India, Switzerland to collaborate in renewable energy

India and Switzerland will cooperate in exploring opportunities in renewable energy.

The agreement was reached between Swiss Head of Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication Doris Leuthard and India's New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah.

"India and Switzerland have to make efforts to increase renewable energy use. We both are convinced that this will be the future. We have to do that because it is good for climate and it is good to have jobs here," said the Swiss Minister after meeting with Abdullah.

She said that India has better potential for a renewable energy resource. "There is a potential (as) India is a sunny country. You have better starting potential than Switzerland," she said.

Appreciating the advance made by it in renewable energy, Abdullah said Switzerland can help India in fields of hydro-electricity and energy generation from waste material.

"In many areas of renewables they are much ahead. In hydro, we need them in a big way, because a number of our old projects had their time and new machines have to be put in. They have technology in that area. We feel that can be of great help to us," he said.

India has also sought Swiss assistance in managing the waste material for energy generation.

"We are requesting for their help to help us understand how we can generate from this colossal waste we have from homes, factories and other places, which we can use to generate energy which the country needs," Abdullah said.

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