Developed nations should be more "philanthropic" in providing developing countries with energy storing devices at cheaper rates, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah has said.
"If the developed nations really want to save the planet earth, they need to get every nation on board," he said at the inauguration of a five-day film festival on the environment yesterday.
"Let the West be philanthropic and provide us energy storing devices, particularly solar energy storing devices, not free but at cheaper rates," he said.
On the Centre's decision to launch a solar mission next month, Abdullah said, "85 per cent of the output produced by our solar panels goes to the west because we cannot afford it.We need a cheaper way of storing energy."
"I hope that our solar mission provides so much output that even a person living in a 'jhuggi' (shanty) receives adequate electricity," he added. The five-day film festival CMS Vatavaran focuses on climate change and sustainable technologies. A total of 106 films, including 73 Indian and 33 international films, will be screened at the festival.
On the occasion, Abdullah presented ‘Best Environment Journalist Awards’ to wildlife film director, Krishnendu Bose besides Aarti Dhar from the Hindu and Pierre Fitter from News X.