• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a group of 123 countries, most of which are sunny countries that sit between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, or at least part of them.
• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a member-driven, action-oriented, and collaborative platform for more solar energy solutions to be put into use.
Its main goal is to make it easier for people to get energy, make sure energy is safe, and speed up the energy shift in the countries that are part of it.
• India and France came up with the ISA as a way to work together to fight climate change by putting solar energy options into place.
Let’s work together to make the sun shine brighter.
• The goal is for every home to have a light, no matter how far away it is.
• Headquarters: The headquarters are in India, and an interim secretariat has been set up in Gurugram.
• Member Countries: The ISA Framework Agreement has been signed by 112 countries.
The ISA Framework Agreement has been signed and approved by 92 of the 106 countries in the world.
All countries that are part of the UN are welcome to join the ISA.
• Observer Status for the International Solar Alliance: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) now has Observer Status, which was given to it by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
It will help make sure that the Alliance and the United Nations work together regularly and in a clear way, which will help the growth and development of energy around the world.
• Director General of the ISA: The Director General is in charge of the International Solar Alliance.
The Director General is in charge of running the ISA Secretariat and making sure it does its job.
He is responsible to the ISA Assembly.
The term of office for the Director General is four years, and he or she can run again.
• The ISA wants to create and use solar energy solutions that are both cost-effective and transformative.
• To help member countries come up with plans for low-carbon growth, with a focus on helping the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
4-Priority Areas of the Programme:
• The main goal of these priority areas is to make the country a good place for solar energy projects to take root.
Analytics and lobbying
Building up people’s skills Programmatic support Readiness and enabling tasks
Key Responsibilities of Assembly
• The ISA’s highest decision-making group is the Assembly, which is made up of representatives from each Member Nation.
• The meeting talks about important things, like who should be the Director General.
Accomplishment of ISA goals.
ISA is doing its job.
Operating budget needs to be approved.
Evaluation of how well the programmes were put into place.
Sets the direction of activities that need to be coordinated.
Key Responsibilities of the Secretariat
• Help the National Focal Points put together the ideas and suggestions for programmes that will be sent to the assembly.
• Give members advice and help with putting each plan into action, including helping them raise money.
• Act on behalf of the Assembly or a group of Members taking part in a certain programme when asked to do so, and in particular make contact with important stakeholders.
• Set up and run all communication tools, instruments, and actions that are needed for the ISA and its programmes to work, as approved by the Assembly.
The OSOWOG focuses on creating a framework for global cooperation and building a global ecosystem of renewable energy resources (mainly solar energy) that are all linked and can be shared easily.
• The OSOWOG is based on the idea that “The Sun Never Sets,” which is always true somewhere in the world at any given time.
• This is by far one of the most bold plans ever made by a country, and it has a big impact on the economy of the whole world.
• It is now part of the World Bank’s technical support programme.
ISA Solar Technology and Application Resource Centre (ISTAR C):
• To build a network of technical training, entrepreneurship, research and innovation, and research and innovation centres so that they can share best practises and help spread information and build up people’s skills.
• To make and share a variety of training materials for all kinds of people, and to set up harmonised training courses using a network of training facilities that all ISA Member countries would recognise.
• To work on standardising solar systems on a regional or sub-regional level and to give key STAR-centers the ability to test and get technical certification.
• To make it possible for ISA Member countries to work together on research and development.
Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Scheme
• Through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Scheme, the Indian government has helped the ISA by teaching master trainers in the field of solar energy.
• The training lasts for 21 days, and the Indian government pays for everything.
• With help from the ITEC project, 133 people from 25 countries were trained at the National Institute of Solar Energy in Gurugram in 2018-2019.
India’s most important solar energy projects
• National Solar Mission: It’s part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change.
To make India a world leader in solar energy by making sure it spreads quickly across the country and is supported by policy.
• INDC’s goal: It wants to connect 100 GW of solar power plants to the power grid by 2022.
This is in line with India’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) goal of getting about 40% of its cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy supplies and reducing the emission intensity of its GDP by 33–35% from 2005 levels by 2030.
• Other Government Schemes:
Solar Park Scheme Canal Bank and Canal Top Scheme Bundling Scheme Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Scheme
• First Green Hydrogen Mobility project: The Union Territory of Ladakh and National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) Renewable Energy Ltd (REL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to set up the first Green Hydrogen Mobility project in the country.
Green hydrogen is made by electrolyzing water with sustainable energy (like solar or wind) and has a smaller carbon footprint.
Problems that the International Solar Alliance faces
• There doesn’t seem to be a clear way to make solar power grid-parity.
• Getting to the goal of energy security is hard because it is hard to get the technology and money needed.
• Dealing with the different goals of local and international competitors.
• There may be disagreements about how to run a business, such as where to get the parts and equipment needed to make solar panels and other needed items.
Way Forward
• The International Solar Alliance should move forward with a clear and forward-looking business policy.
• It should come up with new ways to do things and support research and development.
• It should have a good way to settle issues and fights between member countries.
