SAARC Energy Centre is organizing a series of Webinars on emerging and critical topics in the Energy sector. The Webinars would be focusing on key issues and specific challenges being faced by the Energy sector of SAARC Member States. It will also provide insights into best practices and innovative solutions being adopted by the countries within and outside the SAARC region. The Webinars are free-of-cost.
For queries: info@saarcenergy.org
Tariff modelling for Solar, Wind and Battery Energy Storage System projects
Renewable energy penetration—including solar, wind, and battery storage—has made traditional SAARC electricity tariff modeling increasingly complex. To ensure sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy access, stakeholders must master the financial and economic methodologies required to design bankable, risk-mitigated projects under varying market conditions.
This webinar will feature regional and international experts discussing energy price forecasting, capital/operational expense calculation, revenue modeling, and regulatory frameworks. Through presentations and interactive sessions, participants will explore optimal business models and global best practices for successfully integrating renewable technologies.
Join NowExploring the Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Concept
Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) aggregate distributed energy resources (DERs)—like solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles—into a single, cloud-managed entity to enhance grid stability and efficiency. By coordinating these resources, VPPs optimize grid stabilization, peak load management, and renewable energy integration.
Led by regional and international experts, this webinar will guide SAARC utilities and regulators on developing, deploying, and operating successful VPP designs. Participants will explore VPP functionality, consumer benefits, adoption challenges, and practical lessons from global and regional pilot programs.
Join NowRegulatory Frameworks for Solar, Wind, BESS and Grid Interconnections
Policy and regulatory landscapes heavily dictate the large-scale deployment and integration of renewable energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). While well-structured policies lower financial barriers and drive market innovation, their absence exposes projects to high upfront capital costs, operational complexities, and regulatory uncertainty.
Led by regional and international experts, this webinar aims to facilitate the development of effective regulatory and institutional frameworks for solar, wind, BESS, and grid interconnections across all SAARC Member States. Through presentations and interactive dialogue, participants will assess existing regulatory structures, share global best practices, and chart a path forward for policy reforms that support a sustainable energy future.
Join NowDevelopment of Energy Service Company (ESCOs) Regulations
Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) act as a critical market mechanism for sustainable development in South Asia by developing, financing, and monitoring long-term energy efficiency and decarbonization projects. By bypassing traditional barriers like high capital costs and low investor confidence, the unique ESCO business model helps industrial, commercial, and public sectors drastically reduce energy use and operating costs.
While the ESCO market is mature in some SAARC Member States like India, it remains under developed in others. This webinar will introduce professionals to successful regulatory regimes and ongoing projects within the region, with the ultimate objective of facilitating the development of robust ESCO regulations across all Member States.
Join NowBest Practices for Women-led Clean Energy Projects in SAARC Region
Despite bearing the brunt of energy poverty, women remain heavily underrepresented in the formal energy sector due to systemic barriers like limited financing, lack of training, and exclusion from leadership roles. This gender gap undermines the efficiency and equity of the SAARC region’s clean energy transition.
This webinar will showcase successful regional case studies—such as India’s solar irrigation initiatives and Bangladesh’s micro-utility models—to highlight how leveraging women’s local knowledge drives sustainable development. Designed for regional energy professionals, the session will explore the policy and financial enablers needed to overcome hurdles in project incubation, financing, and marketing for women-led clean energy projects.
Join NowGuidelines and SoPs for Solar Power Development through Bidding
Solar energy continues to be one of the fastest-growing renewable energy technologies across the region. Transparent procurement procedures, well-defined guidelines, and Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) are essential for promoting investment and ensuring efficient implementation of solar projects. This webinar will discuss competitive bidding processes, regulatory frameworks, project implementation practices, and best practices adopted by Member States for grid-connected solar power development.
Regional and international experts shall be engaged during the webinar. They shall deliver their presentations and respond to questions by the participants.
Click HereTransmission and Distribution Network Augmentations for Solar and Wind Power Injections
The rapid growth of solar photovoltaic and wind power requires modern transmission and distribution networks capable of supporting bi-directional power flows and large-scale renewable energy integration. Aging grid infrastructure presents significant challenges for maintaining reliability, voltage stability, and system security. This webinar will focus on planning, strengthening, and modernizing transmission and distribution systems to enable the reliable integration of renewable energy across the SAARC region.
Regional and international experts shall be engaged during the webinar. They shall deliver their presentations and respond to questions by the participants.
Click HereDisposal and Recycling Methods for Storage Batteries and Solar Panels
Proper disposal and recycling of storage batteries and solar panels are essential for recovering valuable materials such as aluminum, glass, silicon, copper, lithium, cobalt, and lead while preventing hazardous waste from entering landfills. As solar PV installations and Battery Energy Storage Systems continue to expand across the SAARC region, end-of-life management has become an increasingly important environmental and technical challenge. This webinar will share regional and international experiences on sustainable recycling methods, end-of-life management practices, and regulatory frameworks.
Regional and international experts shall be engaged during the webinar. They shall deliver their presentations and respond to questions by the participants.
Click HereScheduling of Wind and Solar Power Projects
Integrating intermittent wind and solar power is critical for tackling climate change and enhancing energy security. However, this variability can introduce grid instability. Advanced scheduling balances these fluctuations, ensuring a steady, secure power supply while optimizing the performance of hybrid renewable systems. This webinar will share practical knowledge on forecasting, scheduling methodologies, dispatch planning, and optimization techniques for renewable energy projects.
The Experts from regional market shall be engaged during the webinar. They shall deliver their presentations and respond to questions by the participants.
Click HereOptimal Sizing and Placement of Batteries for Solar Acquisition
In South Asia, solar energy has emerged as a cornerstone of the region’s energy security and decarbonization strategies. Abundant solar resources, plummeting technology costs, and ambitious national targets have led to a significant surge in Solar Photovoltaic (PV) deployments, from utility-scale parks to rooftop installations. However, the inherent variability of solar power creates operational challenges for electricity grids. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) provide an effective solution by improving reliability, flexibility, and grid resilience. This webinar will discuss optimal battery sizing, placement techniques, and practical approaches for maximizing solar energy utilization.
The Experts from Member State India and Pakistan shall be engaged during the webinar. They shall deliver their presentations and respond to questions by the participants.
Click HereEmpowering Women in Energy Sector through Development of Gender Inclusive Energy Policy Guidelines
Gender Inclusion in energy projects increases project effectiveness, accelerates the access to modern energy, improves well-being and their contributions are valued. Prioritizing women’s participation in policy creation, strategy, and project development leads to more effective and equitable outcomes. However, these have to be reflected into policy, plans and the internal strategic documents. Many efforts have been put for the inclusion and to bring women and marginalized group in the leadership across the world through different capacity development programs. Still, these efforts are not enough unless they are guided by legal documents. This webinar summarized the status of Gender Inclusion in the South Asia region and highlighted how women can be empowered through inclusive energy policy guidelines.
The Experts from Member State Bangladesh and Pakistan participated in the webinar and responded to participants’ questions.
Click HereCyber Security Training and Auditing for Smart Grid
The energy landscape in the SAARC region is rapidly evolving through digitalization and smart grid technologies. While these innovations improve efficiency and reliability, they also expose critical infrastructure to sophisticated cyber threats. This webinar focused on cybersecurity risks, auditing techniques, regulatory challenges, and best practices for protecting smart grid infrastructure across the SAARC region.
The Experts from Member State Bangladesh and India participated in the webinar and answered participants’ questions.
Click HereMarket Strategies under Energy as a Service (EaaS)
The Energy as a Service (EaaS) market continues to expand worldwide, offering innovative business models that reduce upfront investment while improving energy efficiency and sustainability. This webinar introduced participants to EaaS concepts, market strategies, implementation approaches, lessons learned, opportunities, and challenges for the SAARC region.
The Expert from Member State India delivered the presentation and responded to participants’ questions.
Click HereSolar Net-metering: Challenges and Way Forward
Rooftop solar photovoltaic deployment is accelerating across the SAARC region due to falling equipment costs and strong consumer interest. While net-metering policies have encouraged adoption, implementation varies considerably between countries. This webinar explored the technical, financial, and regulatory challenges of net-metering and discussed policy recommendations for sustainable deployment across South Asia.
The Experts from Member State Pakistan and IRENA participated in the webinar and responded to participants’ questions.
Click HereWebinar Time Zone Information
All webinar timings mentioned on this page are according to Pakistan Standard Time (PKT). Participants from other SAARC Member States are requested to join the webinars according to their respective local time. The reference time differences are provided below.
| Country | Afghanistan | Bangladesh | Bhutan | India | Maldives | Nepal | Sri Lanka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Time | PKT − 00:30 | PKT + 01:00 | PKT + 01:00 | PKT + 00:30 | PKT ± 00:00 | PKT + 00:45 | PKT + 00:30 |
Note: The above values indicate the time difference relative to Pakistan Standard Time (PKT). Participants are advised to verify their local daylight saving rules (if applicable) before joining the webinar.
Any query or clarification may kindly be sent directly to SEC at the following address:
Mr. Khaleeq Ur Rehman,
Computer Operation Officer,
SAARC Energy Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Tel: +92 51 877 2376; Cell/Whatsapp: +92 332 888 9089
Email : coo@saarcenergy.org , info@saarcenergy.org