India and Iceland share common spirit of innovation, positive energy: Hardeep Puri

New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) India and Iceland may be geographically apart, but the countries share the common spirit of innovation and positive energy to take their people towards a glorious future, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, has said.

In a post on X social media platform, the minister said he has concluded a very fruitful and productive visit to Iceland with a dinner graciously hosted for the Indian delegation by Deputy Permanent Secretary of State of Iceland, Bergdis Ellertsdottir.

“We were joined by the Icelandic Ambassador to India Amb Benedikt Hoskuldsson and several energy, trade and multilateral experts. Deeply grateful to the people and energy professionals of Iceland for their warmth and hospitality,” said Puri.

The minister earlier met Kristinn Ingi Larusson, Chief Commercial Officer of CarbFix, an Icelandic carbon capture company that transforms carbon dioxide into stone by injecting it into underground basalt formations.

The company is internationally recognised for its innovative, science-based approach to climate mitigation and now offers its technology for industrial CCS applications globally, including in collaboration with Climeworks on the ORCA direct air capture facility.

“India has large basaltic rock formations in west coast where CO2 and water can be injected by industrial units for a permanent carbon capture and storage in a cost effective manner technologies which can play an impactful role in India’s journey towards green energy transition under the leadership of PM Modi,” the Union Minister highlighted.

The meeting in Reykjavik with Arni Hrannar Haraldsson, CEO of ON Power, Iceland’s largest geothermal energy company, “gave us an insight into how the company produces both electricity and hot water at the Hellisheiði and Nesjavellir geothermal plants and generates electricity electricity through the Andakilsa hydro station.”

“We discussed the company’s efforts towards sustainability, and in building EV charging infrastructure which encourages both public and commercial stakeholders toward greener transportation solutions,” Puri noted.

The technologies may have good potential for India as Himalayas have geothermal capacity in Uttarakhand, Himachal and Ladakh, he added.

—IANS

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