CEED organises an International Webinar on India-Nepal Sub-National Energy Trade
Patna, :Center for Environment and Energy Development (CEED) organised a international webinar today on the theme of “Powering India-Nepal : Low Carbon Development Pathway through Trans Boundary Renewable Energy Trade” with the objective to deliberate on exploring the common agenda with eradicating the hindrances and put forth a conducive policy framework that enhances the mutually beneficial energy trade in the region. India-Nepal Sub National energy trade aims to ensure better energy access and economic progress at both sides of fence for enabling these South Asian countries moving onto the sustainable path. The webinar witnessed constructive engagement of business leaders, Renewable Energy (RE) developers, technical experts from Nepal and India, along with participation from government agencies, industries associations, academia, think-tanks, and civil society organisations and the concerned citizens.
For endorsing the bilateral renewable energy trade, Mr. V. K. Agarwal, Technical Director, IRADe shared that, “Renewable energy trading is not only a market process but a regional revolution.” He further reiterated that, “The regional market between Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan on RE generation can replace the fossil fuel based costly generation, and with huge hydropower potential, Nepal can be helpful in balancing the energy requirement of India.”
Addressing the webinar, Mr. Kumar Pandey, Executive Chairman, National Hydro Power Company Ltd. & Vice President, Independent Power Producers’ Association – Nepal (IPPAN) said that, “The Indian agencies have done a phenomenal job in the past years to make cross border trade a reality. We are now in a situation where the market is ripe for trading, with surplus in some places and manageable deficit at others. Therefore, this is the right time to iron out the contentious issues and enter into the new age of power trading for ensuring prosperity of all the stakeholders in the region.”
Er. Gyanendra Lal Pradhan, Executive Chairman, Hydro Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Nepal said that, “The hydropower is not an option, it is a compulsion which will be instrumental in controlling the flood, provide irrigation and water supply, food security and keeping the environment clean and green as the Covid-19 lockdown period has shown us. Thus, hydropower from Nepal has much to offer in terms of providing various means for energy trade and contribute in the overall development in the region.”
While moderating the session, Mr. Abhishek Pratap, Power Expert, ASAR said that, “In times of climate crisis renewable energy resources needs to be shared and should not be restricted within the boundaries and therefore renewable energy trade between India & Nepal is critical to meet both the countries aspirational energy demand.” He also spoke about “the need to strengthen the infrastructural arrangement as well as the political will to take the energy trade forward; and mutual trust between the governments, business bodies, RE entrepreneurs is of much importance.”
The other key issues emerged that there is greater need of having a bilateral regulatory mechanism in place, a single grid for Indian, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, and promotion of a ‘regional ancillary market’ for more deepening regional cooperation. The webinar concluded with the note that the Sub-National energy trade needs a robust policy framework for deepening the process of energy trade and erasing out the major impediments with mutually agreeing on the common agenda and further exploring ‘joint to do list’ in a collaborative and effective manner, which will further deepen the bilateral relation and also make the region moving onto the low carbon development pathway with bringing prosperity and energy security.
