Speakers at the Northeast India Clean Energy Conclave in Guwahati on Feb. 26 said the region is uniquely placed to drive the next phase of India’s renewable energy expansion and urged rapid action to convert its resources into bankable projects. Convened by the International Forum for Environment, Sustainability and Technology (iFOREST) at NEDFi House, the conclave brought together senior government officials, regulators, industry players, financiers and technology providers to map a structured roadmap for scaling renewables across the Northeastern states.
Organised as a regional knowledge and investment platform, the conclave highlighted the Northeast’s estimated 130 GW renewable potential and stressed the need for coordinated investment and policy support to realise it. Delegates noted that the region’s abundant hydro and solar resources — strengthened by nearly nine percent of India’s waterbodies — give it distinct advantages for clean energy growth.
Despite the potential, participants warned that installed renewable capacity in the Northeast remains limited, creating a substantial opportunity for developers, financiers and technology providers to bridge the gap. iFOREST programme director Mandvi Singh said, “The Northeast stands at a pivotal moment in India’s clean energy transition. With strong hydro and solar resources and rising demand, it can play a significant role in the country’s next phase of renewable growth.”
Singh added that the immediate priority is to turn identified opportunities into bankable projects through “policy clarity, offtake certainty, and integrated storage and transmission planning.” Speakers emphasised that addressing these gaps will be crucial to attracting private capital and enabling large-scale deployment.
Arup Misra, chairman of the Assam Pollution Control Board, framed the shift as integration rather than displacement: “Renewable energy is not trying to push fossil fuel out. It is trying to integrate a more variable, reliable and flexible energy delivery system.”
The conclave was inaugurated by Jadav Saikia, Assam’s secretary (power), who noted that the state has notified its solar, pumped storage project (PSP) and thermal power generation policy in 2025 to facilitate a smoother transition. Saikia said three PSPs are currently under development with combined capacity exceeding 3,000 MW.
Speakers left the conclave urging faster policy action, clearer offtake mechanisms and coordinated planning for storage and transmission so the Northeast’s substantial clean energy potential can be realised at scale.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/02/26/speakers-at-clean-energy-conclave-bat-for-renewable-energy-growth-in-ne/
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Publish Date: 2026-02-26 18:36:00
