A breakthrough Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed in Delhi this week between Energy Systems Catapult and PTC India in another milestone towards UK-India collaboration on Net Zero innovation.
Part of the Innovating for Transport and Energy Systems (ITES) initiative, the partnership will help bring together research, innovation and industry intelligence to evidence and expedite new clean energy solutions.
Observed by officials from the British High Commission New Delhi, the MoU signing paves the way for more collaboration on critical energy transition issues affecting both nations, such as meeting the challenge of rapid electricity demand growth. Knowledge and innovation exchange as part of the agreement will aim to support UK-India ambitions in the global EV market – enabling EV and clean transport adoption, while also cutting emissions and improving air quality.
Andrew Stokes, the Catapult’s International Lead, signed the MoU on behalf of ITES and Energy Systems Catapult. He said: ‘Both the Catapult and ITES were established to drive innovation in the green energy transition. As a crucial part of India’s energy supply chain, PTC is central to that transition in India. We’re looking forward to working together to identify the challenges, and help expedite and expand the innovations that the UK, India, and the wider global community need.”
Echoing these sentiments, Dr Rajib Kr. Mishra, PTC’s Chairman and Managing Director, highlighted the importance of innovation and collaboration to meet the energy demands of a growing India. “For every megawatt added to our grid, we need to find innovative solutions. PTC is assisting India in staying ahead of the challenges to ensure a reliable, sustainable, and affordable energy supply for consumers. Today’s MoU symbolises our commitment to innovation and global collaboration in finding solutions.”
The partnership, underlining the alignment of the UK and India in their Net Zero ambitions, has been applauded by Anna Shotbolt, Deputy Trade Commissioner for South Asia. She noted: “This is a fantastic example of how organisations from our countries can unite to share expertise, accelerate the energy transition, and mutually support the success of UK and Indian businesses in both nations.”
The ITES initiative is a landmark, government-supported partnership between the UK and India. It aims to accelerate the transition to clean transport and significantly reduce emissions through market-led UK-India innovation. Funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and InnovateUK, ITES provides unique support to clean technology innovators, supporting businesses to grow and scale solutions in collaboration with the Indian market. The initiative offers government, academia and industry unrivalled access to innovation, evidence and data from world-first pilots and real-world research. The initiative is led by Energy Systems Catapult and the Indian Institute for Science (IISc).
