MISSION STATEMENT
The USAID/SARI/E program promotes energy security in South Asia through three focus areas:
(1) cross border energy trade,
(2) energy market formation, and
(3) regional clean energy development.
Through these activities SARI/E facilitates more efficient regional energy resource utilization, works toward transparent and profitable energy practices, mitigates the environmental impacts of energy production, and increases regional access to energy. SARI/Energy countries include: Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
FOCUS AREAS
Cross Border Energy Trade
The power sector is a major constraint to growth in South Asia. The energy resources of South Asia are significant, but they also differ among countries. Each source of energy has different cost for extraction, seasonal availability, and impact to the economy. This makes a combined, diversified approach to resource use critical to energy security. Cross-border interconnections to trade energy are an important way to accomplish this.
To assist in fostering greater energy security in the South Asia region, SARI/Energy conducts trainings and exchanges on the technical and commercial aspects of cross-border energy trade, and select technical and business support for specific cross-border trade deals.
Energy Market FormationWorldwide, national energy market structures with transparent practices and stable regulatory frameworks increase the opportunity for foreign investment and sufficiency of energy supply to meet energy security needs. Market-based pricing of energy resources encourages responsible and efficient consumption. Transparent and effective market structures enable the flow of foreign investment to clean energy sources and the effective trade of energy within global markets and across regional borders.
SARI/Energy conducts trainings and executive exchanges on global energy market practices as they impact the countries of the South Asian region and power exchange formulation in different regions of the world. SARI/Energy also offers select technical support for national energy market formulation.
Clean Energy Development
Renewable energy development covers the advancement, capacity growth, and use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar energy technologies. Today, there are a number of technical and non-technical barriers to clean energy development such as marketing, institutional, and policy impediments which are holding back the acceptance of renewable energy technologies.
SARI/Energy conducts partnerships to spread successful technologies, models and practices that increase access to clean energy.
