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Over the years, Governments of South Asia have faced the challenge of achieving the goal of sustainable development. On the one hand, they must satisfy the ever-growing demand for energy and, on the other hand, the interminable deterioration of the environment is causing great concern among political economists. The widening gap between the demand and supply of energy, over-reliance on the use of fossil fuels, and increasing import bills due to rising global prices are the challenges that South Asia is facing. These can be overcome by using its great potential in renewables. This paper uses SWOT methodology to identify that the poor financial situation of the distribution companies, due to power losses and non-cost-reflective tariffs, and the lack of credit opportunities, due to high interest rates and inaccessibility of loans for the long-term, are the major impediments to the growth of the renewable energy sector of the region. Moreover, there is a conflict of interest between the manufacturers of renewable energy equipment and the developers of renewable energy projects in terms of Government policy concerning the imposition of import duties. India is moving towards protection of the former, while the latter see opportunities in the renewable energy sector of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extensive canal irrigation network in South Asia has developed over the past 170 years that consists of thousands of kilometers of constructed channels and distributaries. These canals cut across many energy-poor regions along their paths. In India, this canal network provides a unique opportunity for renewable energy generation that is yet to be realized. Existing technologies for energy generation on canals include small hydropower on canal falls and, recently, canal-top solar panels. In addition, opportunities for hydrokinetic generation in irrigation canals have received limited attention. This paper develops a novel canal-network level framework for energy planning that integrates generation with local energy needs in a canal-corridor. This framework for integrated spatial assessment analyzes the supply of renewable energy generation potential and the demand of unmet energy needs in a canal-corridor, using the Upper Ganga Canal in Uttar Pradesh, India as a case study. We consider the theoretical and technological potential of hydropower and solar power generation and develop three indices to assess the agricultural, domestic, and composite unmet power demand of the canal-corridor. Our results show an overall theoretical potential of 149.1 MW and 13,213 MW for small hydropower and solar power, respectively, which could more than help meet the current 18 hours per day electricity service standard in Uttar Pradesh. The framework uses standardized irrigation and census datasets and therefore is generalizable for canal networks across India and South Asia more broadly. • Irrigation canal energy technologies include small hydro and canal-top solar power. • Novel canal-network level framework for energy planning. • Integration of generation potential with local energy needs in a canal corridor. • Theoretical and technological potential of energy generation on canals. • Three indices for agricultural, domestic, and composite unmet power demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient use of energy can reduce energy demand, improve energy security and economic competitiveness, and reduce environmental degradation. Using data from the United Nations Statistics Division, the paper analyses the trends in energy efficiency across countries in South Asia (SA) and identifies the determinants of the same. Unlike other studies in the context of SA, this study considers energy consumption of all energy-types taking place in all sectors of the economy. The study applies Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index-I to decompose the change in energy consumption during 1990–2014 into activity, structure, and intensity effects. The results show that the expansion in economic activities mainly drives energy consumption, and the shift toward energy intensive sectors further augments it. However, the decline in energy intensity restrains energy consumption in all the South Asian countries barring Nepal and Bhutan. The Composite Energy Intensity Index and the Fisher Ideal Intensity Index are also estimated to check the robustness of these results. The estimation of a panel regression model identifies endowment of energy resources, production of renewable energy, crude price, population density and GDP per capita as significant factors influencing energy efficiency in SA. These results have significant implications for energy use policy. • Economic activities mainly drive energy consumption across countries in South Asia. • Structure of all South Asian economies has became energy intensive. • Energy intensity has declined in all South Asian countries except Nepal and Bhutan. • Larger availability of energy resources results in energy inefficiency. • High energy prices, population density and per capita income induce energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]