Green energy ties vow

Electricity and Water Affairs Minister, Dr Abdulhussain Mirza, received Indian Ambassador, Alok Kumar Sinha, and praised the distinguished ties between the two friendly countries, reinforced by joint co-operation in various fields.  He said ties between Bahrain and India are developing, especially after the recent visit of the Indian Prime Minister to enhance trade and economic co-operation and integration.

The two also discussed the recommendations made during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister regarding the enhancement of bilateral relations in the fields of electricity, water and renewable energy, as well as the technical and legal procedures for the Kingdom’s access to the International Solar Alliance (ISA) after the Cabinet’s approval. ISA is an international organisation based in India aims to address the challenges of expanding access to solar energy and forms an alliance between countries rich in solar resources to meet their renewable energy needs.

Dr Mirza said that this alliance is an important platform for co-operation between these countries in the fields of sustainable and clean energy and contributes to achieving Bahrain’s international commitments in relation to comprehensive development goals. The Indian Ambassador said that enhancing cooperation between the two parties would be an advanced step towards achieving the goals of comprehensive sustainable development and in increasing the bonds of ties between the two friendly countries. He said it would also enhance existing co-operation in the electricity, water and renewable energy sectors to serve the interests and aspirations of both countries.

The Kingdom has achieved many milestones in the sustainable energy sector, confirmed a new report published. The Sustainable Energy Unit Annual Report 2018 published by the SEU has confirmed Bahrain’s advancement in the sector. The report titled ‘Journey towards a sustainable energy future, the beginning’ outlined all the eco-friendly steps taken by the nation. Net Metering is one of the three policies envisioned in the National Renewable Energy Action Plan to encourage the uptake of renewable energy in the Kingdom. This policy allows individuals, companies and industries to install solar and other renewable energy systems on their properties, connect these systems to the EWA electricity network and benefit from this clean and renewable energy source.  

Other initiative praised in the report include installation of solar energy systems at The Avenues Mall, inauguration of the first government building with renewable energy, initiative for installation of solar panels on roofs of government buildings, first comprehensive study of wind sources in Bahrain, partnering with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism to launch the initiative to put energy efficiency labels on air conditioners, partnering with the Ministry of Industry and SEU partnership with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism to launch the initiative to put energy efficiency labels on air conditioners.

The Sustainable Energy Unit (SEU) was established in November 2014 as a joint initiative between the Office of the Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The key objectives of the unit are to develop a cohesive and sustainable energy policy and to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency in the Kingdom.