Bill Gates launches clean energy study

WASHINGTON: Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates will launch a multibillion- dollar clean energy research and development initiative on Monday, the opening day of the UN climate change summit in Paris.

Gates and a group of developing and developed countries will agree to double their research and development budgets to boost clean energy deployment, GreenWire, a trade publication, reported yesterday.

Gates will join Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande to announce Initiative Cleantech at a side event on the opening day of the two-week climate summit.