International Solar Alliance (ISA)

International Solar Alliance (ISA)

Relevance – GS Paper II (International Relations)

Recently a country named Paraguay has become the 100th full member of the International Solar Mission. The recognition was held in New Delhi. The instrument of Ratification has been received by Fleming Raul Duarte, the ambassador from Paraguay to India.

What is ISA ?

  • ISA stands for International Solar Alliance.
  • It is an initiative proposed by the Prime of India Shri Narendra Modi and was launched on 30th November 2015 with the assistance of France President, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.
  • It is a group of countries lying in between the two tropics – Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn called "sunshine countries"

MAIN OBJECTIVE –

  1. Efficient utilisation of solar energy and reduce dependence on non-renewable sources of energy.
  2. The countries are given such titles of “Suryaputras” to unlock their huge potential to bring use of abundant solar energy and natural resources.

NOTE –  ISA countries lie within the tropics ( Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn). They received 300 + days of sunshine.

Solar Energy

  • The energy coming from the sun in one day is sufficient for Earth's whole year. Reason : Lack of technology to capture the entire energy of the sun that comes in one day.
  • Solar power is very crucial for energy security as majority of the countries involved in ISA are  least developed or development.
  •  The motive followed by the ISA Nations is :-

“ensure access to affordable, reliable ,sustainable and modern energy for all.

  •  The short term goals targeted by ISA Nations to be accomplished by 2030 are –
  1. Enhancing international cooperation.
  2. Access to clean energy.
  3. Facilitating research and technology.
  4. Focus on renewable energy energy sufficiency and energy storage.
  5. Facilitating advance cleaner fossil fuel technology.
  • The ISA Nations will focus more on policy ecosystem and integration concerning social energy because :-
  1. Any established renewable energy policy is absent.
  2. No proper ecosystem is present to create willingness to buy and set up renewable energy.
  3. No proper integration.

FINANCE FOR ISA:-

  • ISA is gaining financial sustainability over the years through the collaboration of both public and private sectors who contribute $500 million for the same.
  •  Financial mechanism such as “Masala Bonds” or “Green Solar Bonds” has been used by the group two popularise their objective and to raise money in other nations.

INDIA'S LINK WITH ISA :-

  • The domestic policy of India to build 100 gig watts has made its market one of the largest among other Nations and also has attracted numbers of developers and financiers.
  • The ISA headquarters are located in India.
  • The interim secretariat is located in National institute of solar energy ,Gwalpahari , Gurgaon.
  • India also provides support for ISA members in terms of:-
  1. Training support at NISE.
  2. Project demonstration support for
  • Solar home lighting
  • Solar pumps for farmers
  • Solar applications.

While International Solar Alliance has so many contributing factors towards development of such member countries it also comes with wide variety of challenges-

MERITS OF ISA :-

  • Coming decade is said to be a huge evolution of climate is a is continuously making efforts towards clean, green and sustainable energy to provide to its member nations in order to fight the climate change crisis arising due to pollution and global warming.
  • All the member nations are bound to open 24*7 solar cyber centres (SCC) in order to make it easier for the population to gain access to advice and information on many innovations or collective projects.
  •  Advocacy role for financial institutions to help the member Nations get a part of landing from such institutions for solar energy.

Eg :- RBI in India did an investment of 15 crore priority sector lending in the field of renewable energy and 10 crore for rooftop solar panels.

Challenges faced by ISA -:

  • Forum Creation -: Majority of member Nations water to create a forum where an exchange of ideas experience and way out can take place to deploy solar energy. It will simultaneously give them all and access to energy technology as energy tech and finance are two most major issues of ISA.
  • Proper allocation of proper, prioritized and important areas of solar energy is important.

The ultimate objective along with finding consensus in conferences should be the prime area of fund allocation.

  • The compliance in terms of business models can be seen among the members Nations. Different choices can come from different nations and it is very difficult to achieve one way out of all such disagreements and agreements.
  •  No specific business model or particular approach has been made yet that suggest low clarity among member Nations.
  • Conflicts of interest in domestic and foreign competitors.
  • No specific economic plan for reaching solar power grid parity.
  • Debates about resources from where components are to be obtained and solar panels machinery are to be manufactured. Other required accessories can also be debatable as where should it be purchased from.

FUNCTIONS OF SECRETARIATS:-

  1. Provide assistant in National focal points to prepare the proposals and recommendations to the assembly.
  2. Provide resistance as well as guidance to the member nations in implementation of each policy.
  3. Provide assistant to member Nations to raise funds.
  4. Participate in a specific program or assembly on behalf of the assembly or some member Nations , if requested by any of them.
  5. Assist International solar alliance in operating all types of instruments of communication, activities etc.

THE FUNCTIONS OF ASSEMBLY:-

  • The is a assembly is a decision making body comprising representatives from each member Nations.
  • The assembly functions in matter such as:-
  1. Selection of director general (DG)
  2. Achievement of ISA objectives.
  3. Functioning of ISA
  4. Approval of budget.
  5. Scrutinizing the implementation of programs.

IMPORTANT PROJECTS OF ISA

  1. OSOWOG : ONE SON ONE WORLD ONE GRID.
  • AIM - to build global cooperation and an ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources.
  • MOTTO - the sun never sets.
  • As the sun is constant at some geographical locations at specific points of time.
  • Assisted technically by World Bank.
  1. ITES : INDIAN TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION SCHEME.
  • AIM - to provide master training in the field of solar energy
  • The training is charged on government of India funds and the duration is 21 days.
  1. ISTAR-C : ISA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATION RESOURCE CENTRE.
  • AIM - to build network of training entrepreneurship, research etc to promote practice based on knowledge and capacity building.
  • The centres of training are called star centres is a provides testing and technical certification capabilities to star centres.
  • Enables collaborative research and development.

SOLAR ENERGY INITIATIVE OF INDIA :-

  1. National Solar mission - part of an AP for CC (National action plan for climate change)
  • AIM :- to establish India as a global lender in terms of solar energy.
  1. INDC - TARGETS INSTALLATION OF 100 GW GRID CONNECTED SOLAR POWER PLANTS.

To reduce the emission intensity of India's GDP by 33 to 35% from 2005 level by 2030

  1. Solar power scheme
  2. Canal Bank scheme
  3. Bundling scheme.