Why in the news?
- ISA chief announced that by the end of the year, the International Solar Alliance (ISA) will set up 17 centers of excellence in as many countries, and going ahead, establish a Global Capability Centre (GCC) in India, akin to a “Silicon Valley for solar”.
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
- Launched: In 2015 at COP-21, Paris by India and France.
- Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana, India.
- Aim: Promote the large-scale deployment of solar energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
- Nature: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a treaty-based intergovernmental organization.
- Membership: Open to all UN member states (initially limited to countries lying between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn).
- Objective
- Mobilize over $1 trillion in investments by 2030 for solar energy.
- Facilitate affordable finance and technology transfer.
- Reduce cost of solar power generation and applications (agriculture, health, transport).
- Support countries in meeting their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
- Initiatives
- One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG): A global solar power grid initiative for cross-border transfer of renewable energy.
- STAR-C (Solar Technology and Application Resource Centre):Capacity-building, research, and training hub for member countries.
- Scaling Solar Applications for Agriculture (SSA): Promotes solar pumps and technologies for irrigation.
- Affordable Finance at Scale (AFS): Attracts global investment and concessional finance for solar projects.
- ISA Solar Awards: To recognize innovative solar solutions in member countries.
- Challenges
- Unequal capacity and interest among member countries.
- Financing gaps and high-risk perception in developing nations.
- Need for technological adaptation to diverse geographic conditions.
- Coordination difficulties in mega projects like OSOWOG.
- Significance for India
- Positions India as a global leader in renewable energy diplomacy.
- Supports India’s targets of 500 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030.
- Enhances South-South cooperation and climate leadership.
- Strengthens India’s role in global climate negotiations.