India to replace diesel with renewable energy in agricultural sector

India’s federal power minister R K Singh said Friday the country will replace diesel with renewable energy to achieve zero diesel use in the agricultural sector by 2024.

Singh chaired a virtual meeting with state government officials to discuss the energy transition goals of the country. The minister laid emphasis on the need for a state-specific agency dedicated to energy conservation and efficiency.

According to officials, the objective of the meeting was to ensure the participation of states in fulfilling India’s climate commitments and that each state is assigned to set energy saving targets.

“Singh stressed the need for collaborative efforts between the central (federal) and state governments toward the large-scale deployment of energy efficiency measures in potential sectors of the economy,” said a statement issued by the ministry.

“We are working for a new and modern India, which can not happen without modern power systems, and we look forward to working with all states to achieve it,” the statement said.

The ministry said the meeting was organized in line with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment at the COP26 climate change conference to reducing carbon emission intensity of the country.