CAREC Energy Sector Coordinating Committee Meeting (September 2015)

Energy sector focal points of CAREC member countries, officials from energy ministries and agencies, and representatives from multilateral development partners discussed

• updates on the deliverables of the Energy Work Plan 2013-2015 and
• the current draft of the Energy Strategy and Work Plan 2016-2020.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) highlighted various technology presentations during the recent CAREC Workshop on New Technologies, covering areas such as energy efficiency and renewable energy development, smart community and battery energy storage system, among others.

ADB emphasized potential regional technical assistance projects utilizing components of these energy technologies, which drew strong appreciation from representatives of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Mongolia

The World Bank, meanwhile, reported on the progress of the different segments of the CASA 1000 project. It also presented updates on the Energy Vulnerability to Climate Change study, due for completion in November-December.

The current Energy Work Plan is built on the foundation of the Energy Action Plan Framework, which has addressed a number of issues in the areas of regional energy demand-supply balance and infrastructure, regional dispatch and regulatory development, and energy-water linkages.

The plan focuses on six key elements: (i) developing the Central Asia-South Asia Energy Corridor, (ii) resolving regional energy dispatch and trade issues, (iii) managing energy-water linkages, (iv) mobilizing funds to build energy assets, (v) implementation of energy priority projects, and (vi) building capacity and managing knowledge.

(Click here to learn more about CAREC initiatives in the energy sector.)