International Solar Alliance YouTube Lecture Handouts Geography

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International Solar Alliance: Recent Developments

Illustration: International Solar Alliance YouTube Lecture Handouts Geography

ISA

Illustration: ISA
  • The ISA is open to 121 prospective member countries, most of them located between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. As many as 62 countries have signed the ISA framework agreement, out which 32 have ratified the pact.
  • Plan is 1000 new GW by 2030. Triple the amount of solar energy in entire world. Solar pumps for farms, microgrids, rooftop solar.
  • The founding ceremony of the International Solar Alliance was held in New Delhi on March 11. The ISA has set a target of 1 TW of solar energy by 2030, which current French President Emmanuel Macron said would require $ 1 trillion to achieve.
  • India, has set an ambitious target to produce 100 GW of solar energy by 2022, would account for a tenth of ISA՚s goal.
  • International Solar Alliance (ISA) was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then French President Francois Hollande at the U. N. Climate Change Conference in Paris on November 30,2015. The framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance opened for signatures in Marrakech, Morocco in November 2016, and 121 countries have joined. The idea was to form a coalition of solar resource-rich countries to collaborate on addressing the identified gaps in their energy requirements through a common approach.
  • France committed 1 billon euros. India has put 1.4 billion dollars.

India՚s Contribution

  • The ISA is the first international body that will have a secretariat in India. India, with a target to produce 100 GW of solar energy by 2022, would account for a tenth of ISA՚s goal. “India will produce 175 GW electricity from renewable sources by 2022 and 100 GW will be from solar energy,”
  • “Distribution of 28 crore LED bulbs in three years has saved $ 2 billion and 4 GW of electricity. India will also provide 500 training slots for ISA member-countries and start a solar tech mission to lead R&D.”
  • ISA is the first international body to have a secretariat in India National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) in Gwal Pahari, Gurugram with 5 acre land. Although it was founded in Paris, France, its headquarters is in Gurugram, India. The first assembly of ISA was held in Delhi on 2nd October 2018. The alliance is also called International Agency for Solar Policy and Application (IASPA) .
  • sunshine countries as Suryaputra ( “Sons of the Sun” )
  • As of 2017, highest installed capacity is in Telangana followed by Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh
  • Suyramitra – solar technicians
  • KUSUM scheme - (Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan) – harness solar power for rural India

Objectives ISA

  • Shared ambition to undertake joint efforts required to reduce the cost of finance and the cost of technology, mobilize more than US $ 1000 billion of investments needed by 2030 for massive deployment of solar energy, and pave the way for future technologies adapted to the needs.
  • Affirming that these obstacles can be addressed if solar resource rich countries act in a coordinated manner, with strong political impulse and resolve, and that better harmonizing and aggregating the demand for inter alia solar finance, technologies, innovation or capacity building, across countries, will provide a strong lever to lower costs, increase quality, and bring reliable and affordable solar energy within the reach of all.
  • The focus is on solar power utilization. The launching of such an alliance in Paris also sends a strong signal to the global communities about the sincerity of the developing nations towards their concern about climate change and to switch to a low-carbon growth path. India has pledged a target of installing 100 GW by 2022 and reduction in emission intensity by 33 – 35% by 2030 to let solar energy reach to the most unconnected villages and communities and also towards creating a clean planet.
  • The sunniest countries of the world are on the African continent, ranging from Somalia- Horn of Africa-, east to Niger, west and north to Egypt

Basis for ISA

  • There is a great amount of sunlight year-round which can lead to cost effective solar power and other end uses with high insolation of almost 300 sunny days in a year. Most of the countries have large agrarian populations. Many countries face gaps in the potential solar energy manufacturing eco-system. Absence of universal energy access, energy equity and affordability are issues common to most of the solar resource rich countries.
  • International Solar Alliance (ISA) is conceived as a coalition of solar resource rich countries to address their special energy needs and will provide a platform to collaborate on addressing the identified gaps through a common, agreed approach. It will not duplicate or replicate the efforts that others like International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) , Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) , International Energy Agency (IEA) , Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century , United Nations bodies, bilateral organizations etc. are currently engaged in, but will establish networks and develop synergies with them and supplement their efforts in a sustainable and focused manner.

Focus Areas

  • Key focus areas to achieve these objectives are to:
  • promote solar technologies, new business models and investment in the solar sector to enhance prosperity
  • formulate projects and programs to promote solar applications
  • develop innovative financial mechanisms to reduce cost of capital
  • build a common knowledge e-Portal
  • facilitate capacity building for promotion and absorption of solar technologies and R&D among member countries
  • Assisting member countries in drafting solar policies;
  • Development of standards, specifications and test protocols for solar energy systems;
  • Encouraging collaborations in solar resource mapping in member countries and the deployment of suitable technologies;
  • Designing training programs for students/engineers/policymakers, etc. , and organizing workshops, focused meetings and conferences.
  • Working with ISA member countries to strive for universal access to solar lighting.

Global Solar Atlas

  • Global Solar Atlas is a free online tool that displays annual average solar power potential at any location in the world and thus identify potential sites for solar power generation. World Bank announced “This tool will help governments save millions of dollars on their own research and provide investors and solar developers with an easily accessible and uniform platform to compare resource potential between sites in one region or across multiple countries.”

Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership

  • Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership is World՚s first nuclear energy partnership centre at Kheri Jasaur village of Bahadurgarh teshil in Jhajjar district of Haryana state in India. This center facilitates deliberation and discussions of international experts on various issues including innovation in nuclear reactors and the nuclear fuel cycle, development of proliferation-resistant reactors, security technologies and the effects of radiation exposure
  • One among 6 research institutes of Department of Atomic Energy of Govt of India.
  • 5 schools are:
  • School of Advanced Nuclear Energy System Studies (SANESS)
  • School of Nuclear Security Studies (SNSS)
  • School on Radiological Safety Studies (SRSS)
  • School of Nuclear Material Characterization Studies (SNMCS)
  • School for Studies on Applications of Radioisotopes and Radiation Technologies (SARRT)

International Renewable Energy Alliance

International Renewable Energy Alliance (REN Alliance) is a formal partnership entered into on 4 June 2004 by five non-profit international renewable energy organisations:

  • International Hydropower Association (IHA)
  • International Solar Energy Society (ISES)
  • International Geothermal Association (IGA)
  • World Wind Energy Association (WWEA)
  • World Bioenergy Association (WBA)
  • They represent the hydro, geothermal, solar, and wind power/energy and bioenergy sector. The alliance provides a unified cross-sectoral voice on renewable energy in international and regional energy fora and media.
  • Climate change concerns, coupled with high oil prices, peak oil, and increasing government support, are driving increasing renewable energy legislation, incentives and commercialization.

Manishika