Gujarat-Colorado Energy Partnership Dialogue
Memo: Gujarat-Colorado Energy Partnership Dialogue
Summary
The Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation organized a first of its kind energy dialogue between the state governments of Gujarat and Colorado to support cooperative energy collaboration and exchange that will bolster energy sector development in the two internationally-oriented states.
The Honorable Mr. Saurabhbhai Patel, Minister for Energy for the Government of Gujarat, opened the two-day Colorado-Gujarat Energy Partnership event. Ms. Kathleen Staks, the Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Office, led the Colorado delegation. On September 10th, the discussion focused on emergent energy challenges and opportunities in both states. The day ended with a site visit to the 1 MW canal-top solar power plant in the Mehsana district of Gujarat. The first of its kind project installed solar panels on a half-mile stretch of the state’s Narmada canal network to generate electricity and prevent water evaporation while conserving land.
On September 11th, the dialogue began with a research roundtable organized by the Gujarat Energy Research Management Institute (GERMI). Participants from the energy research community of Gujarat and their Colorado-based counterparts deliberated opportunities to collaborate on areas such as renewable energy integration, energy storage, utility business models and innovations, energy planning including demand-side management and energy efficiency opportunities, and electric mobility. The roundtable concluded with the signing of an MoU between the Colorado Energy Office and GERMI to promote policy exchange on the integration of renewable energy and transportation electrification, promote collaborative research activities, and enable private sector engagement between the two states.
The research roundtable on September 11th was followed by an energy industry roundtable organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry to unlock prospects for commercial engagement in the energy sector between the two states. Representatives from nearly 50 energy companies and startups from across Gujarat were present to hear about the prospects for conducting energy-related business in the state of Colorado.
On September 12th, the delegation visited Gujarat-based Adani Group’s privately-managed port of Mundra, two 4 GW (each) thermal power plants, and a new 1.5 GW solar module manufacturing plant to observe opportunities for conducting business with Gujarat-based companies.
Colorado- Gujarat Energy Partnership Dialogue
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM | Monday, September 10, 2018 | Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU)
Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Moderator: Kartikeya Singh, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Shri Raj Gopal, Principal Secretary, Energy and Petrochemicals Department, Government of Gujarat Site Visit:
1 MW Canal Based Grid Connected PV Solar Project at Village Chandrasan, Kadi. Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Limited (GSECL).
| 10:30AM | Opening Remarks Honorable Mr. Saurabhbhai Patel, Minister for Energy for the Government of Gujarat |
| 11:00AM | Welcome and introduction Kartikeya Singh, Deputy Director, Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies, CSIS |
| 11:33AM | Briefing Chinmaya Acharya,Chief of Programs, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation |
| 11:35AM | Presentation on energy sector of Gujarat Sagarkumar M. Agravat, Senior Scientist and Head of Solar R&D Projects Gujarat Energy Research Management Institute(GERMI) |
| 12:00PM | Special address Ms. Kathleen Staks, the Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Office |
| 12.30PM | State to State Dialogue: Managing Energy Partnerships of the Future: Policy challenges and opportunities States are vested with the power to give robust policy directives for the energy sector to introduce healthy regulations, to foster an environmentally and financially sound path for state utilities, introduce incentives conducive to the growth of energy entrepreneurs, and for attracting more investment. Yet challenges remain to changing the systems and approaches of the past to bring about the most optimal future outcomes. The focus of this discussion will be to understand the role of various stakeholders in both states in designing new collaborative frameworks to support policy and technology innovation and diffusion in addition to supporting existing institutions which are struggling to manage the energy transition. In this session, through a formal exchange of the existing energy scenarios in both states, the objective will be to identify ways of partnering to assist states in designing new frameworks to foster the growth of an energy innovation ecosystem that can support new technology deployment and management of the supporting state energy institutions. |
Colorado Energy Research Roundtable
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM | Tuesday, September 11, 2018
Research institutions and civil society play a pivotal role in furthering the bounds of energy policy and technology innovation, and implementation and deployment respectively. Thus, having a state-to-state dialogue in the presence of research institutions, civil society and the private sector can help form partnerships and new projects to meet the states’ energy priorities. In this session key state institutions from Gujarat and Colorado will speak to the kinds of research strengths they have in the energy sector and how they may help further this new bilateral subnational energy cooperation effort.
Moderators:
Kartikeya Singh, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS)
Akhilesh Magal, Gujarat Energy Research Management Institute (GERMI)
Disha Agarwal, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation
Research Roundtable Discussion & Individual Presentations
Key Participants (Colorado)
- University of Colorado, Boulder's Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI)
- Payne Institute for Earth Resources (PAYNE), Colorado School of Mines
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
- Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU)
- The Centre for Environment Planning & Technology (CEPT)
- Gujarat Energy Research & Management Institute (GERMI)
- Gujarat Energy Training & Research Institute (GETRI)
- Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA)
- Gujarat Power Research and Development cell, Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd.
- Gujarat Industries Power Companies Ltd.
- Gujarat Power Engineering and Research Institute
- Sardar Patel Renewable Energy Research Institute
- State Load Dispatch Center
- Power Research Cell, Government of Gujarat
| 10:30AM | Introductory remarks Moderators |
| 10:45AM | Presentations Research institutions of Colorado and Gujarat |
| 12:30PM | MoU signing: Signing of an MoU between the Colorado Energy Office and Gujarat Energy Research Management Institute (GERMI) to promote policy exchange on integration of renewable energy and transportation electrification, promote collaborative research activities, and enable private sector exchange between the two states. |
Colorado- Gujarat Energy Industry Roundtable
A vibrant economy is supported by strong job growth and a commitment to innovation. The energy sector presents a unique opportunity for bilateral industrial collaboration that can not only leverage existing global supply chains but also create new centers of growth that are anchored in strong economies that are thousands of miles apart. The focus of this session is to unlock opportunities for business to business and business to government collaboration between the energy stakeholders of Gujarat and Colorado.
Moderator: Kartikeya Singh, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Dinesh J Yadav, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
Time Schedule:
| 3.00PM | Welcome Address Dinesh J Yadav, Chairman - CII Gujarat State Council & Director, Arvind Envisol Ltd. |
| 3.05PM | Welcome Address Kartikeya Singh, Deputy Director Wadhwani Chair in U.S.-India Policy Studies at CSIS |
| 3.30PM | Key Note Address Kathleen Staks, Executive Director Colorado Energy Office Presentations by: Rachel Nance, Director, Regional Government Affairs, Xcel Energy Katie Woslager, Senior Manager- Advanced Industries Colorado Office Of Economic Development and International Trade Christopher Markuson, Director Pueblo County Department of Economic Development & Geographic Information Systems |
