ReNew Power inks pact with UNEP to increase access to clean, efficient energy in India

• The MoU focuses on enhancing access to renewable energy and improving energy efficiency

• ReNew Power will partner with UNEP's District Energy in Cities Initiative as an implementation partner for renewable energy installations across India

Gurugram: ReNew Power, and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) have signed a partnership agreement to promote increased access to renewable energy and improved energy efficiency. The strengthened partnership between the two parties — who signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 10 in Delhi — focuses on enhancing access to renewable energy and improving energy efficiency as part of the progressive strategies that India has adopted to realise its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, an official statement said on Tuesday.

ReNew Power will partner with UNEP's District Energy in Cities Initiative as an implementation partner for renewable energy installations across India with the aim of shifting the heating and cooling sector to an energy efficient one. The partnership will also implement solar off-grid projects, studies, and assessments. Joint efforts will be promoted through annual events to showcase contributions to India's strategic vision on renewable energy.

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Renewable sources constitute about 23.6 percent of the total installed capacity in India. The country has a target of installing 175 GW of renewable capacity by 2022, and at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019, the Prime Minister announced an increase in the target to 450 GW.

'ReNew Power, along with UNEP, looking to bring about socio-economic change'

"At ReNew, we have always believed in going beyond our business and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders on multiple issues impacting various communities across the country," said Vaishali Nigam Sinha, ReNew Power's Chief Sustainability Officer. "Through our association with UNEP, we are looking to work on issues which have the potential to accelerate growth and bring about socio-economic change in the area of environment and clean energy."

"ReNew Power is a market leader in renewable energy and has demonstrated that clean energy makes ample business sense," said Atul Bagai, Head of UNEP's India Office. "We are proud to associate with them to push the envelope when it comes to clean and viable energy solutions for multiple applications in support of the climate goals and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda."

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