Today a high-profile gathering of senior government officials, global investors and leading Indian entrepreneurs met to promote the exciting potential of renewable energy to millions of people across India.
At the first day of the conference “Building a Sustainable Energy Future for India" organised by the Confederation for Indian Industry (CII)and the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy, ten innovative businesses and non-profit organisations shared the platform. Each of the ten runs a thriving renewable energy business and shares the distinction of having won an Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy.
The organisations showcased in Delhi’s Imperial Hotel today play their part in lifting people out of poverty and bringing the fruits of the global economy to rural villages throughout India.
After addresses from leading figures within Indian and UK governments, the delegates discussed how renewable technologies can be scaled up at a national level and the role businesses can play in improving livelihoods, health and education opportunities whilst at the same time tackling climate change. Delegates heard at first hand from entrepreneurs who are demonstrating how to run successful companies in the fields of solar power, biogas energy and other sustainable sources, and who are keen to see their work spread far and wide.
"A low carbon renewable energy strategy is critical to India’s future if it is to be sustainable” said panelist Dr Kirit Parikh, Chairmain of the Indian government's expert group on low carbon economy.
Mr Suresh Prabhu, Chairman of the Council for Energy, Environment and Water called for renewable energy innovation at the local and national levels: “A centralized approach is essential for scaling-up de-centralized energy models”.
Sarah Butler-Sloss, founder-director of the Ashden Awards said: “The exemplars we have heard from today demonstrate how Indian entrepreneurs are taking the brightest and best energy technologies and using them to boost the quality of people’s everyday lives.”
Notes to editors
India media enquiries:
Ms Jayashri Singh
CII, Telephone: +91 11 24629994-7
Email: jayashri.singh@cii.in
UK media enquiries
Juliet Heller
Press and PR Manager
Telephone: +44 (0)1621 868083
Mobile: +44 (0)7946 616150
Email: juliet.heller@ashdenawards.org
1. The Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy were founded in 2001 to encourage the greater use of local sustainable energy to address climate change and alleviate poverty. Since then they have rewarded over one hundred winners across the UK and the developing world. The Ashden Awards work to show-case and celebrate best practice, encourage the expansion and replication of winners’ work, raise awareness of the potential of local sustainable energy, and advocate on their winners’ behalf. The Ashden Awards Patron is HRH The Prince of Wales.
2. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the growth of industry in India, partnering industry and government alike through advisory and consultative processes.
CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry led and industry managed organisation, playing a proactive role in India’s development process. Founded over 114 years ago, it is India’s premier business association, with a direct membership of over 8,500+ organisations from the private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 90,000 companies from around 396 national and regional sectoral associations.
