South Asian MPs stress need for energy trading in the region
Parliamentarians of South Asian, while pursuing initiatives on climate change, have resolved to develop a regional grid in South Asia – a transmission network that could link wind, solar, hydro and other renewable energy sources.
They also agreed to create a mechanism for energy trading between regional neighbours to promote reliable and sustainable energy for all.
This decleration was made at the conclusion of a three-day conference of South Asian parliamentarians held from November 16 to 18 in the southern resort town of Wadduwa to discuss ways to tackle climate change by promoting renewable energy.
The meeting was organized by the Climate Parliament, an international cross-party network of legislators committed to action on climate change, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The conference, funded by the European Union is part of a US$ 4 million (Euro 3.1 million) global project aimed at helping parliamentarians from developing countries to fight climate change and stamp out poverty through parliamentary action.
Butchaiah Gadde, a climate mitigation expert at the UNDP, told a media conference in Colombo that improving access to energy in South-Asia is through the development of a supergrid – a network of electricity superhighways that would link up wind, solar, and hydropower plants and allow energy trading between regional neighbors, to provide reliable and 100 per cent renewable electricity for all.
“But a supergrid needs multilateral action from governments across the region,” he said.
That’s why MPs from across the region and beyond are calling on governments to invest just one per cent of their budgets into renewable energy and supergrids, and organizing an international network of MPs who can press for action in their national parliaments, he said.
A spokesperson of the conference, Diksha Kamdar told the Business Times that South Asian parliamentarians were of the view that this can be a much desired solution for improving access to energy and promoting economic growth in South Asia while reducing its dependence on fossil fuels.
She said that the participants have agreed that governments of South Asian countries should work towards the promotion of a clear regional policy to address and promote cross-country transmission of renewable energy amidst neighbouring South Asian countries.
South Asia comprises eight countries which are extremely rich in renewable reserves. However, the extent of development of renewable energy remains only a small fraction of the power supply.
Some attempts have been made in the recent past in a few countries including Sri Lanka to map the resources. The region, as a whole, lacks a complete, accurate and updated assessment of its renewable energy potential.
Parliamentarians urged their governments to engage in discussions on the possibilities for renewable energy in locations where resources are most abundant, for export to areas of high demand. For example, large-scale solar power could be generated in India to supply the Bangladesh market.
They urged governments to develop concrete proposals for financing, including public-private risk-sharing, for discussion with multilateral agencies.
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