Regional Power Trade: Toward a Green, Clean and Energy-Secure South Asia

Watch the Replay

Embedded thumbnail for Regional Power Trade: Toward a Green, Clean and Energy-Secure South Asia
Watch in:

Regional Power Trade: Toward a Green, Clean and Energy-Secure South Asia

Follow the event on Twitter #OneSouthAsia

Use the following timestamps to navigate different sections of the video.

00:00 Welcome and introductions
02:41 Ensuring energy-security and clean energy transition in South Asia
08:53 Expansion of energy systems in Nepal and scope of regional energy trade
21:06 Role of India in regional power trade and opportunities of renewable
25:25 Regional energy trade in Bhutan. The potential of hydropower energy
30:34 Role of private sector in ensuring energy resilience in Bangladesh
36:45 The future of energy market: Drivers for more integrated markets in South Asia
40:24 Regional energy trade: High investments in hydropower and associated risks
44:48 Challenges for private sector and role of public-private partnership
52:44 Experiences from other regions on efficient markets
1:01:10 Combining hydro and solar projects: Exploring new markets
1:05:15 Vision for greater regional energy trade: Setting up a regional energy grid
1:12:37 Role of renewables and decarbonizing economies in energy trade
1:17:00 Aspirational changes in regional energy trade
1:21:46 Summarizing and closing remarks

“Since 2015, with the World Bank support, the cross-border power transmission capacity increased threefold — from 2.1 gigawatts to 6.4 gigawatts — mainly driven by projects connecting India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. The World Bank is also supporting infrastructure for electricity transmission and trade between Central Asia-South Asia, to better utilize hydro and thermal generation resources."

— Hartwig Schafer, Vice President, South Asia Region, World Bank

"There is a need for a common understanding and political will among South Asian countries of regional energy trade. We also need commercial rules to govern this market as well as technical rules to enable reliable operations and cross-border investments. There has never been a better time to act than now."

— Cecile Fruman, Director, Regional Integration and Engagement, South Asia, World Bank

“Investments in hydropower are very important to Bhutan. We are looking to our bilateral trade with India, and also looking to expand to regional trade with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and anyone else who is looking to purchase power.”

— Chhewang Rinzin, Managing Director, Druk Green Power Corporation Ltd, Bhutan

“There is a market for renewables in South Asia. Hydropower can be bundled with solar power, and round-the-clock power. This will bring the cost of electricity down in the future. Demand for power is increasing and there is a need to meet renewables targets for each country."

— Kulman Ghising, Managing Director, Nepal Electricity Authority

"Energy transition is not a single-country approach, we are past that. The next era should look into cross-border energy exchanges, which are a little bit more complicated because they involve borders, diplomacy, and geographies."

— Mahua Acharya, Chief Executive, Convergence Energy Services Ltd, India

“Bangladesh has a goal of reducing emissions between 7 to 15% and adding 1 to 4 gigawatts of renewable power by 2030. We believe that cross-border trade will be instrumental in achieving those goals because of the relatively greater renewable resource which exists in the neighboring countries.”

— Nicholas Padgalskas, Chief Financial Officer, Summit Power International, Bangladesh

Speakers

Moderator

Read the chat
Shwetha

What is the main cause for regional backwardness in South Asia?How is electricity will helpful for the economic strength of the country?How to bring economic developmental changes in the south asia through electricity?
Sat, 01/29/2022 - 15:57
Ningombam Bikramjit Singh

How world bank play for the betterment of human life? Homeless people in the world is increasing. How to solve it? Employment opportunity
Sun, 01/30/2022 - 13:27
Ahmed junnaid

This conversation will go a long way to enhance the connectivity of grean energy to the offgrid population of South Asia
Sun, 01/30/2022 - 13:28
Zulfikar Rahman Sayed

coordinator Rahimafrooz renewable energy LtdDhaka. Bangladesh 01711261633
Sun, 01/30/2022 - 13:36
Julie Vorman

Hi, everyone - Do you have a comment or question about a regional power grid and green energy? Please post it now before our LIVE chat begins on Monday!
Sun, 01/30/2022 - 14:04

Read the chat below

World Bank experts answered your questions in real-time.

 

What do you think of our #OneSouthAsia Conversations? Have a regional topic in mind?

Tell us what you think. Click here or scan this QR code!

OneSouthAsia conversations