The Hindu Business Line : Kerala to become partner of REEEP

Thiruvananthapuram, Sept. 8 Kerala is set to become a permanent partner of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP), an international movement for efficient use of renewable energy.

An understanding to this effect was reached during a meeting the Minister of Electricity, Mr A.K. Balan, had with a high-power team of REEEP at the headquarters of United Nations International Development Organisation (UNIDO) in Vienna, according to an official release.

By being a permanent partner, the State will get the help of REEEP to formulate its renewable energy policy and also receive financial assistance from the latter for projects in areas such as ‘Haritha Griham’ and demand side management. Besides, the State will be eligible for getting technical assistance for these projects from developed countries.

To facilitate this, REEEP has asked the State to prepare and submit projects before March 31, 2009. The quantum of financial assistance will be decided by REEEP after studying the projects.

UNIDO centre

At another meeting held at the UNIDO headquarters, an understanding was also reached for strengthening UNIDO’s regional centre functioning at the Energy Management Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.

As per the understanding, UNIDO will extend financial and technical assistance to strengthen the centre so as to enable it to take up consultancy for designing of small hydro-electric projects in South Asian countries.

The Electricity Minister and a team of Government and EMC officials, who are currently in Vienna, will also visit Germany and Denmark to study activities in the non-conventional energy areas there and also to seek international assistance for the State for the development of the sector.

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