Back to news
27 Jul 2016 | News

Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region Under Development

1 min Read

70% Complete

A consultative preparatory process for a Himalayan Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (HCREEE) was launched on 27 July 2016 with the signing of a subcontract by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). Financial support is provided by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA). As the process continues over the next months, the added value, feasibility and best technical and institutional design of the centre will be determined.

The creation of the centre is a result of development challenges of peri-urban and rural populations in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) mountains. The region is home for more than 211 million people including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. No other region in South Asia suffers as much climate change and a looming energy crisis as the remote, off-grid, high altitude mountain areas of the Hindu Kush-Himalayas, where living conditions are harsh and many people are vulnerable and marginalised.

A strong demand for decentralised sustainable energy solutions exists especially in off-grid mountain areas to promote social development and increase productivity of industrial key sectors, such as food processing, manufacturing of high value niche products and services (e.g. medicinal and aromatic plants, indigenous honeybees) and mountain tourism. However, the region could be utilising renewable energy better. Numerous barriers — policy and regulatory, technical, knowledge, awareness, capacity, cultural, financial and business — prevent the dissemination and use of these technologies.

The proposed centre will promote the uptake of markets, industries and innovation for adapted sustainable energy mountain solutions through regional exchange and methodologies. The centre will act as a regional hub of Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) building excellence in the HKH region by strengthening ongoing national activities in the areas of technology demonstration, investing and promoting, rural developing and implementing energy policy, developing capacity, managing knowledge and data, as well as awareness raising.

The centre will be part of the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centers (GN-SEC) which is coordinated by UNIDO in partnership with regional organisations. The network is currently supported by more than 89 energy ministers and/or heads of government in all parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Caribbean, Pacific and Central America.

Further information:

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

Related content

Continue exploring this topic

6 Jul 2015 News
Convergence in the understanding of water challenges crucial, say experts

The special session on ‘Water and Mountains’ convened by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and theHimalayan Adaptation, ...

21 Sep 2016 Atmosphere Initiative
Building Nepal’s Air Quality Public Information System

Deteriorating air quality in Nepal and its adverse effects on health and daily activities of the public ...

24 Feb 2016 News
Rewarding Conserving Dhankuta Upstream Communities

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and Dhankuta municipality have combined to manage upstream water sources and possible ...

7 Dec 2018 DFAT Brahmaputra
Benefit Sharing from Hydropower Generation in South Asia

These studies were conducted by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Pakistan; People’s Science Institute (PSI), Dehradun, India; the South ...

24 Jan 2019 HI-RISK
Regional water-related disaster experts discuss gaps in flood early warning communication and potential solutions

In his welcome remarks, Basanta Shrestha, Director of Strategic Cooperation at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), emphasized ...

4 Aug 2022 News
Enabling the most vulnerable to adapt to climate change

‘We lose sleep when it starts raining…’, said a community member in Saptari district, Nepal voicing a common concern of ...

24 Nov 2017 Himalica
Mobile App Launched to Promote Spice Garden Tourism in Kangchenjunga Landscape, Nepal

Large cardamom is a high-value export commodity contributing to enhanced income of farmers in Taplejung. However, overdependence of farmers on ...

18 Aug 2020 News
Larger glaciers in the Hindu Kush are behaving like glaciers in the Karakorum

Findings from a recent study show that the larger glaciers in the Hindu Kush region of ...