'Intelligent mix' key for energy security: German envoy

German Ambassador to India Martin Ney today stressed on the need for having right energy mix, saying that focus must be on both energy efficiency as well as renewables.
"The need of the hour is to set the priorities right. There is a variety of complex issues, the solution is an intelligent energy mix coupled with focus on both energy efficiency and renewable energy," Ney said at an international conference on "Large-Scale Grid Integration of Renewable Energy" here.
The US Agency for International Development and Deutsche Gesellschaft f?r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), under the bilateral cooperation with the power ministry and the ministry of new and renewable energy, jointly hosted the conference.

More than 300 representatives and energy experts from 28 countries including the US and Germany are attending the three-day conference to share their experiences, highlight challenges and develop India-specific solutions for integrating large-amount of renewable energy into the system.
India plans to deploy an unprecedented 175 gigawatts of renewable energy into its power grid by 2022, which can greatly strengthen the country?s energy security and reduce carbon intensity.
Highlighting the importance of the conference, Mark Anthony White, USAID Mission Director to India, said: "The Government of India has set a precedent in the world and USAID's commitment toward helping India achieve its clean energy goal is strong and unrelenting."

The conference aims to stimulate interdisciplinary thinking between renewable energy developers, power transmission and distribution industries, as well as education and research institutions. The opening day covered deliberations between representatives from the Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Central Electricity Authority, Central Electricity and Regulatory Commission, Power System Operation Corporation Limited on technical and economic issues.
Over the next two days, the conference will focus on renewable energy grid integration aspects ranging from forecasting, reliable system operation, transmission and market operation for reliable grid operations under high variability that accompanies clean energy.