International Solar Festival in Delhi: German Official Uwe Gehlen Calls for Global Collaboration on Renewable Energy
New Delhi, India – At the International Solar Festival (ISA) in Delhi, Uwe Gehlen, a Development Expert for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, emphasized the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to advance renewable energy solutions worldwide. He called for greater collaboration among governments, private sector players, and civil society to address the financing and expansion challenges of renewable energy.
Gehlen, who is also the Head of Development Cooperation in India at the German Embassy, spoke at the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP) conversation series. He highlighted the importance of understanding the diverse conditions of different countries while addressing renewable energy issues. Gehlen stated, “When you look at financial resources, you must consider the specific conditions of the country you are addressing.”
He stressed the necessity of engaging all stakeholders rather than creating new institutions or isolated solutions. “We don’t need to create new institutions or come up with new ideas nobody would like to have. We need to consult everyone at the table to build momentum and open the valve,” Gehlen said.
Gehlen pointed out a critical gap in the current approach to global renewable energy expansion: the lack of a common baseline system to set priorities. He called for a more coordinated global strategy. The GSDP, initiated in 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, provides a framework for cooperation between India and Germany in alignment with the 2030 Agenda, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the goals of the Paris Agreement.
The discussion at the ISA also revolved around innovative financial instruments, such as bonds, to bring down costs and promote new technologies. Dr. Ajay Mathur, Director General of ISA, and Shubhangi Kitchloo, a sustainability expert, highlighted the role of hybrid energy solutions, advanced business models, and the deployment of state-of-the-art renewable technologies.
Gehlen emphasized that addressing the diverse opportunities for renewable energy globally requires dynamic networking and systemic adaptation. “The question is, who would be the driver and the resource of such an effort?” he posed, underlining the need for effective leadership and coordinated action in the renewable energy sector.
Other panellists shared their insights into achieving net-zero targets, with a focus on hybrid energy solutions and sustainable practices. Dr. Ajay Mathur highlighted the need for greater collaboration between Germany and India in renewable energy investments, particularly in the areas of solar and Agri PV, a technology that combines agriculture and photovoltaic energy generation. He suggested that India’s Thar Desert and the Rann of Kutch could provide the necessary spaces for large-scale solar power projects.
Shubhangi Kitchloo discussed the evolving role of sustainability reporting in driving investments in renewable energy, particularly solar. “India has the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting (BRSR) framework, which mandates the top 1000 companies by market capitalization to engage in sustainability reporting,” she said. Kitchloo called for better data access to facilitate informed investment decisions.
Dinesh Dayanand Jagdale, Joint Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), highlighted India’s ambitious renewable energy targets, aiming to increase non-fossil-based capacity to 500 GW by 2030. He emphasized the need for a country-specific approach to renewable energy, tailored to India’s unique demographic and geographical context. “We believe that solarization of the agricultural sector is important, and we are incentivizing farmers to install solar pumps,” he added, noting that bioenergy and waste-to-energy solutions also play vital roles in India’s renewable energy strategy.
Doubts Revealed
International Solar Festival -: This is a big event where people from different countries come together to talk about solar energy, which is energy we get from the sun.
Uwe Gehlen -: Uwe Gehlen is a person from Germany who works on important projects related to energy and the environment.
Global Collaboration -: This means people from different countries working together to solve problems or achieve goals.
Renewable Energy -: This is energy that comes from natural sources that can be used over and over again, like the sun, wind, and water.
Multi-stakeholder approach -: This means involving many different groups of people, like governments, companies, and regular citizens, to work together on a project.
Private sector players -: These are companies and businesses that are not run by the government.
Civil society -: This includes groups and organizations that are not part of the government or businesses, like charities and community groups.
Innovative financial instruments -: These are new and creative ways to manage and invest money to support projects, like special loans or funds.
Hybrid energy solutions -: This means using a mix of different types of energy, like combining solar power with wind power, to make sure we have enough energy.
India’s ambitious renewable energy targets -: India has set big goals to use more renewable energy, like solar and wind power, to help the environment and reduce pollution.
Tailored approaches -: This means creating special plans that fit the unique needs and conditions of different places or situations.