Context
South Asia is setting ambitious climate goals to drive the region toward a sustainable future:
- India: Achieving net zero emissions by 2070
- Bangladesh: Reducing carbon emissions by 22% by 2030
- Bhutan: Maintaining its status as a carbon-negative country
- Maldives: Reducing emissions by 26% by 2030
- Nepal: Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050
- Sri Lanka: Achieving 70% renewable energy capacity by 2030
To support these ambitious targets, SAREP is working to accelerate the transition of institutions, communities and cities to net zero energy. The initiative helps partner countries meet their near-term climate targets while avoiding locking in long-term emissions trajectories. By collaborating with governments, regulatory bodies, utilities, financial institutions, and the private sector across South Asia, SAREP is driving critical interventions to foster a clean energy transition and a sustainable future for the region.

Key Interventions
-
Indian Railways
-
NTPC
-
Net Zero Cities, Campuses
and Buildings -
EESL
-
NZEB Knowledge
Dissemination
- Developing the Energy Efficiency Policy and Action Plan
- Worked on Low carbon cooling solutions pilots
- Initiated Net zero certification of buildings
- Built Strategy and action plan for renewable energy
- Developed business models & procurement of ‘e-mobility as a service’
- Worked on green public procurement through innovative tenders and contracts


- Developed Net Zero Roadmap for all its townships and offices to achieve net zero energy, water, and waste
- Conduced Net zero certification (energy, water, and waste) of buildings and townships
- Executed Low carbon cooling solutions pilots
- Managed the Digitization for real time carbon management
- Mobilized climate finance


- Nalanda University, a state-of-the-art net zero energy, water, and carbon campus
- South Asia’s first grid-interactive net zero energy building – TGREDCO (Telangana Renewable Energy Development Corporation Ltd.) office in Hyderabad
- Developed Sustainable energy transition roadmap for municipal services & transport for cities in South Asia


- Built a Vision & Strategy 2030 for ‘enabling net zero’
- Managed the design & implementation of programs – cooling, buildings, rooftop solar, eMobility, industries, utilities, cities, and villages
- Worked on various innovative business and financing models


- Developed a knowledge platform for net zero energy buildings
- Initiated a Zero-In Dialogue Series on grid-interactive net zero energy buildings
- Imparted various Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) trainings & arranged study tours


Key Achievements

Nalanda University inauguration by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as the Net zero energy, water, waste and carbon campus

MoU between USAID and EESL signed at the Clean Energy Ministerial 2023

Indian Railways’ Energy Efficiency Policy and Action Plan released and adopted across all railway zones with more than 6,200GWh life-time energy savings potential

Net zero certification for 75 Indian Railway buildings

Indian Railways’ tenders for procurement of 2,345 MW Round the Clock (RTC) renewable energy awarded

Over 200 senior officials at NTPC trained on net zero energy, water and waste concepts, certifications, and implementation

NTPC’s Net Zero Roadmap (Townships and Offices) developed and adopted

NTPC Kudgi Township - first township in India to achieve net zero energy certification

MoU between USAID and NTPC signed in September 2024

MoU between USAID and Indian Railways signed and declared under U.S. - India joint statement

Indian Railways’ Renewable Energy Action Plan developed. ~3.3GW RE capacity added

NTPC NETRA awarded net zero energy building certification

Tender released by Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) for 3,825 e-buses

Net Zero training program adopted by Indian Railway training institutes & training of trainers conducted for 1000+ railway officials

NTPC Ratnagiri Township - first township in India to achieve net zero water certification
