Amidst the growing energy needs and changing global climate landscape, the Government of India has identified new areas to achieve higher levels of penetration of Renewable energy by proposing certain Amendments to Energy Conservation Act, 2001. The objective will be to enhance demand for renewable energy at the end- use sectors such as Industry, buildings, transport etc. Ministry of Power has prepared amendments, after consultations with stakeholders. The proposal includes defining minimum share of renewable energy in the overall consumption by the industrial units or any establishment. There will be provision to incentivize efforts on using clean energy sources by means of carbon saving certificate.

It has been reported that India is eyeing a slew of measures, including fiscal incentives and stricter regulations, as part of the framework being firmed up to encourage a circular economy. Extended producer liability in 11 sectors or products and a refund option for products after use besides some other fiscal sops could be introduced to aid the switch to circular economy from a linear one. The 11 sectors include scrap metal (ferrous and non-ferrous), lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries, tyre and rubber recycling, gypsum, end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), electronic waste, toxic and hazardous industrial waste, municipal solid waste and liquid waste, agriculture waste, used oil waste (generated from tools and machines) and solar panels, the company said.

India and the European Union have vowed to scale up cooperation in areas of clean energy with a focus on offshore wind, green hydrogen, and solar power besides deciding to encourage investments in the field of energy efficiency. Various aspects of deepening clean energy cooperation were discussed at a meeting of the India-EU Energy Panel. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the panel agreed on a detailed work programme until 2023 to implement clean energy and climate partnership that was agreed in 2016. Some of the areas identified for cooperation included ensuring nearly zero energy buildings and renewable energy sources, including solar and offshore wind.