Asian Energy Institute to host REEEP South Asia Regional Secretariat.

New Delhi, November 30, 2005

A leading global renewable energy body Wednesday set up its base here to promote its projects in the rapidly developing South Asian region.

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) opened its South Asia regional secretariat with the Asian Energy Institute (AEI).

"Many countries in South Asia have large and pioneering renewable energy and energy efficiency programmes, and India has been one of the REEEP priority countries," R.K. Pachauri, a REEEP governing board member and Director-General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), told reporters.

The REEEP's International Director Marianne Osterkorn said as one of the world's most rapidly developing economies, India and the South Asia region has the opportunity to learn what worked and what did not in regulated and de-regulated energy sectors.

"Implementing strong and supportive policies and regulations which promote energy efficiency and renewable energy are critical if we are to properly address issues of energy security, poverty reduction and climate change," she said.

The REEEP secretariat will cover Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.