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International
co-operation activities in non-conventional energy are primarily
focused on sharing experiences and expertise with other countries,
promoting co-operation in scientific research in technologies of
interest, mobilising financial resources for programmes and promoting
human resource development in the field of non-conventional energy.
10.2
During 2002-2003, the Ministry took initiatives for accelerating
international co-operation activities in the field of renewable
energy. These initiatives were taken in close co-operation with
the State Renewable Energy Development Agencies, Research &
Development institutions, Industrial institutions, Indian Renewable
Energy Development Agency and other Central Ministries.
10.3
Major International co-operation initiatives taken during 2002-2003
are as follows:
Multilateral
Cooperation
i)
UNDP/GEF
a)
Under UNDP/GEF project on selected options for stabilising greenhouse
gas emissions for sustainable development, four project briefs
for possible GEF assistance in the areas of solar thermal technologies,
rural electrification, biomass gasification for thermal application
and energy recovery from solid waste have been prepared. Total
estimated GEF component of these projects is about US $ 26 million.
b)
The project brief "Removal of Barriers in Biomass Power Generation
in India" with GEF component of US$ 10million was approved
by the GEF council. The project document is expected to be finalized
by March 2003.
c)
UNDP/GEF assisted projects on "Development of High Rate Biomethanation
Processes as a Means of Reducing Green House Gases Emission''
and "Optimising Development of Small Hydel Resources in the
Hilly Regions of India" continued to be under implementation.
ii)
World Bank /GEF
a) The 3rd World Bank Energy Environment mission visited India
from 6-17th May 2002 and held discussions on Climate
Change Partnership (CCP). The thrust areas of CCP are renewable
energy and energy efficiency. CCP aims at market expansion besides
renewable energy applications for rural electrification and introduction
of high efficiency agricultural water pump sets. Discussions are
in progress with the World Bank for crystallising these proposals.
b)
In the Second Line of Credit, the World Bank has extended loan
assistance to the "Second Renewable Energy Project"
for US$ 135 million, which is being implemented by IREDA.
iii)
Asian Development Bank Line of Credit to IREDA
The Asian Development Bank Portfolio of US$ 100 million for the
"India Renewable Energy Development Project" has been
completed on the 31st July 2002.
iv)
PREGA project
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has extended technical assistance
for the project "Promotion of Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency
and Green House Gas Abatement (PREGA)" to stimulate investments
in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and to
generate a pipeline of such investment projects for financing
from Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Clean Development Mechanism
(CDM). In this connection, the Ministry has been designated as
the National Counterpart Agency (NCA). MNES has forwarded proposals
for finalisation of National Technical Experts (NTE) to ADB.
v)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (UNFCCC)
a)
MNES was represented in the Indian delegation for the Eighth Meeting
of the Conference of Parties (COP-8) to the UNFCCC held at New
Delhi during 23rd October to 1st November
2002. The major side events on `Indian Renewable Energy Programme
A Developing Country perspective', `Wind Power in India Approaches
and Prospects' and `MNES-UNEP Roundtable on Renewable Energy'
were held parallel to COP-8 from 25th to 30th
October 2002.
b)
TERI, Development Alternatives and Winrock International India
have been assigned studies on some aspects of CDM in renewable
energy relating to baseline determination, sustainable development
indicators, reduction in transaction cost and retrofitting of
ongoing programmes in CDM framework.
The Netherlands launched the Certified Emission Reduction Unit
Programme Tender (CERUPT) for acquisition of Certified Emission
Reductions (CERs). Through CERUPT 2001, the Netherlands will purchase
approximately 3 million CERs. The six projects short-listed from
India are in the areas of wind energy and biomass power.
vi)
BIMST-EC meeting on renewable energy
MNES sponsored a training programme on renewable energy technology
for participants from BIMST-EC countries at TERI, New Delhi from
9-15th May, 2002. Nine participants from Sri Lanka,
Myanmar and Thailand participated in the said programme.
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