Rituraj Borah
Sustainable Development Professional
UNIDO - National Programme Manager, FLCTD
Expert, Governing Body - Assam Climate Change Management Society, Member-State REDD+ Cell, Gov. of Assam, India.
National Lead for ClimateLaunchpad North-East.
PROJECTS
Facility For Low Carbon Technology Deployment
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Facility For Low Carbon Technology Deployment (FLCTD) Project was launched in 2016 with an objective to identify innovative energy efficiency and low carbon technology solutions that address the existing technology gaps in Indian industrial and commercial sectors. The project has a target to identify 120 innovations for technology validation, and commercialize 40 innovations.
The project provides financial assistance of up to US$50,000 to the winners to validate their innovation and demonstrate its efficacy (performance) in actual field conditions – a necessary step before commercialization.
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India Innovation Lab for Green Finance
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The India Lab is a unique initiative that supports the identification and piloting of cutting edge finance instruments. It aims to drive billions of dollars of private investment into green infrastructure growth in India.
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My primary role was to seek out and help implement novel solutions for unlocking and scaling up investment for green infrastructure in India. I managed the India Lab operations and management, which included drafting and finalising Lab's functional methodologies, managing existing client relations, stakeholder engagement, identifying and inviting new Lab Members to join the Lab, organizing events, track reporting and forward planning for future Lab cycles. Key tasks included launch of the India Lab first cycle in November 2015, preparing a database of key stakeholders relevant to the Lab’s objectives, and overseeing the Lab’s processes.
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Publication:
“Financing India’s Renewable Energy Targets.” https://www.giz.de/en/downloads/giz2016-en-Journal_of_Responsible_Finance_Volume_III.pdf
​Energy Access - Microgrid & Improved cook-stoves
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Led an independent survey for a private company to establish market opportunity to operate microgrids in rural Uttar Pradesh, India serving off-grid villages with high quality, dependable lighting and mobile phone charging services. Also suggested design measures to customise its micro grid design to meet the specific needs of poor, off-grid households.
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Designed and submitted a plan to Assam's Health Minister to deploy improved cook stoves in communities that are dependent on fuelwood for meeting their cooking energy needs. This will help reduce indoor air pollution and drudgery thereby providing measurable improvements in health and other livelihood benefits, especially for women and children.
Energy Efficient Appliances - Standards & Labeling Program, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Govt. of India.
​CLASP has been supporting the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (and before that EMC) since 2000, to develop administrative procedures and establish internationally benchmarked energy efficiency level.
In CLASP, I coordinated all aspects of CLASP’s India program and provided management and operational support for successful implementation of the India work plan, including coordination with CLASP global team members across different projects. My responsibilities included - designing organizational and programmatic strategies to achieve maximum energy savings and GHG emissions reductions, and overseeing program analysis, monitoring and evaluation, client and stakeholder engagement, and personnel and budget management.
I provided technical support in the market assessments and technical studies for a number of products (e.g.: air-conditioners, boilers, fans, colour television, set-top box, office equipment, etc.) for BEE’s standards and labeling program: conducted extensive data collection, coordination with manufacturers and test labs, technical analysis, preparation of labeling recommendations. I was also involved in a countrywide market survey to finalize the design for SEEP endorsement label in India.
Super-efficient Equipment & Appliances Deployment Initiative - Clean Energy Ministerial
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ASEAN Standards Harmonization Initiative for Energy Efficiency (ASEAN SHINE) have announced a partnership to promote energy efficient air conditioners (ACs) in the ASEAN region. I worked on the design of a framework for local baseline data assessments of AC markets (2014-15) in ten ASEAN member states, leading to development of a regional policy roadmap, presented data analysis at the steering committee meeting in Thailand in October 2014. Drafted the MV&E recommendations for the roadmap.
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Street Lighting Tool: Piloting and provide training on The SEAD Street Lighting Tool to municipalities and other stakeholders to lower their energy consumption and reduce life cycle costs of potential fixture upgrades while ensuring light quality in the transition to more energy efficient street lights.
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Global-LEAP: Global Lighting and Energy Access Partnership Awards program that catalyses off-grid appliance markets and increases energy access by identifying and promoting the most energy efficient, affordable, and highest quality low-voltage appliances.
Solar Cities, Local Renewables Initiative
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Coordinated with MNRE, State Nodal Agencies, cities' officials and mobilized a team to plan and carry out phase wise activities to deliver the Solar City Master Plan for seven cities in India. On a related note, designed and implemented pilot projects to demonstrate feasibility of incorporating renewable energy and energy efficiency policies as part of municipal development strategies; coordinated with 40 Indian and South Asian cities to analyze and develop a city energy consumption report and carbon emission inventory leading to the formulation of generic action plans.
In 2008, to institutionalize the idea of incorporating RE & EE, established renewable energy and energy efficiency resource centers in three Indian municipal corporations - Bhubaneswar, Nagpur and Coimbatore