ISA Launches New Solar Initiatives at 7th Assembly Session

07 Nov 2024 CW Team

ISA also launched a new Solar Data Portal, offering real-time insights into solar resources, project performance, and investment opportunities across member nations. Additionally, the Global Solar Facility was introduced, designed to direct commercial capital to underserved regions, especially in Africa. A pilot project, backed by a $39 million fund from India, ISA, Bloomberg, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, will commence in the Democratic Republic of Congo by COP29.

France’s Minister of State for Development, Thani Mohamed Soilihi, virtually reaffirmed France’s commitment of €1.5 billion to ISA initiatives, focusing on financing access and capacity-building under ISA’s STAR-C program. ISA Director General Dr. Ajay Mathur stressed the Assembly’s goal of fostering innovative solar solutions and enhancing global partnerships.

The session also reviewed guidelines for ISA’s Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme, which offers grants covering up to 35% of eligible solar projects in LDCs and SIDS. Elections for ISA’s President and Co-President for the 2024-2026 term, as well as the announcement of a new Director General, set to take office in March 2025, are also on the agenda.

The Assembly will conclude on November 6 with a high-level conference on clean technologies and a visit to a Delhi farm demonstrating agrivoltaic systems.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) began its seventh Assembly session in New Delhi, with delegates from 29 countries in attendance. Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, serving as Assembly President, emphasized ISA’s significant progress in advancing solar energy, particularly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). He noted that 21 out of ISA’s 27 solar demonstration projects showcasing scalable solutions have been completed. ISA also launched a new Solar Data Portal, offering real-time insights into solar resources, project performance, and investment opportunities across member nations. Additionally, the Global Solar Facility was introduced, designed to direct commercial capital to underserved regions, especially in Africa. A pilot project, backed by a $39 million fund from India, ISA, Bloomberg, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, will commence in the Democratic Republic of Congo by COP29. France’s Minister of State for Development, Thani Mohamed Soilihi, virtually reaffirmed France’s commitment of €1.5 billion to ISA initiatives, focusing on financing access and capacity-building under ISA’s STAR-C program. ISA Director General Dr. Ajay Mathur stressed the Assembly’s goal of fostering innovative solar solutions and enhancing global partnerships. The session also reviewed guidelines for ISA’s Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme, which offers grants covering up to 35% of eligible solar projects in LDCs and SIDS. Elections for ISA’s President and Co-President for the 2024-2026 term, as well as the announcement of a new Director General, set to take office in March 2025, are also on the agenda. The Assembly will conclude on November 6 with a high-level conference on clean technologies and a visit to a Delhi farm demonstrating agrivoltaic systems.

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