Fifth Indo-German Energy Forum

The fifth Indo-German Energy Forum took place in Berlin on 13 February with the participation of high-ranking officials from India and Germany. International Climate Initiative projects provide support to the forum.

On 13 February, a high-ranking Indian delegation headed by Joint Secretary Uma Shankar from the Ministry of Power (MoP) took part in the fifth Indo-German Energy Forum (IGEF) in Berlin. German representatives included Stefan Kapferer, State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, Andreas Gies, Director at the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, and Martin Schöpe, Head of Division at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The IGEF was launched in 2006 by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It promotes cooperation between the countries in the areas of energy security, energy efficiency, renewable energies, investments in energy projects as well as joint research and development. Indian and German ministries, public institutions and the private sector all take part in the forum.

At the meeting in Berlin, participants emphasised that cooperation has developed positively over recent years and that both countries wish to intensify this cooperation further. The exchange of experiences on current developments in energy policy stands at the forefront here. Examples include the integration of larger amounts of renewable energies into electricity grids, the security of supply and the development of an energy industry that is as low-carbon as possible.

The IGEF working groups on renewable energies and power plant efficiency came together in the run-up to the forum in Berlin. The participants discussed the status of existing cooperation projects and prospects for expanding them. The programme was complemented by various specialised excursions in the Berlin area.

The International Climate Initiative has been supporting the IGEF since 2008. The project by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and KfW is facilitating the transfer of know-how and technology and promoting economic cooperation between German and Indian industrial enterprises as well as the implementation of pilot projects on renewable energies and energy efficiency. In addition, GIZ is supporting the work of the IGEF in a permanent office in New Delhi on behalf of BMU. The office carries out a range of services and helps shape the content of the forum. For example, it organised the fifth IGEF Forum and provides support in communication processes, reporting and cooperation projects.