Norway to increase renewable energy investment in India

NEW DELHI: Wanting to further its ties with India, Norway is planning to increase its investment in the country in the area of renewable energy, including solar and hydropower.

"Solar energy is one of the areas which Norway will be focusing on to further its relationship with India. We are working on a huge project. We are working together with the Ministry of Renewable Energy. We look for upscaling of investment in future," Norway's Ambassador to India Ann Ollestad told media.

She also emphasised the need for South Asian countries, which have potential for renewable energy and hydropower, to work together, setting aside their political differences.

The South Asia region "should focus more on renewables" she said, adding "you should have collaborations within hydropower ... (It has) great potential within Bhutan, Nepal, India and all the countries in the region."

Noting that Telemor, a Norwegian telecom firm and the seventh largest company in the world, has invested in two villages of Uttar Pradesh, the Ambassador said the company was also looking at the possibility of combining telecom with renewable solar energy for the towers.

With India, she said, Norway was developing projects in the fields of hydropower, oil, gas and renewable energy.