The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): NITI Aayog and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands have released a joint report titled ‘LNG as a Transportation Fuel in Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicle’ at the India Energy Week in Goa. This release, which marks the first outcome of their collaboration under the Statement of Intent (SoI) partnership since 2020, underscores both nations’ commitment to energy transition.
The report was launched by Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog, and H.E. Frederik Wisselink, Energy Envoy of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy from the Netherlands. The event was also graced by dignitaries like Shri Praveen Mal Khanooja from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, H.E. Mrs. Marisa Gerards, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in India, Ms. Mansi Tripathy from SHELL Group of companies in India, and Shri Kamal Kishore Chatiwal from Indraprastha Gas Limited.
Shri Suman Bery highlighted the report’s focus on leveraging Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) as a fuel source for medium and heavy commercial vehicles. It addresses the coordination issues among various stakeholders and draws lessons from other countries’ experiences in overcoming these challenges.
Mr. Frederik Wisselink emphasized the Netherlands’ commitment to clean energy and carbon reduction, noting the country’s leadership in green hydrogen initiatives. He stressed the potential of Dutch expertise in the energy sector to collaborate with India’s public and private sectors, contributing to the global climate goals set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Shri Praveen Mal Khanooja remarked on the report’s alignment with India’s objectives of increasing gas share in primary energy supply and achieving Net Zero by 2070. He acknowledged the Ministry’s multi-pronged approach towards LNG as a fuel and expressed eagerness to work with various stakeholders in this regard.
H.E. Mrs. Marisa Gerards, the Dutch Ambassador to India, expressed her satisfaction with the partnership’s outcome and emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in driving innovation towards a greener future.
The report discusses the challenges and barriers to adopting LNG in India and proposes a roadmap of actionable solutions. It underscores the need for a transparent implementation framework driven by immediate goals of demand creation and market seeding.
Looking ahead, NITI Aayog and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands plan to deepen their collaboration on sustainability, focusing on the circular economy in addition to energy transition.
The report is a significant step in the collaborative efforts of India and the Netherlands towards transforming their energy sectors, highlighting their shared dedication to sustainable development and climate resilience. The report is available online at NITI Aayog’s official website.