Advice on and support of bilateral energy partnerships with developping and emerging countries – Indo-German Energy Forum Support Office (IGEF-SO) PHASE III

India

• The Indo-German Energy Forum was established in 2006 by the Indian Prime Minister and the German Chancellor in order to enhance and deepen the strategic dialogue about the ongoing energy transition. Since then IGEF is intensifying and deepening Indo-German cooperation between government, research institutions and the private sector.

China

• Support the sustainable transition of China’s energy systems cantered around enhancing renewable energies and energy efficiency by sharing knowledge and experience of the German energy transition.

India

• The high-level steering committee of the IGEF, also called “Forum”, is the highest embodiment of the Indo-German Energy Partnership. It takes place annually and provides a platform for high-level policy makers and representatives from industry, associations, financial institutions and research organisations from both India and Germany.

China

• Objective
  • The Sino-German Energy Partnership aims to foster and advance the far-reaching and profound energy transitions ongoing in both countries by exchanging views, best practices and knowledge on the development of a sustainable energy system, primarily centered on improving energy efficiency and expanding the use of renewable energy.
• Approach
  • Regular working group meetings and high-level bilateral meetings facilitate in-depth political and technical dialogue between German and Chinese decision-makers on the energy transition.For China, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) oversee the partnership, while the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) takes the lead on behalf of Germany.Two thematic working groups have been established under bilateral agreements to facilitate cooperation as well as intensify the exchange of information, experiences, and best practices.
• WORKING GROUP ON ENERGY:
  • Promotion and system integration of renewable energy
  • Electricity market regulation and reform
  • Power sector flexibilisation and energy storage
  • Sustainable heating
  • Green Hydrogen
• WORKING GROUP ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY:
  • Energy efficiency in industry, city quarters and buildings, including the implementation of demonstration projects
  • Energy efficiency networks
  • Innovative business and financing models
• Furthermore, the energy partnership aims to encourage think tanks and private sector cooperation and showcase successful technologies, innovative services, and business models to drive the energy transition forward. Both sides have agreed to jointly implement demonstration projects promoting energy conservation to demonstrate exemplary solutions for energy efficiency in industry, as well as integrated district energy planning to serve as reference for China.

India

• • Renewable energies
  • Agriphotovoltaics
  • Energy efficiency
  • E-mobility
  • RE Grid integration

China

• Support Political Dialogue
  • Political dialogue enables an energy policy exchange, defines the strategic direction of the energy partnership, and builds trust. We prepare and facilitate high-level meetings. We support the implementation of agreed activities. We organize the exchange between relevant institutions in Germany and China.
• Provide political counsel
  • With our unique energy expertise we provide political consultancy services on strategically relevant topics, including continuous counselling as well as preparing studies, analyses, workshops, and trainings.
• Connect Business and Politics
  • We build bridges between politics and business, facilitate access to decision-makers and help businesses make their position being heard in the partnership countries and involve them by providing the opportunity to contribute their expertise, e.g. in new projects.
• Enhance Energy Transition Communication
  • Clear communication translates undertakings into understanding. We communicate about energy policy through various channels – in China and Germany. We facilitate know-how and information exchange in order to support the energy transition in both countries and the realization of opportunities by stakeholders in both countries.

India

• Policy makers, associations, private sector stakeholders, financial institutions, research institutions

China

• Political decision-makers, Policy researcher & designers, Private sectors in energy sector, public

India

• The IGEF invites stakeholders to participate in high-level policy and expert dialogue. Strategic demonstration projects, collaborative studies and reports as well as information services are major outcomes. Business roundtables, high-level delegations visits to India and Germany and participation at international trade fairs and conferences serve as input activities to the high-level dialogue.

China

• Facilitated Working Group meetings on energy and energy efficiency deepend the Sino-German cooperation, identify the thematic focus areas to accelerate the energy transition
• Implemented/-ing Sino-German demonstration project on energy efficiency in industries and cities which showcases the best practises on bilateral cooperation and encouraging participation of private sector
• Provide policy advices by conducting researches in cooperation with German and Chinese think tanks

• Improving the business environment by organising Sino-German roundtables on specific topics and supporting on the alignment of industry standard, example in the thematic area of heat pump
  energy-storage-policy
  Sino-German cooperation promotes heat pump development in China
• Initiated “Women in Green Energy” network, which connects female professionals in China’s energy sector, fosters women’s potential and contribution to accelerate the far-reaching energy transitions in both countries.

Indo-German Energy Forum in New Delhi

The 8th Indo-German Energy Forum was co-chaired by Secretary Sanjiv Nandan Sahai (Ministry of Power) and Parliamentary State Secretary Christian Hirte (BMWi) in New Delhi on 1st November 2019. More than 300 high-level delegates from administration, government and commerce adopted the roadmap for the future energy cooperation between the two countries. Eight implementing agreements and declarations of intent worth more than 200 million euros were signed.

In meetings on the margins of the Forum, Germany’s Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner and Research Minister Anja Karliczek were joined by experts from commerce, government and science to discuss the importance of flexibility in the energy system, the positive role of women for the global energy transition, and the potential of offshore wind and vertical photovoltaic systems in India. In a joint final declaration, Heads of Government Narendra Modi and Angela Merkel voiced their appreciation of the “important” and “successful” work of the Indo-German Energy Forum.

Energy Ministers present awards for excellence

The Indo-German Energy Forum was presented with the 2019 CBIP Award for Excellence in Capacity Building and Training. The prize was accepted by Co-Director Anil Kumar Bellary from Energy Minister R.K. Singh at an awards ceremony. Recognition went to the successes of the IGEF in implementing state-of-the-art training and establishing a pool of committed experts who will be able to deploy technical capabilities to shape the Indian electricity sector in a sustainable and innovative manner.