Objectives

International cooperation activities are aimed at i) interaction with international organizations, developed and developing countries for cooperation in R&D, demonstration and promotion of renewable energy; ii) obtaining leverage for India in renewable energy related to international protocols; iii) obtaining least cost lines of credit for IREDA; iv) leveraging additional resources for renewable energy projects in the country through international mechanisms; and v) enhancing the profile of the country globally, and playing an effective role in the international community for renewable energy development.

Some of the major activities in pursuance of the above objectives during 2006 and 2007 were:

1. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

The Ministry continued to contribute to framing Government of India’s stand on various climate change related issues at international forum such as the UNFCCC, including those on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol. MNRE as a member of the Designated National Authority for CDM projects set up in Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) continued to provide inputs on CDM projects for hot country approval. The Indian Renewable Energy Programme has achieved a remarkable growth in CDM projects under Kyoto Protocol. Out of a total 645 CDM projects registered at the Executive Board (upto May 2007), India’s share is about 32%. The share of renewables is around 56% of the projects registered. For more details visit cdmindia.nic.in

 

2. India-EU Energy Panel

Active interaction is being pursued with EU through the India-EU Energy Panel established for technological cooperation between India and EU in energy sector including renewable energy. A working Group on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy established under India-EU Energy Panel coordinates cooperation in renewable energy. Interaction with EU was pursued for joint research, design, development, demonstration and manufacture of specific areas of renewable energy technologies/systems by institutions/industry.

3. Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APPCDC)

The Ministry has been participating in the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APPCDC), an international non-treaty agreement between Australia, India, China, Japan, South Korea, Canada and the USA, for collaboration in renewable energy. Renewable Energy and Distributed Generation Task Force (REDGTF) coordinates cooperation in new and renewable energy amongst these partner countries. India hosted the 4th REDGTF meeting during 12-16 November 2007.

4. India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA)

Interaction for cooperation in renewable energy among India, Brazil and South Africa takes place through a Trilateral Commission, called IBSA Dialogue Forum. Cooperation in biofuels would also be perused. The last meeting of IBSA Working Group was held on 12 July 2007 when cooperation in second-generation biofuels, wind, remote village electrification were discussed. An MoU for cooperation in wind resources has also been signed during the last IBSA Summit held in South Africa on 17 October 2007.

5. Cooperation with South Asian/ASEAN countries

The Ministry is pursuing an action plan of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), a regional grouping in South East Asia established for cooperation in economic development in the region. It comprises Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. Activities have been identified for cooperation under BIMSTEC.

The Ministry is also interacting with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), which comprises of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam under an agreement on India-ASEAN Partnership Programme, which was signed by the Prime Minister at the 3rd Summit held at Vientiane, Laos on 30 November 2004. Interaction with ASEAN is being pursued for establishing institutional linkages between institutions of India and ASEAN member countries including ASEAN Centre of Energy for joint research and development in new and renewable energy.

6. Indo-US Energy Dialogue

Under US-India Energy Dialogue established in May 2005, a Working Group on New Technologies and Renewable Energy (WGNTE) is in place to coordinate cooperation activities between the two countries in renewable energy. Possible cooperation activities for research in low wind regimes and solar areas have been identified during the First Working Group meeting held on 9-10 November 2005 and thereafter during the "Workshop on Methodology and Modeling Techniques for Assessing Wind and Solar Resources" held during 10-11 November 2006. Interaction is going on with USDOE/NREL for cooperation activities in solar and wind energy.

In order to further bilateral cooperation with various developed and developing countries, MoUs have been signed with Thailand, Italy, Philippines and Iceland in 2006 and 2007.

7. International Assistance for Renewable Energy Projects

i) Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihoods Project

A UNDP assisted project titled "Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihoods" under the UN Country Cooperation Framework-II is under implementation. Significant progress has been achieved in the project activities relating to (i) Raising economic levels of selected villages through enhanced income generation activities by providing renewable energy intervention; (ii) Renewable energy resources assessment on GIS platform; (iii) Development of a digital simulator for imparting training on operation of small hydro power stations; and (iv) Renewable energy technology mapping and benchmarking activity.

ii) UNDP/GEF project on "Removal of Barriers to Biomass Power Generation in India".

The Ministry signed a project titled "Removal of Barriers to Biomass Power Generation in India" with Department of Economic Affairs and UNDP on 22 September 2006. The project of three years duration aims to accelerate the adoption of environmentally sustainable biomass power and co-generation technology in India. The total cost of the project is US$39.15 million of which US$ 5.65 million is the grant from Global Environment Facility, US$5.24 million MNRE contribution and remaining US$28.26 million is co-financing which includes KfW concessional loan assistance of US$24.82 million on the IDA terms and remaining investment of around US$3.44 million is proposed from private investors/promoters. The project is being implemented in eight identified states in the country.

8. International Assistance for Financing Renewable Energy Projects in India

Interactions with World Bank/KfW/ADB/JBIC are held on an ongoing basis for financing renewable energy projects at competitive interest rates in India. A proposal from IREDA is also being pursued with KfW, Germany.

9. Seminars/Conferences/Symposia

Both national and international events are organized to increase interactions amongst all concerned stakeholders for research, development and deployment and promotion of renewable energy. While the domestic events focus on policy and implementation of programmes, the international events focus on collaborations in renewable energy sector. The Ministry provides limited financial assistance for these events. (A list of events supported by MNRE Hyperlinked)

10. International Training Programmes

The Ministry organized the following International Training Programmes during 2006-07:

  1. International Training Programme on "Solar Energy Technologies" in March 2007 by Solar Energy Centre, MNRE.

  2. International Training Programme on "Small Hydropower" in February 2007 by IIT, Roorkee.

  3. International Training Programme on "Bio Energy" in March 2007 by Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

  4. International Training Programme on ‘Wind Energy’ in March 2007 by Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET), Chennai.

Events organized/supported during the year 2006-2007:

Renewable Energy Conference for South Asian Countries" during 18-19 April 2006 at New Delhi by ASSOCHAM, New Delhi.

National Conference on "Electron, Microscopy and XXVIII Annual meeting of Electron Microscope Society of India" during 19-21 April 2006 at Thiruvananthapuram by Regional Research Laboratory (RRL), Thiruvananthapuram.

National Conference on "Energy Alternatives for Rural Sector" during 27-28 April 2006 at India International Centre, New Delhi by International Development Centre Foundation, New Delhi.

National Conference and Exhibition on "Wind India 2006" at Pune during 22-23 August 2006 organized by World Institute of Sustainable Energy, Pune.

9th ASSOCHAM Energy Summit and 6th ASSOCHAM Renewable Energy Summit" during 24-25 August 2006 at New Delhi by ASSOCHAM, New Delhi.

9th Power India Forum 2006" and "6th Renewable Energy Summit 2006" during 15-16 September 2006 in Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi by India Energy Forum, New Delhi.

National Workshop on "Management of Energy Parks and Development of New Exhibits for the Energy Parks" in September 2006 at Kolkata by West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA), West Bengal.

Workshop/Training Publicity & Awareness for "Waste to Energy and Solar Energy Adaptation" during 21-28 September 2006 at Orissa by SANKALPA, Orissa.

National Seminar on "Integration of Energy from Conventional and Non-Conventional Sources" during 7-9 October 2006 at Bhopal by Lakshmi Narain College of Technology, Bhopal.

An International Workshop on "Hydrogen: Energy: Production, Storage and Application during 5-9 November, 2006 at University of Rajasthan, Jaipur by Center for Non-Conventional Energy Resources, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.

The "5th World Wind Energy Conference-cum-Exhibition 2006" during 6-8 November 2006 at New Delhi by Indian Wind Energy Association (InWEA), New Delhi.

National Conference on "Regulatory Performance in India: Achievements, Constraints and Future Action" during 9-10 November 2006 at New Delhi by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi.

"Indo-US Workshop on Methodology and Modeling Techniques for Assessing Wind and Solar Resources" during 9-10 November 2006 at Hotel Le Meridian, New Delhi.

"Energy Summit VI, 2006" during 16-17 November 2006 at Guwahati by North East Chamber of Commerce and Industry), (ECCSI) Guwahati.

National Seminar on "Bio-diesel from Jatropha" on 25 November 2006 at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala by Chakkala Community Association of India, Thiruvananthapuram.

Eighth International Symposia on "Advances in Electrochemical Science and Technology (ISAEST-8)" during 28-30 November, 2006 at Goa by Advancement of Electrochemical Science and Technology (SAEST) Karaikudi jointly with the Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, Tamilnadu.

Conference on ‘Advances in Energy Research (AER-2006) during 4-5 December 2006 at Mumbai by IIT Bombay, Mumbai.

47th Annual Conference on ‘Microbiology-The challenges Ahead’ during 6-8 December 2006 at Barkaatullah University, Bhopal by Barkaatullah University, Bhopal.

National Seminar on ‘Energy Conversion and Energy Conservation Management’ during 4-7 January 2007 at Periyar Maniammai College of Technology for Women, Vallam, Thanjavur by Department of Renewable Energy, Periyar Maniammai College of Technology for Women, Vallam, Thanjavur.

National Seminar on "Non-Conventional Renewable Energy Sources" during 24-25th January 2007 by Department of Physics & Electronics, Doctor Harising Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar (Madhya Pradesh).

SOLARIS 2007 "3rd International Conference on Solar Radiation and Day lighting" during 7-9 February 2007 at IIT, Delhi by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.

Two-day Conference on ‘Non-edible oils for Decentralized Power Production’ in March 2007 at Hyderabad by Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad.