Productive use of renewable energy (PURE) Platform

Organiser: ICIMOD

Agenda

About the training

The Department of Energy, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Royal Government of Bhutan in collaboration with ICIMOD is organising a training of trainers on Productive use of renewable energy (PURE) Platform as part of the IDRC, Canda funded project Women Empowerment through Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (REEE) Powered Decentralized Lift Irrigation Systems in Bhutan (WERELIS-Bhutan). This ToT is a hands-on training on the use and functionalities of the PURE Platform to support data-driven planning and decision-making in the renewable energy (RE)-powered lift irrigation systems in Bhutan.

The WERELIS Project is assessing the potential of renewable energy (RE)-powered lift irrigation systems to enhance Bhutan’s future food security. The project evaluates the technological viability and contextual appropriateness of such systems, while also exploring their potential to support gender-inclusive development. Particular emphasis is placed on identifying barriers to women’s equitable participation in the RE transition within the irrigation sector, and on uncovering opportunities to promote gender equity through inclusive planning and implementation.

To support this effort, ICIMOD, in collaboration with the Department of Energy (DoE), Royal Government of Bhutan, has developed the PURE Platform—a planning tool for powering the use of renewable energy in lift irrigation. The platform enables the identification and assessment of lift irrigation opportunities using both grid-connected and off-grid RE solutions. Drawing on a combination of satellite imagery, field data, and advanced modelling techniques, PURE provides user-friendly insights to inform decision-making, highlight viable market opportunities, and guide data-driven investment in RE-powered river lift irrigation systems across Bhutan.

The platform was validated through multiple consultations with key government agencies, including the Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, Department of Infrastructure Development, Department of Water, National Land Commission Secretariat, and National Soil Services Centre. Additionally, at a larger stakeholder workshop, participants representing 8 agencies further refined and formed a consensus on the platform’s methodology and results.

Objectives

• Introduce the PURE platform, highlighting its key features, structure, and functionalities.
• Provide hands-on training to participants on how to effectively navigate and use the platform for planning and decision-making.
• Collect feedback and suggestions from participants to improve the platform’s usability, content, and relevance.
• Facilitate a guided walkthrough of the platform’s interface and tools, using examples.
• Develop recommendations for an engagement and integration plan to embed the PURE platform into ongoing and future irrigation planning processes.

Expected outcomes

• Participants have a clear understanding of the purpose, structure, and functionalities of the PURE platform.
• Participants gain practical skills in using the platform to estimate energy demand and support planning processes.
• Constructive feedback and suggestions are gathered to inform the next phase of platform enhancement.
• Concrete recommendations are developed for how government and institutional partners can adopt and integrate the PURE platform into their planning and decision-making processes.

About the platform 

Most regions of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), including Bhutan, face year-round irrigation challenges due to rugged terrain and settlements located on hilltops, far from valley water sources. Renewable energy-powered water pumps offer a sustainable irrigation solution and an alternative to diesel pumps, particularly for dispersed farms, to boost agricultural yields and safeguard farmers’ livelihoods in a changing climate. However, critical market information to scale the solution – such as demand, location, and required investment, remains scarce.

The PURE platform is a transformative decision-support platform that optimises renewable energy planning for river-based lift irrigation systems. By leveraging satellite imagery and advanced modelling, PURE integrates diverse datasets and enables user-guided analysis, allowing stakeholders to:

• Select customisable data layers, including administrative boundaries, transmission and distribution lines, crop and irrigation requirements, river networks, canals, etc
• Generate integrated visualisations of renewable energy demand for river-based lift irrigation systems, cost predictions and enabling infrastructure, such as utility connections, market centres, etc
• Analyse results at national, dzongkhag, and gewog levels through interactive graphics and tables

Designed for governments, developers, and researchers, PURE transforms complex geospatial and multi-data sets into simple actionable insights – identifying and quantifying renewable energy-powered lift irrigation opportunities to strengthen climate resilience in agriculture and enhance food security.