MARCH, 20259A senior executive from Swiss-based ABB stated that India is set to become the company's third-largest market for its electrification division. The executive also noted that India and China are expected to grow at similar rates.Giampiero Frisio, president, electrification business area, and member of the group executive committee of ABB, said, "India is going to become our third-largest market (for the electrification business)," he added, "it could become either this year or next year."The senior executive expects India to also develop as a hub for ABB's re-exports to "some Middle East and some parts of Asia and Africa." At present, these re-exports from India are about 10-15 per cent. Frisio added that catering to India's demand remains the focus. "After the pandemic, we are seeing that the Indian market is picking up in a very, very good way," he added.Frisio also remains unfazed by the new presidency in the US and the likely de-focus from the energy transition. He said, "There is a lot of investment that was coming from the Inflation Reduction Act, done by the previous administration, is still there. It was not cancelled. There will be, for sure, more gas, and what we can do is to help the oil and gas industry become leaner and cleaner. Eventually, from the electrification standpoint, there will also be a balancing from the gas economy companies." The North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) on Friday greeted a recent notification by the Assam government on its clean energy policy, which is set to give impetus to renewable energy and its grid integration.The 'Assam Integrated Clean Energy Policy', which was notified on February 24, now promises an incentive scheme for tea, coffee, and rubber consumers for the use of energy from the state's power distribution company (APDCL).NETA previously held a seminar on the implementation of solar power projects in Assam's tea industry, and all stakeholders subsequently appealed to the state government for a move to single annual billing for the tea industry, which has been acknowledged in this policy, he adds.Under the policy, the maximum size for a grid-connected rooftop solar power plant is set to 1,000KW for power consumers in tea, coffee, and rubber. The power banking facility shall be extended to yearly energy banking for all consumers in the tea, coffee, and rubber categories. DECEMBER, 20249ABB: INDIA POISED TO BECOME OUR THIRD-LARGEST MARKET FOR ELECTRIFICATIONTEA INDUSTRY WELCOMES ASSAM GOVERNMENT'S INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE RENEWABLE ENERGY
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