Lalitpur, Mar. 20: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Rural Energy Development Progamme/UNDP and the University of Flensburg in Germany under their degree course on ‘Sustainable Energy System and Management’ (SESAM) for academic collaboration. The MoU was signed between the two organisations in recognition of the importance of sustainable development and exchange of experience at international level. With this agreement, the two organisations have entered into a partnership that will foster academic, technical and intercultural exchange in the areas of mutual interest.
Both institutions according to UNDP have agreed to collaborate in academic and research programmes. The assistance focuses on cooperation in capacity building, cooperation in the R&D of suitable rural energy technology, the publication of related results and experience in books and journals, establishment of mutual research project, and research on the impact of Micro Hydro Schemes on socio-economic development of villages and other projects considered pertinent by both institutions.
As per the proposed collaboration, REDP will provide access to its experience on rural energy achievements in the districts as the ‘field lab’ SESAM, SESAM on the other hand will help in building skills and capacity and provide professional expertise.
Degrees relevant to international cooperation and development have been taught at the University of Flensburg for 15 years. The concept of SESAM is oriented towards the requirement of rural development with a focus on the design, extension of appropriate technologies as well as the renewable energy sources of energy and management of projects. From the beginning an interdisciplinary approach was selected.
REDP is implemented to enhance better rural livelihoods and preserve the natural environment by supporting micro-hydro, solar and biogas as entry points forl rural energy systems’ development UNDP has been supporting the His Majesty’s Government of Nepal through REDP since August 1996.
REDP supports the government in institutionlisation of a rural energy development agency and formulation of polilcies, capacity building at the district level to plan and manage rural energy systems, and mobilising community organisations and private entrepreneurs to plan, implement and operate rural energy systems.
The programme is based on decentralised management of development efforts with emphasis placed on community organisations or private entrepreneurs to manage rural energy development. The guidance for community-managed efforts is provided from the district level with the involvement of the DDC, VDCs line agencies, private sector organisations and NGOs.
At present REDP is working in more than 70 VDCs of 10 hilly distircts of the country.
Meanwhile, REDP has been presented the Energy Globe Award 2000 at Linz, Austria. More than 900 projects and initiatives around the world participated in the competition. The awards were given in four categories, i.e. commercial sector, housing, campaigns, and public investment projects. In the public investment projects category, REDP was placed second amongst 900 applicants in all four categories. Nepal and China were the only Asian countries that made to the final list of 15.
The Energy Globe Award is an award for sustainable energy solutions and honours successful projects and initiatives around the world in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. According to Energiesparverband, Austria, an organisation that promotes renewable energy technologies and has instituted this award, the call for submisssions met with very high interest worldwide.