The International Solar Alliance is an international intergovernmental organization. It was proposed and launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN Climate Change Conference along with the President of France, Francois Hollande. ISA is an alliance of 114 Member and Signatory countries, founded on 30 November 2015 in Paris, France.

 Source: United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation

The International Solar Alliance UPSC is one of the important topics for the UPSC IAS Exam. It also covers a significant part of the Geography subject in the General Studies paper-1 syllabus and the Environment subject in the General Studies paper-3 syllabus. 

In this article on the International Solar Alliance UPSC, we shall study in detail the International Solar Alliance and its relevance for UPSC.

What is International Solar Alliance (ISA)?

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an intergovernmental organization. It was founded in 2015 by India and France to work for the efficient consumption and use of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Objectives of the International Solar Alliance

• The objective of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) is to mobilize more than USD 1000 billion of investment needed by 2030 for the massive deployment of solar energy. 
• It also aims to scale up solar energy and lower the cost of solar power generation through the aggregation of demand for solar finance, technologies, innovation, research and development, and capacity building. 
• ISA promotes the use of solar energy in various sectors such as Agriculture, Health, Transport and Power Generation. 
• The member countries of ISA are driving change by formulating policies and regulations, sharing best practices, agreeing on common standards, and mobilising investments. 

Also, read the UPSC Geography Syllabus here.

International Solar Alliance Members

The ISA has made substantial progress in attracting member countries. As of Oct 2023, the International Solar Alliance Countries were 109 in number. Some notable member nations include India, France, Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and many others. These countries recognize the potential of solar energy in meeting their energy needs, reducing dependency on fossil fuels, and combating climate change.

Structure of the International Solar Alliance (ISA)

• The ISA Assembly is the highest decision-making body. It has representatives from all member countries.
• It is concerned with the accomplishment of ISA objectives, its operation, approval of the operational budget, evaluation of programme implementation, and overall impact.
• The ISA Secretariat is headed by the Director-General, who is appointed for a 4-year term.
• The current Director-General is Ajay Mathur IAS.
• The Secretariat has to assist members of ISA with the implementation of each programme by providing technical and financial guidance and support.
• India is the Chair of the Standing Committee, and France is the co-chair.

Learn about the Sun and the Solar system here for UPSC.

Funding for International Solar Alliance (ISA)

• The business sector has agreed to give $500 million, while the government has agreed to contribute another $500 million. This ensures ISA’s long-term financial viability.
• ISA has the potential to popularize innovative financial mechanisms, such as masala bonds and green solar bonds, that are now popular in India for raising low-cost capital in other countries.

Learn more about Solar Radiation!

Major Initiatives Under the International Solar Alliance

Some of the major initiatives under the ISA include the following:

Ease of Doing Solar Reports

• Country-specific assessments that measure a country’s capacity for attracting solar investment
• It is published to identify major bottlenecks and gain a better grasp of global best practices. A complete evaluation of the country’s solar ecosystem is undertaken.
• It follows the style of SDG Goal measurement by considering various indicators like Macroeconomy, Policy friendliness, Cost of financing, etc. The framework for evaluation is developed with the assistance of Ernst and Young LLP.
• According to the Ease of Doing Solar Report of 2020, India has an annual total installed solar capacity of 34831 MW as of 2019.
• Owing to lower hours of sunlight, the technical feasibility report is strong. Clear sunny weather of 250-300 days is estimated.
• Surya Mitra Skill Development programme enhances the human resources for working efficiently in the Solar PV industry.
• There has been an active involvement from private players as well as the government to boost the renewable energy sector, particularly by developing solar parks.

Read about the PM Kusum scheme that aims to increase the solar capacity to 30.8 GW by 2022.

World Solar Bank

• The ISA is all set to launch its World Solar Bank during the 2021 November meeting of the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The conference is set to happen in Glasgow, Scotland.
• Financing for the implementation of solar homes, grids, pumps, etc. The International Solar Alliance has estimated that the demand translates to around USD 5.5 billion in capital requirements.
• As COP 26 is set to take place in Glasgow, the ISA aims to push for solarisation in the backdrop of discussions around green financing.
• The WSB is crucial for supporting small countries that struggle for capital expenditure in the renewable energy sector.
• The Indian Government’s vision of “One Sun. One World. One Grid” focuses on scaling up solar projects for a global electricity grid.

ISA STAR C

• STAR C stands for “Solar Technology and Application Resource Center.”
• To accomplish the national sustainable energy goals, improve capacity, and assist the scaling up of solar technologies.
• SDG 7 and 13, “universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy”, and “action against climate change” require scaling up of Solar technology.
• ISO Infopedia for ready information on solar power technology. Developed with the help of the European Union, Infopedia has country counters (updated profiles of a countrywide solar ecosystem), a solar information hub, a solar academy, a directory, etc.
• Solinars (Webinars) for capacity development and knowledge sharing between member countries.

Learn more about the Atal Solar Pump Yojana!

India and the International Solar Alliance

• India will be one of the most important markets, and its domestic strategy (to create 100 gigawatts) has sent signals to investors and developers.
• By March 2022, the government has pledged to have a solar power capacity of 100 GW operational.
• This plan may provide a boost to India’s energy security.
• The International Solar Alliance headquarters is in Gurugram, India.
• The ISA’s Interim Secretariat has been established in the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gwalpahari, Gurgaon.
• India has pledged a sum of Rs. 100 crores.
• India will also provide 225 crores in secretarial help over the next five years.
• The Indian government has offered ISA member countries training at NISE, as well as funding for demonstration projects such as solar home lighting, solar pumps for farmers, and other solar applications.

Also, read the National Green Tribunal here for UPSC.

Benefits of the International Solar Alliance

• When the globe is reeling from the effects of climate change caused by pollution from energy-generating plants such as coal, it will provide the needed push toward clean energy.
• The Alliance has a Solar Cyber Centre that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All nations will have open access to guidance and information on a variety of projects and financial innovations as a result of this.
• The Alliance can also advocate for financial institutions to allocate a portion of their lending to solar energy.
• This is similar to what the Reserve Bank of India did in India, where renewable energy investment of up to 15 crore rupees is considered a priority area for lending. Rooftop solar panels are eligible for priority sector lending of up to ten lakh rupees.

Learn more about Solar Cell!

Benefits for India

• This might position India as the energy leader among developing countries with plenty of sunshine.
• It positions India as a strong international competitor and has the potential to provide global job opportunities.
• Rather than focusing solely on Indian or domestic policies, the ISA might represent the start of more macro-level analyses and discussions of worldwide energy markets.
• India’s solar energy infrastructure is inadequate. Solar power is also not yet commercially viable due to its high cost.
• ISA can assist in funding capacity expansion and making solar power commercially viable in order to accomplish its goal of 100 GW of solar power.
• It can also implement best practices in the field of renewable energy.

Also, read NCERT Notes on Environment for UPSC here.

Challenges Related to the International Solar Alliance

Here are some of the challenges faced by the International Solar Alliance (ISA):

• Lack of financial resources: The ISA needs a significant amount of financial resources to implement its plans. However, it is still in its early stages of development. It has not yet been able to secure the necessary funding.
• Lack of technical expertise: Many ISA member countries lack the necessary technical expertise to develop and deploy solar energy projects. This could hinder the implementation of the ISA's plans.
• Political challenges: The ISA is a multinational organization. It is therefore important to get the support of all member countries. However, there may be political disagreements between member countries. This could affect the ISA's ability to achieve its goals.
• Trade barriers: Some countries have trade barriers that make it difficult to import solar energy products. This could increase the cost of solar energy projects in ISA member countries.
• Public awareness: Public awareness of solar energy is low in many ISA member countries. This could hinder the adoption of solar energy and the implementation of the ISA's plans.

Learn more about the List of Solar Power Parks in India!

Way Forward

• India has the opportunity to change this by focusing on all ISA activities, such as the proposal of combining French money with Prime Minister Modi’s Smart Cities Programme to enhance solar energy in public lighting in the proposed smart cities.
• Capacity expansion should be prioritized in terms of funding.
• Successful clean energy models must shift away from fossil fuels (however slowly) and toward renewables.
• Once fossil fuel subsidies are gradually phased out, the money raised should be utilized to subsidize renewable energy in a manner similar to a feed-in tariff.
• Once solar rates become competitive enough, the feed-in tariff should be phased out. It becomes counterproductive and a budgetary burden.

Learn more about the National Solar Mission!

International Solar Alliance UPSC Notes: Download PDF Here!

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