Last week saw the third High-level Conference on New Technologies for Clean Energy Transition of the ISA being held in New Delhi, India. The conference aimed at reaching a global consensus of using advanced technologies in support of a sustainable power network.
Main Goals
The agenda of the conference was to put the discussions into practice with regard to the fourth generation solar systems, other developing storage technologies, and the part of solar energy in achieving sustainable, inclusive, more effective, and equitable, societal and environmental development process. The deliberations focused on the imperative for exit from fossil energy; tripling of renewable energy; and doubling of energy efficiency by 2030. These goals correlate with the goals set under the Paris Agreement in addition will lead to an updated COP 29 in Azerbaijan.
Information Advancement and collaboration
The conference offered breakout sessions on the specifics of the newest technological developments, like bifacial solar panels solar paint, and developments in battery storage. These technologies are of great significance in increasing efficiency and reducing the cost of solar installations making it easy to adopt them around the world. The discussions also pointed to the need for countries to work together and share knowledge to produce changes on the ground and meet climate goals.
Government Aid
Speaking at ISA founding conference, Mr. Prashant Kumar Singh, Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India said that his government is committed to turning this vision of ISA into reality. He said that the Government of India is actively participating in helping developing nations through fiscal and technical ways in terms of evacuation capacity in solar power. Besides MW scale solar power plants, use of solar energy based decentralized & distributed applications are helping millions of villagers in India to get their energy requirements in a sustainable manner.
India’s Strategy in Decarbonisation Process
India is on the right track in the path of clean energy, it has laid down plans of reduction in its reliance on fossil fuels. Its pledge to reduce emissions to net zero by 2070 and to get half its electricity demand from renewables by 2030 demonstrate the country’s determination to fight climate change.
Renewable Energy Targets
Another one of the most important aspects of India’s energy transition toward clean energy is the 500GW by 2030 target. At the present, India has already installed about 90,000 MW of solar project capacity, but the current Indian government’s target is to take it to 500,000 MW. 50 solar parks have been cleared by the government, out of which they are proposed to add nearly 37.5 GW to energy capacity. Also, offshore wind energy in India is another focus where the country aims to hit 30GW.
Green Hydrogen Mission
India launched the Green Hydrogen Mission to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil energy as well. By 2030, the mission intends to produce enough green hydrogen to meet demand at a pace of 5 million metric tons annually. To this end, India intends to develop 40 GW of electrolyser manufacturing capacity, which will be about 2.5 times the global capacity estimated in 2023. Thus green hydrogen is considered an important factor of the movement towards decarbonisation of the economy, and India is planning on taking a leadership position in it.
Energy Storage and Grid Integration
In order to facilitate higher levels of renewables in the energy portfolio, India has planned investment in storage mechanisms. The government has proposed a policy for viability gap funding for the establishment of battery energy storage systems, capable of 4,000 MWh. Furthermore, there is an emphasis on upgrading the interstate transmission system for the evacuation and integration of 13 GW of renewable power from Ladakh.
Market Support and Policy
India’s clean energy transformation is backed by sound financing and policy arrangements. Importantly, for priority capital investments towards energy transition and particularly into net-zero objectives, the government has provided adequate funds. The Union Budget 2023–2024 aims to justify a customs duty exemption for the import of capital goods and equipment required to manufacture lithium-ion cells for electric car batteries. The Green Credit Programme insists on manners of conduct towards a more sustainable use of agricultural inputs and production of fertilizers.
The International Solar Alliance
One example of international cooperation in the quest for a sustainable energy future is the International Solar Alliance (ISA). As a platform that was designed to assemble countries to advance and embrace solar energy, ISA works on meeting energy requirements together with the negative impact of climate change. ISA is an important organization, having its office in Gurugram, India and it has become an influential body to promote innovation, collaboration and spreading of solar energy across the globe.
Origins and Objectives
The idea of the ISA can be attributed back to the Paris Climate Conference also referred to as the COP21 that took place in 2015. This product was unveiled by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the French President François Hollande. Its formation was based on awareness of the fact that solar energy is a potent solution that can help to meet the existing and future energy demand and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Its primary objectives are to:
- Develop 1 TW of solar assets by 2030 which will require the deployment of $1 trillion in investment.
- Increase the awareness and use of solar energy by supporting the appropriate technological applications in member countries.
- Promote the cooperation of member countries in fighting similar problems and exchanging the most successful experience.
- Coordinating a forum for policy advocacy as well as capacity enhancement towards the promotion of solar energy strategies.
Membership and Governance
The ISA is available to all nations which are located either wholly or partly within 23.5 degrees latitude north and south of the Equator where levels of insolation are high. But it is not obligatory to be limited to these countries only, and any country that is a member of the United Nation can participate in joining the alliance. Till date, the ISA has over eighty members with many more in the line to join the organization.
The assembly is the supreme decision making body of the ISA and is made up of representatives from member countries. The Assembly is responsible for strategic direction, and the budget approvals. The implementation of the programs and activities of the ISA are achieved through the ISA Secretariat headed by the Director General.
Key Initiatives and Programs
The ISA has introduced many flagship measures and programs for mainstreaming solar power. Some of these include:
- Scaling Solar Applications for Agricultural Use (SSAAU): This project seeks to encourage the harnessing of solar energy in agricultural practices to offer cost effective and renewable ways to meeting needs such as irrigation, cold storage among others.
- Affordable Finance at Scale: Well aware of the fact that access to funding is often the key cause of limited access to solar energy, the objective of this programme is to attract investments and guarantee novel approaches to financing that will help member countries implement solar projects.
- Solar Mini-Grids: This program taps into direct mini-grid electrification Model to ensure access to clean energy amongst the out grower households, and other off-grid regions.
- ISA CARES: The idea behind this fund is to assist in the financing of solarisation in selected healthcare centres and establishments to bring sustainable energy to vital healthcare services.
Achievements and Impact
The ISA since its inception has tremendously achieved its goal of promoting solar energy usage. Some notable achievements include:
- Mobilizing Investments: It has also been able to successfully source for investments running into Billions of Dollars for the implementation of solar projects in member countries which go a long way to fill the financing gap for the implementation of solar technologies.
- Capacity Building: Effective training programs and workshops facilitated by the ISA have empowered hundreds of thousands of working professionals across different levels in the solar energy value chain.
- Policy Advocacy: In particular, the ISA has been instrumental in campaigning for policy environment and conducive legal structures for the development of solar energy industry in member countries.
Difficulty and Expected Opportunities
Despite its successes, the ISA faces several challenges in achieving its ambitious goals. Among them are, increased financial demands in member countries, combating technological challenges, and policy and regulatory challenges in member countries. Nevertheless, if member countries and partners provide their due cooperation and support to ISA, then this organization can effectively mitigate these challenges to make clean energy penetration possible for the world.
The prospect of the ISA looks bright mainly due to the strategies to add more members, improvise the partnerships and start new programs and projects that can help to meet challenges and benefits of solar energy market. The ISA, thus, envisages its members providing access to sustainable, efficient, affordable and resilient energy for each member.