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International Solar Alliance (ISA) becomes a Treaty-based International Inter-governmental organization

05.12.2017

On 6th December 2017, the International Solar Alliance (ISA) becomes a treaty-based international inter-governmental organization as per its Framework Agreement. International Solar Alliance is an Indian initiative, jointly launched by the Prime Minister of India, and the President of France on 30th November 2015 in Paris, for increasing use of solar energy. According to Paris Declaration establishing ISA, the countries share the collective ambition to undertake innovative and concerted efforts for reducing the cost of finance and cost of technology for immediate deployment solar generation assets. It aims at addressing obstacles to deployment at scale of solar energy through better harmonization and aggregation of demand from solar rich countries lying fully or partially between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. Till now, 46 countries have signed and 19 countries have ratified the Framework Agreement of ISA.

Policy makers, Ministers and corporate leaders from ISA countries would be able to interact, connect, communicate and collaborate with one another through establishment of Digital Infopedia which started operation on 18th May 2017. Digital Infopedia will have three heads: (a) Member countries counter for investment opportunities; (b) at least 1000 best practices on solar energy (audio/visual), and (c) Member countries of ISA and the ISA Secretariat audio and visual interaction.

The interim Secretariat of the ISA is at National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gwalpahari, Gurgaon. Three programmes - Scaling Solar Applications for Agriculture Use, Affordable Finance at Scale, and Scaling Solar Mini-grids - have been launched to achieve overall goal of increasing solar energy deployment in the ISA member countries and speeding up economic development. In addition to the existing 3 programmes, ISA has initiated plans to launch two more programmes: Scaling Solar Rooftops and Scaling Solar E-mobility and Storage. Further, a Common Risk Mitigating Mechanism (CRMM) has also been developed for de-risking and reducing the financial cost of solar projects in the ISA member countries. An international expert group is working on the blue print of the mechanism and it will be rolled out by December 2018. ISA has been envisioned as a specialized platform and will contribute towards the common goal of increasing utilization and promotion of solar energy and solar applications in its member countries. ISA is a new beginning for accelerating development and deployment of solar energy and India’s first international and inter-governmental organization headquartered in India.

Tags : ISA Organization Inter-governmental

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