Five year programme pushes renewable energy in India

India is the beneficiary of a US$20 million U.S. programme designed to boost its use of renewable energy.

The U.S. on Tuesday launched the Partnership to Advance Clean Energy-Deployment or PACE-D to help in India's transition to a high performing, low emissions and energy-secure economy.

PACE-D will work to create an environment that strengthens institutions, increases the availability of innovative financing mechanisms and enhances local capacity to propagate clean energy solutions.

It will also improve access to energy through renewable sources and will assist India promote grid connected renewable energy, expand rural electrification through micro grids and develop off-grid applications, such as those for fossil fuel replacement, lighting and rooftop systems.

U.S. Ambassador Nancy Powell said PACE-D has an ambitious agenda since it will also improve access to renewable energy by engaging various state and local governments.

"I am proud of our long-standing partnership in the energy sector and I know that we have the potential to strengthen this partnership through the broader PACE-D effort," Powell said.

The programme, to be implemented in five years, is an outcome of bilateral energy dialogue created by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in November 2009 and will help to improve energy efficiency, increase the supply of renewable energy and adopt and accelerate deployment of cleaner fossil fuel technology.