MOU between USAID and Royal Government of Bhutan in Thimpu, Bhutan

July 17, 2008

USAID/India Mission Director George Deikun and Energy Specialist, DOE/Royal Govt. of Bhutan Karma Chhothel (on behalf of the Director General) signing the MOU on July 10, 2008 in Thimpu (Bhutan).
Photo Credit: USAID/India.

NEW DELHI – On July 10, 2008, George Deikun, USAID/India Mission Director and Yeshi Wangdi, Director General, Department of Energy (DOE), Ministry of Economics Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Thimpu (Bhutan).

The MOU was concluded under USAID’s program, the South Asia Regional Initiative for Energy (SARI/Energy) which has its head office located in the USAID Mission in New Delhi. The SARI/Energy program promotes energy security in South Asia through three activities areas: cross border energy trade, energy market formation, and regional clean energy development.

The purpose of the MOU is to define a flexible, overarching framework to carry out collaborative efforts to assess renewable energy capabilities in Bhutan. Under terms of the MOU, the SARI/Energy partner, National Renewable Energy Laboratory of the United States Department of Energy will generate data on wind and solar power potential using the Geographic Information System (GIS). These high resolution solar & wind maps will help in developing wind and solar energy projects in Bhutan.