The Association of Renewable Energy Agencies of States (AREAS), in collaboration with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Uttar Pradesh New & Renewable Energy Development Agency (UP NEDA), and the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), organized a two-day national workshop aimed at accelerating India’s clean-energy transition. Representatives from over 25 Indian states, along with clean energy technology developers and civil society institutions, participated in the event.

On the first day, participants visited a compressed biogas plant in Barabanki and the 40 MW solar plant operated by the National Thermal Power Corporation in Ayodhya. State representatives observed plant operations firsthand and engaged with management teams to gain insights into operational best practices.

Key participants included Shri Jeevan Kumar, Executive Director, AREAS; Shri Inderjit Singh, Director, UPNEDA; Smt. Rehana Riyawala, CEO, Grassroot Trading Network for Women, SEWA; Smt. Dipa Singh Bagai, Country Director, NRDC India; Scientist F, MNRE; and Shri Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi, Former Secretary, MNRE & Visiting Professor at IIT Kanpur.

The second day of the workshop was inaugurated by Shri Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Speaking at the session, he emphasized the transformative potential of renewable energy in empowering citizens.

“Renewable energy is presently the most powerful tool to empower individuals to be self-sustainable when it comes to electricity,” Shri Sarangi said.

He further highlighted the role of Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) in creating rural employment opportunities and encouraged states to develop skilling ecosystems across the RE supply chain while exploring innovative green financing models. He also noted that the function of State Nodal Agencies (SNAs) should be reassessed through tools like SWOT analyses to align with evolving RE priorities and national climate targets.

The workshop featured sessions on accelerating renewable energy adoption, expanding clean energy financing, and strengthening institutional capacities. A dedicated breakout session focused on DRE technologies, where state representatives discussed challenges, proposed solutions, and actionable steps to enhance both adoption and monitoring of distributed renewable energy initiatives.

The event underscored the collaborative effort between government agencies, civil society, and technology developers to drive India’s transition to a sustainable and decentralized clean energy ecosystem.