Renewable energy for green economies in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR): A scoping workshop

Organisers: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

About the event

Renewable energy for green economies in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) scoping workshop will bring together key stakeholders, particularly state nodal renewable energy agencies and state livelihood mission from the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), think tanks, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the private sector, to identify priority areas for scaling renewable energy interventions in the IHR. The workshop will serve as a platform to align state-level needs with national climate commitments, share experiences, and co-develop a forward-looking agenda for promoting renewable energy – especially for productive uses in mountain contexts.

Objectives

• To understand the IHR state-level priorities and their alignment with India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 2031–2035 and national programmes
• To understand state-specific challenges and opportunities in deploying renewable energy for productive use
• To identify key priority areas for transforming energy utilisation to productive use for the green economy across IHR states in agriculture, tourism, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
• To build consensus on potential areas for collaboration and future programming, and prioritise areas of work

Expected outcomes

• A consolidated set of priority intervention areas, alignments of IHR states for the productive use of renewable energy across IHR states, including key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and MSMEs
• Understanding of the policy scenario, including alignment with national programmes and state-level priorities
• Identification of scalable solutions, business models, and financing mechanisms for the productive use of renewable energy in the IHR
• Agreement on prioritised sectors and thematic areas for future collaboration and programming

Background

The global clean energy transition remains incomplete without the meaningful inclusion of mountain regions. Home to nearly 15% of the world’s population, including around 260 million people in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), these regions face distinct energy challenges shaped by remoteness, climate vulnerability, and limited infrastructure. At the same time, they possess significant untapped renewable energy potential – estimated at over 3,500 gigawatts (GW) across the HKH. Despite this, mountain regions remain underserved due to persistent policy, institutional, and investment gaps, requiring context-specific and place-based approaches that integrate mitigation, adaptation, and livelihood needs.

India’s recently approved NDC for 2031–2035 further reinforces the importance of sustainable livelihoods in the Himalayan states, climate-resilient infrastructure to address risks such as landslides and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and community-based disaster preparedness and resilience. It also emphasises strengthening institutional capacity, innovation ecosystems, and local-level adaptation, alongside integrating climate considerations across key sectors through flagship schemes such as PM Surya Ghar – scheme aimed at providing up to 300 units of free electricity per month to 10 million households by facilitating rooftop solar installations; production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes provide financial incentives for the manufacturing of solar panels; and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) – scheme that reduces the dependence on grid, and encourages installation of solar pumps, eventually providing sustainable resources for irrigation.

The IHR, as part of the broader HKH system, stands at the intersection of these priorities. In this context, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) brings regional expertise to advance climate-resilient mountain development, including the promotion of renewable energy for productive uses. ICIMOD’s work focuses on enabling energy to support livelihoods, strengthen resilience, and contribute to low-carbon development pathways in mountain contexts.

Building on this, the proposed scoping workshop aims to identify priority intervention areas in the IHR and inform the development of targeted, scalable, and inclusive renewable energy programmes aligned with both national commitments and regional realities.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is the nodal Ministry of the Government of India for all matters related to new and renewable energy. The aim of the Ministry is to develop and deploy new and renewable energy to supplement the energy requirements of the country. The ministry has been assuming increasing significance of new and renewable energy in recent times with the growing concern for the country’s energy security.

Energy self-sufficiency was identified as the major driver for new and renewable energy in the country in the wake of the two oil shocks in the 1970s. The sudden increase in the price of oil, uncertainties associated with its supply and the adverse impact on the balance of payments position led to the establishment of the Commission for Additional Sources of Energy (CASE) in the Department of Science & Technology in March 1981. The Commission was charged with the responsibility of formulating policies and their implementation, programmes for development of new and renewable energy apart from coordinating and intensifying research and development in the sector. In September 1982, a new department – Department of Non-conventional Energy Sources (DNES), that incorporated CASE, was created in the then Ministry of Energy. In 1992, DNES became the Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources. In October 2006, the Ministry was renamed as the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

About ICIMOD and Renewable Energy Intervention

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region stretches 3,500 km across Asia, spanning eight countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Encompassing high-altitude mountain ranges, mid-hills, and plains, the zone is vital for the food, water, and energy security of up to two billion people and is a habitat for countless irreplaceable species. It is also acutely fragile and vulnerable to the impacts of the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu, Nepal, is an international knowledge organisation focused on the HKH region, working since 1983 to deliver greener, more inclusive, and climate-resilient development. Our work is guided by our Strategy 2030: Medium-Term Action Plan V (2023-2026) and the associated Results Framework, and our various policies. Learn more on our website.

The Renewable Energy Intervention at ICIMOD focuses on the utilisation of renewable energy to drive productive services, such as irrigation, agro-processing, cold storage, space heating, drying, and MSMEs in the HKH. The intervention aims to transform how energy is used in powering enterprises, enhancing livelihoods, and building energy-secure, low-carbon, and climate-resilient mountain economies.

The intervention works to accelerate renewable energy adoption and support sustainable energy transitions by addressing critical gaps in knowledge, capacity, financing, and technology. It does so through the following areas of action:

• Knowledge and learning: Generating and sharing evidence to address gaps in renewable energy deployment
• Capacity: Strengthening stakeholder capacities and enabling supportive policy environments
• Financing mechanisms: Mobilising innovative financing models and partnerships to unlock investments
• Technology and Innovation: Deploying advanced technologies, including digital and AI-enabled tools

Through these efforts, ICIMOD contributes to increased use of renewable energy for productive services, leading to empowered communities and sustainable mountain development.