IGEF Subgroup IV meeting on " Green Energy Corridors "

The Subgroup IV meeting on Green Energy Corridors under the Indo-German Energy Forum took place on February 14 2019 in New Delhi. It was co-chaired by Dr. Wolfram Klein, Head of Division India and South Asia, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Government of Germany and Shri Rajat Kumar Mishra, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India who was warmly welcomed in his new position. Further participants were representatives from MNRE, German Embassy, KfW and GIZ.

Both Co-Chairs highlighted the successful cooperation in the Green Energy Corridors (GEC) programme phase I initiated by the Government of India and are looking forward to further cooperate in upcoming phases II and III.

The strengthening of the transmission grid is of high importance to both governments to enable the integration of high shares of power from renewable energy sources. State transmission companies play a crucial role in terms of required investment to be made, especially in inter-state transmission lines to transport electricity from renewable rich states to states with higher demand. The Green Energy Corridors programme therefore improves the access to funds by those states. The Government of Germany, through KfW Development Bank, has committed further funds to support the Government of India in the same. Ms. Sandra Soares, Head of Energy Cell KfW, and Ms. Ramya Parijat, Project Leader Green Energy Corridors from KfW, gave insights on progress being made in the ongoing extension of the transmission grid.

All participants in the Subgroup meeting agreed that Government of India has made outstanding progress in constructing transmission lines within the last 4 years. Dr. Winfried Damm, Head of GIZ Energy Division, gave further details on the ongoing technical cooperation with focus on forecasting of fluctuating power generation from renewable energy resources and capacity building measures in the same.

The decisions taken by the Co-Chairs at this Subgroup meeting are as follow:

  1. to analyse framework conditions allowing economically feasible operation of hydro pumped storage facilities in India
  2. to support any request from Government of India in terms of future transmission grid requirements and compatibility with planned Renewable Energy capacity additions
  3. to ensure continues support by Government of Germany through KfW to fund Green Energy Corridors

© IGEF l Dr. Klein, Head of Division India and South Asia, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Government of Germany, hands over a small present to his new counterpart Shri Rajat Kumar Mishra, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India

© IGEF l participants of the Subgroup IV meeting on Green Energy Corridors

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