Mission Innovation (MI) Face to Face meeting of Innovation Challenges(IC)

Source: Press Information Bureau

The Union Minister of Science & Technology inaugurated the Mission Innovation (MI) Face to Face meeting of Innovation Challenges(IC). During the event, the Minister has mentioned that India is going to increase the share of non-fossil fuel, and by 2022 plan to increase our renewable energy capacity to much beyond 175 GW and later till 450 GW.

Objectives of the meeting

• To take stock of the deliverables by MI and its plans until 2020. 
• Another major objective is to identify major gap areas in Clean Energy Innovation and how to address these beyond 2020 to make MI more impactful.

About Mission Innovation

• Mission Innovation was announced in November 2015 due to pioneering efforts by India, France, and the USA, as world leaders came together in Paris to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate changes.  
• Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative of 24 countries and the European Union to dramatically accelerate global clean energy innovation. 
• As part of the initiative, participating countries have committed to double their governments’ clean energy research and development (R&D) investments over five years, while encouraging greater levels of private sector investment in transformative clean energy technologies. 
• These additional resources are expected to dramatically accelerate the availability of the advanced technologies that will define a future global energy mix that is clean, affordable, and reliable.  
• Mission Innovation has identified eight (8) Innovation Challenges which are global calls to action aimed at accelerating research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) in technology areas where increased international attention would make a significant impact in the shared fight against climate change. 
• The Innovation Challenges cover the entire spectrum of RD&D; from early-stage research needs assessments to technology demonstration projects. 
• India is also co-leading Smart Grids, Off Grids and Sustainable Biofuels Innovation and is actively participating in all ICs and other activities of MI.  These challenges taken up under Analysis and Joint Research and co-led by India and Canada include: 
  1. Smart Grids
  2. Off-Grid Access to Electricity
  3. Carbon Capture
  4. Sustainable Biofuels
  5. Converting Sunlight
  6. Clean Energy Materials and
  7. Affordable Heating and Cooling of Buildings Innovation Challenge