SEforALL signs MoU with Government of Gujarat, Hosts Seminar on Sustainable Energy Solutions

Gandhinagar, India, 13 January 2015: “The Indian power sector has an investment potential of USD 250 billion over the next 5-6 years with opportunities in generation, distribution and transmission,” said Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of State for Power, Coal and Renewable Energy, as he delivered his keynote address during the Sustainable Energy for All seminar held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. Hosted on the margins of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, the seminar’s focus was twofold: to provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experiences in support of the government’s efforts to lift millions out of poverty, and its quest to build 100 smart cities. Underscoring the importance of the high-level panel discussions on “The Use of Frontier Technologies to Scale up Integration of Renewables” and “Sustainability through Energy Efficiency”, Minister Goyal said the Government of India had noted the need to identify the gap between availability of resources and access to energy. “Progressive Indian states such as Gujarat have ramped up their efforts towards sustainable energy, and are promoting development through multiple renewable energy and energy efficiency measures”, he stressed. “Renewable energy sources and energy efficient technologies feature prominently in our agenda, but energy access for all is the first step,” said Saurabhbhai Patel, Minister of Finance, Energy and Petrochemicals for Gujarat state. United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and CEO of the SEforALL initiative, Kandeh Yumkella, lauded India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and noted the importance of sustainable energy for all for sustainable development. “India is blessed with abundant natural resources and renewable energy potential, but millions of people still lack access to energy, electricity and clean fuels,” said Yumkella. “Prime Minister Modi’s vision to provide energy access for all, 24/7, and increase its use of renewable energy sources will help end energy poverty.” SEforALL and the Government of Gujarat signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) including catalyzing technical support to assist the Gujarat Government and its entities to develop strategic pathways for sustainable energy development and implement plans for achieving those objectives. Both entities will share best practices and support Gujarat’s collaboration with global institutions and the private sector in research, development and deployment of renewable technologies, to bring down costs and increase the economic and operational efficiency of renewables in Gujarat’s energy system.