The second assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), an organization aimed at promoting solar energy and addressing its related challenges, was hosted by India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy from 30th to 31st October 2019. This decision-making body of the ISA addresses various administrative, fiscal, and program-related issues. At the helm of this assembly are India and France as President and Co-President respectively, with India being represented by its Minister for New and Renewable Energy and Power.
Membership and Expansion of the ISA
Comprising 121 prospective member countries, the ISA had 81 signatories to its Framework Agreement at the time. Of these, 58 countries had ratified it. During the first ISA assembly on 3rd October 2018, the organization adopted an Indian resolution extending the membership to all countries belonging to the United Nations, further broadening its reach.
Initiatives and Programmes Undertaken
Since its inception, the ISA has initiated a multitude of activities and programs aimed at fortifying the solar capacity of its member nations. Among these initiatives were the STAR-C Programme and Infopedia, an online information and knowledge sharing platform dedicated to solar energy. The STAR-C is a project under the Solar Technology Application Resource Centre to aid in developing domestic capacities.
Throughout 2019, the ISA sent missions to eight different countries to gain firsthand insight into the challenges faced and issues present at the ground level when it comes to implementing solar energy solutions.
Partnerships and Collaborations
In the pursuit of its objectives, the ISA has significantly extended its outreach and has collaborated with over 40 organizations. The partners come from various backgrounds, including the United Nations, Multilateral Development Banks, and Development Finance Institutions among others.
Emergence of the ISA
| Founding Date | Founders | Location | Prospective Members |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30th November 2015 | Prime Minister of India and President of France | Paris, France | 121 Solar Resource Rich Countries |
The ISA is an Indian initiative, launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30th November 2015 in Paris. The prospective members are 121 solar resource-rich countries lying fully or partially between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Objectives and Funding
The overarching goal of the ISA is to collectively tackle critical challenges to upscaling solar energy in member nations. To facilitate this, the Government of India has allotted five acres of land to the ISA at the National Institute of Solar Energy campus in Gurugram. Additionally, they have released a sum of Rs. 160 crore to help create a corpus fund, build infrastructure, and meet everyday recurring expenditure until the year 2021-22.
