking. As of June 2019, 247 million LPG consumers have joined the PAHAL.

Initiated by the Government of India in February 2019 (and followed by guidelines in July 2019), the KUSUM scheme aims to support farmers to replace existing diesel pumps with solar PV pumps (with both on-grid and off-grid features). The scheme aims to allow farmers to become prosumers and sell power to the DISCOMs at a predetermined price and aims to add solar and other renewable capacity of 28 GW by 2022.

OMCs are now developing 2G ethanol and plan to invest in 12 bio-refineries in 11 states with a total investment volume of Rs 900 crores (USD 120 million). The Government of India aims to provide incentives for farmers to bring their waste to the refineries.

Net-metering policies are being implemented in 28 states aimed to enable faster expansion of distributed solar PV.

To encourage procurement of biodiesel produced from Used Cooking Oil (UCO), OMCs have floated Expression of Interest (EoI) for setting up of biodiesel plants from UCO processing plants on 10.08.2019 across India for 100 locations.  It was further extended to 200 locations on 10.10.2019.

The Indian Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) was launched in March 2019 by the MoEFCC.  The ICAP provides a 20-year perspective and outlines actions needed to provide access to sustainable cooling. India is the first country in the world to have a Cooling Action Plan.

Major innovation initiatives and programmes in 2019/20

Increasing International RD&D Collaborations: To encourage and facilitate the leveraging of knowledge, capabilities, and resources among Mission Innovation members and other stakeholders, DBT (via Mission Innovation) has been coordinating (nationally and globally) to identify existing efforts and looking at opportunities for deeper collaboration with MI countries.

  • Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Department of Science and Technology (DST) launched the Funding Opportunity Announcement for Carbon Capture (IC3), Sustainable Biofuels (IC4) and Converting Sunlight (IC5) to provide an opportunity for Indian researchers to collaborate with researchers from MI members with a total budget of Rs 1280 million (17 million USD). A total of 47 collaborative R&D projects (27 from DST/20 from DBT) were recommended from India for IC3 (carbon capture), IC4 (Sustainable Biofuels) and IC5 (Sunlight Innovation) funding support.
  • The joint projects supported under the Sustainable Biofuels Innovation Challenge (Collaborative support from 9 MI Member countries), cover the key areas of production of sustainable advanced biofuels from agricultural residues, use of MSW for CNG/Methanol, advanced biofuel through microbial fermentation, high-value products, production of enzymes and yeasts by genetic manipulation and scale-up technologies, improvements of biological feedstocks, lignin valorization, heterotrophic algal production from waste stream and LCA for production of biofuels.
  • Joint projects supported by DBT under the Carbon Capture (IC3) (collaborative support from 17 MI Member countries), include bioconversion of CO2 by enzyme assisted solvent-mediated CO2 capture based technologies to value-added products, efficient flue gas CO2 Capture and its conversion to Energy fuels.
  • The proposals supported under Sunlight Innovation (IC5) (collaborative support from 7 MI Members), includes the large-scale demonstration of cultivation systems, host engineering/strain improvement of microalgae & cyanobacteria for improved photosynthetic efficiency.
  • India has taken the lead in developing a framework which is promoting the clean energy technologies with the active participation of scientists, researchers, universities, industries, utilities as well as private organisations across the world through the Mission Innovation platform.
  • DST participated in MICall2019 on Energy Storage Solutions and made a commitment of €2 million.
  • DST participated in ACT-3 call focussed on carbon capture, utilisation and storage with a commitment of €2 million. DST also approved setting up of two virtual centres on CCUS at IIT Bombay and JNCASR, Bangalore.
  • DST announced a call on local energy systems with the European Commission committing an investment of €9 million.
  • DST also launched a bilateral call with the Swedish Energy Agency on Smart Grids with an investment of €2 million.

IC1 Smart Grids:

  • Under the MI mandate to support smart grids ISGAN MI IC1 collaboration has been initiated. A Letter of Intent (LOI) has been signed between IC1 and ISGAN, identifying common interests within R&D Tasks – Storage Integration and Flexibility Options. Two Joint factsheets were proposed and published at Vancouver workshop in 2019.
  • IC1 Smart-Grids team developed Smart Grids Innovation Accelerator (SGIA) framework to foster and accelerate the deployment of the smart grid by providing access to critical documents in the smart grids field, such as policies, strategies, technical reports, case studies, best practices, roadmaps, implementation plans, and digital twin objects.
  • IC1 team invited to be part of the Global Power System Transformation Consortium.
  • Department of Science and technology (DST) announced call inviting letter of intents to set up Material Acceleration Platform (MAP) under IC6.

IC2: Off-Grid Access to electricity:

  • Under the MI mandate India collaborated with following countries to support RD&D collaboration in Off-grid access to electricity.
  • Australia: Solution for Pacific Island Countries
  • Canada: Canmet: Solar–Diesel –Storage Power plant; CERRC
  • China: Technologies & Equipment Development: 5 Projects worth USD1 Million (2019)
  • European Commission: Horizon 2020 “Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy”- Island projects (€36 million) across Europe
  • Netherlands: Results Based Financing (RBF)- Decentralized energy access in developing countries; Energizing Development; Dutch Coalition for Humanitarian Innovation.

Raising awareness of the transformational potential of Energy Innovation: National and International Meetings:

A wide range of workshops and events were organized to bring together key stakeholders to agree on priorities, promote innovation, opportunities for innovators & investors and explore opportunities for further collaboration.

  • Second MI Indian Stakeholders meeting on Clean Energy Innovations on 3 May 2019 in New Delhi which was attended by various international agencies (International Energy Agency, World Economic Forum, World Bank, AEF Sweden), senior advisors, technical experts, industry representatives, investors and broader public participation.
  • 1st CEM/ISGAN – MI IC1 workshop at Vancouver 2019 was organised to highlight the contribution of 16 IC1 Countries and the European Commission on energy strategies, trends, projects and on-going activities in the field of smart grids.
  • The Sixth MI IC1 Deep-Dive International Workshop was co-organized by the IC1 Co-Leads Italy, India and China and the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy and Think Smart Grids.
  • In line with Analysis and Joint Research (AJR) subgroup mandate, of which India is an active member, the Mission innovation Face to Face meeting of all Innovation Challenges under Analysis and Joint Research (AJR) was held on 4 – 5 November 2019 in New Delhi. The major objective of the meeting was to assess impact and achievements on Innovation Challenges so far, cross-over learnings from the multilateral projects, identifying key trends, opportunities and technology gaps, and the need for continuation of Mission Innovation beyond the year 2020.
  • The Mission Innovation Beyond 2020 Regional workshop was held on 6 November 2019 in New Delhi. The workshop facilitated discussion to identify transformative ideas and scenarios for a potential second phase of MI beyond 2020.
  • In line with MI 2.0 mandate for B2020, “Consultative and Collaborative” approach has been followed to address Mission oriented approach via the proposed. Building on successes to date, strengthening the international platform for collaboration and stepping up the pace of innovation. The key meetings /consultations organised include:
  • National Consultative Meeting on Mission Beyond 2020 Framework: Video Conferencing (Virtual Platform): 23 March 2020
  • National Consultative Meeting on Missions Scoping: Video Conferencing (Virtual Platform): 21 April 2020
  • IC4 Sustainable Biofuel Meeting: Bioenergy in the Transport Sector: Mission Scoping: Teleconference (Virtual Platform): 21 April 2020
  • Consultative Meeting: Private Sector/Industry Association: MI India: 24 June (Virtual)
  • Women in Bioenergy Sciences: promoting the Bio economy in the post Covid era: Webinar: June 2020 -Talk by MI Global Champion: India: Dr Purnima Jalihal
  • Consultative Meeting: “Mission Development”: Engaging IC4 MI members/Co-leads/partners and Private sector: Virtual Platform: July 2020

The meetings aimed at providing an overview of the key aspects of proposal development and to seek inputs from MI countries and knowledge partners for the preparation of scoping document. The meetings successfully addressed the MI 2.0 – Mission Oriented approach, key gap areas and at strengthening the international platform for collaboration and stepping up the pace of innovation via ambitious research, development and demonstration activities that can help members to unlock clean energy transition pathways in a measurable way.

  • DBT-IEA joint Launch event: Accelerating clean energy innovation: global needs and opportunities for India’: Virtual Platform: July 2020
  • Deep dive international workshop on thermal comfort along with UK, UAE and European Commission on 6 November, IIT Delhi, New Delhi. The meeting facilitated face-to-face meeting, technical interaction and networking in IC7 PAs with specific focus on Thermal Comfort. The workshop took cognizance of the synergies between Thermal Comfort, Predictive Maintenance & Optimization and Building Integration and ended with New Delhi.

Increased Private Sector Engagement and Investment:

  • The Department of Biotechnology and its Public Sector Undertaking, BIRAC has joined hands with Tata Trusts in successfully setting up the Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC) in 2018, to provide end-to-end support to start-ups, ranging from infrastructure, technology, angel funding, access to venture capitalists, mentorship, exposure to national and international organisations. Under Mission Innovation mandate, the Clean Energy International Incubation Centre launched:
  • National Product Energy Challenge (2019) which resulted in 15 winning solutions/technologies for smart metering, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, innovative EV solutions, clean cooking devices, innovative battery technologies, energy monitoring systems and hydro turbine technologies among others.
  • CEIIC Incubation expanded its Portfolio to 24 start-ups in 2019-20.
  • Avoided Emissions Framework: India-Sweden Collaboration: India through Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC) (a joint initiative of DBT and Tata Trusts) and Sweden through RISE has collaborated under Avoided Emissions Framework (AEF) to accelerate the Clean energy initiatives for a Sustainable Future. The Net-Zero Compatible Innovations Initiative was instrumental in identifying and supporting a new generation of solution providers. In a first step twelve start-ups were selected for initial estimations. After an initial vetting process assessment were conducted on eight start-ups. These eight start-ups incubated at CEIIC have a combined potential to help avoid more than 98 million tonnes of GHG emissions per year by 2030. The framework was again applied during the second edition of the Energy Challenge 2020 to support in the shortlisting and finalization of compatible solutions to ensure specific targeting of high impact technologies in clean energy.
  • Clean Energy Investment and Technology Innovations: IEA and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India is currently focusing on assessment of R&D investments in clean energy in the country. A discussion paper entitled ‘Clean energy transitions: Accelerating Innovation beyond 2020 Focus on India’ was released at the Mission Innovation meeting of all Innovation Challenges under AJR held during 4-5 November 2019 at New Delhi. This Discussion Paper draws on a recent analysis of the clean energy innovation landscape in India, which is becoming a key factor in the world’s energy innovation landscape. The document provides an overview of Clean energy innovation as part of clean energy transitions, tapping into India’s experiences and success stories, also considering aspects relevant to multilateral innovation partnerships and suggests ways forward for policy and decision-makers beyond 2020.
  • Keeping in line with the Mission innovation mandate for information sharing, the Ministry of Science & Technology (DST and DBT) released a discussion paper with support from European Commission and MI countries, “Collaborative models for International Co-operation in Clean Energy innovation” during the MI-AJR meeting at New Delhi in 2019.

Prizes and other Initiatives:

  • India has actively supported applications for MI Champions program and one of the applicants (Prof. SP GonChaudhuri) was selected to represent India at the 4th MI Ministerial. Additionally, In June 2020, Dr Purnima Jalihal: NIOT: Ocean Energies has been awarded as MI Global Champion 2020 working on Affordable Clean Energy via Oceans.
  • A Global Cooling Prize – This international innovation competition (announced by Hon’ble Minister of S&T ES and H&FW) led by the Government of India alongside the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and Mission Innovation is spurring the development of super-efficient and climate-friendly residential cooling solutions for homes. The eight finalists of the Global Cooling Prize were announced on 15 November 2019.The finalists have been awarded USD 200,000 each to develop and ship their prototypes to India for testing in the summer of 2020.
  • DST announced two winners of solar cooking challenge for community and household category.

Private sector engagement in 2019/20

Increased Private Sector Engagement and Investment:

  • The Department of Biotechnology and its Public Sector Undertaking, BIRAC has joined hands with Tata Trusts in successfully setting up the Clean Energy International Incubation Centre (CEIIC) to provide end-to-end support to start-ups, ranging from infrastructure, technology, angel funding, access to venture capitalists, mentorship, exposure to national and international organisations.
  • Under the Mission Innovation mandate, the Clean Energy International Incubation Centre launched a National Product Energy Challenge which resulted in 15 winning solutions/technologies for smart metering, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, innovative EV solutions, clean cooking devices, innovative battery technologies, energy monitoring systems and hydro turbine technologies among others.
  • A private sector company in India has obtained order for setting up of three large scale commercial plants of cellulosic ethanol based on utilisation of agricultural residues.
  • Private sector companies significantly investing in solar and wind sector.
  • Expression of Interest by private sector in setting up of compressed biogas plants based on agricultural residues.
  • Private sector involvement in scaling up production of cellulase enzymes for Second generation ethanol.
  • Design, engineering and fabrication of equipment by private sector companies on renewable energy projects.
  • Public Private collaborative R&D projects initiated in various Clean Energy Areas.

Major activities in support of the Innovation Challenges in 2019/20

  • India supported collaborative R&D projects for Carbon Capture (IC3), Sustainable Biofuels (IC4) and Converting Sunlight (IC5) MI Challenge.
  • Keeping in line with the Mission innovation mandate for information sharing, Ministry of Science & Technology (DST and DBT) a discussion paper with support from European Commission and MI countries, “Collaborative models for International Co-operation in Clean Energy innovation” was released during the MI-AJR meeting at New Delhi in 2019.
  • Synergy 2019: A global outreach report on Smart Grids was released under MI mandate of Information sharing in Smart grids.
  • Off Grid Innovation Challenge Synthesis Report -2019 was   released during MI-AJR meeting at New Delhi 2019, highlighting key initiatives taken by different MI countries to develop Off- Grid solutions.
  • Sustainable Bioenergy and Biofuels Report 2019 was released during the MI-AJR meeting at New Delhi in 2019 highlighting the present status of various R&D projects on development of Sustainable Bioenergy and Biofuels, government policies thereon and future outlook.

Other Mission Innovation related activity in 2019/20

  • Mission Innovations Champions: Scaling the Potential of Clean Energy Innovation: Turning Awareness into Action: India has actively participated in Phase 1.0 of this initiative and supported one Global MI Champion and four National Clean Energy Champions via Research Innovation grants to scale-up innovation for societal good. India is now actively supporting the new phase of MI 2.0 (B2020) through a mission-oriented approach, which will act as a catalyst for bold, innovation alliances built around ambitious and inspirational goals that lead to tipping points in the development of tested, affordable, scalable, and cleaner energy solutions.
  • Outreach Activity: The Mission Innovation India Unit with support from Department of Biotechnology has launched a dedicated website for Mission Innovation and related activities. Full details about recent workshops, Meetings, Country reports and Press releases can be found on the website.
  • Centers of Excellence: Support of five large bioenergy research centers by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.
  • MI-IC7: Initiatives and outcomes relating to MI IC7, global cooling prize and other Mission Innovation related activities of DST are exhibited at ACREX 19, Feb –March 2019, Mumbai and ACREX 2020, Feb 2020, Greater Noida in the DST technology pavilion of ACREX 2020.

National plans and priorities for clean energy innovation

  • Call for proposals – Phase 2 under four MI challenges for Rs 1420 Million or $20 million
  • Monitoring of projects granted in Phase 1: Funding opportunity announcements
  • Country Reports Update: Preparation of country report(s) on clean energy development and progress made in all innovation challenges
  • Development of inputs work plan for delivery of a proposal for MI 2.0 to Ministers at MI-5
  • Collaboration with World bank for a joint funding mechanism to support and accelerate Clean energy innovations
  • International product Challenge under CEIIC
  • Participation in MI Call 19
  • Participation in Phase 2.0 MI Champions
  • Participation in MI-5 for Phase 2 continuation of MI
  • Participation in comfort climate box for the topic’s initiative of IEA
  • The Government of India has set out eight national missions to promote India’s sustainable development objectives, which are as follows:
    • National Solar Mission
    • National Biofuel Policy
    • National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
    • National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
    • National Water Mission
    • National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem
    • National Mission for a Green India
    • National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
    • National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change
    • National Bioenergy Mission

New Collaborations

IEA TCP Bioenergy
International Energy Agency
International Energy Agency’s Technology Collaboration Programme on Bioenergy (IEA Bioenergy TCP) is an international platform for co-operation among countries with the aim of improving cooperation and information exchange between countries that have national programmes in bioenergy research, development and deployment.
Sectors: public-public
Type of Collaboration: bioenergy research, technology development, demonstration, and policy analysis
Start date: 2019
Find out more

IEA TCP H2
International Energy Agency and Reliance Industries
The Hydrogen TCP seeks to optimise environmental protection, improve energy security, transform global energy systems and grid management, and promote international economic development, as well as serving as the premier global resource for expertise in all aspects of hydrogen technology.
Sectors: public-private
Type of Collaboration: accelerate hydrogen implementation and widespread utilisation
Start date: 2019
Find out more

IEA TCP Heat Pump Technologies
International Energy Agency and Reliance Industries
IEA HPT TCP intends to accelerate product development and market introduction of combined heat pump / storage packages: The Comfort and Climate Box (CCB)
Sectors: public-public
Type of Collaboration: heat pump technology, prototyping and demonstration
Start date: 2020
Find out more