Technology Holds The Key To Scale Up The Use Of Solar Energy - PM Shri Narendra Modi

CIOReviewIndia Team | Wednesday, 09 September 2020, 04:59 IST

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Technology Holds The Key To Scale Up The Use Of Solar EnergyThe Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the First World Solar Technology Summit. During the inauguration, PM Modi’s message, read out by Shri R.K Singh, the President, International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly and Minister of State (I/C) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, said, “Technology holds the key to scale up the use of solar energy. Technological achievements have already brought about a significant reduction in the price of solar power. A further reduction in the cost will provide a major boost to the use and expansion of renewable energy.” R.K Singh showed his confidence about the development of new technologies based on the summit, ensuring this technology is available to all.

The World Solar Technology Summit (WSTS), organized by ISA and FICCI, focuses on bringing together the key stakeholders like leading academic scientists, technology developers, researchers and innovators on one page for presenting and discussing the recent highlights of solar technologies, cost-wise, technology-wise, technology transfers, challenges and concerns revolving in this field. WSTS’s main objective is showcasing member countries the state of the art and next-gen solar technologies globally, giving opportunities to decision-makers and stakeholders in aligning and discussing priorities and strategic agenda for larger integration.

PM said that five years back, world leaders took pledge for restricting the rise in global temperature by gradual reduction in the dependence on fossil fuels. Upholding India’s commitment for lower carbon footprints, PM emphasized in India’s lowest per-capita carbon emissions in the world with deployment of renewable energy rapidly.

Talking about India’s rapid growth in Renewables, PM said that India has enhanced its installation of renewable capacity by 2.5 times and increased the solar installed capacity by more than 13 times. Shri Modi said, “Globally India now ranks 4th in terms of Renewable power.”

Shri Modi informed, “We have scaled our non-fossil fuel-based power generations to 134GW, which is about 35 percent of our total power generation. We are confident of increasing it to 220 GW by 2022.” With plans of taking renewable energy to every village of the country, PM stated, “Our government has implemented a scheme named KUSUM that aims to replace the use of diesel in our farm sector with solar energy. Under this scheme, we have targeted the solarisation of 2.8 million irrigation pumps. Such schemes will not only benefit the environment, but also increase the income of our farmers.”

With reference to India’s support to ISA member countries, PM said, “India is providing capacity-building support to ISA member countries through its ITEC training programme. We have also set up a Project Preparation Facility to develop bankable Solar Energy projects in ISA member countries with the help of EXIM Bank of India.” Shri Modi led government, in 2018, announced about the US $1.4 billion worth of lines of credit (LOCs) to fulfil 27 solar projects in 15 countries, in various stages of implementation. He said, “The ISA is a part of “One World One Sun One Grid” project, I firmly believe that this project can bring transformational benefits for the entire humanity.”

ISA’s member countries’ Ministers will be accompanied by High-Level dignitaries, National Focal Points and Senior Government Functionaries; Representatives of Diplomatic Missions, ISA Partners, Business and Industry Leaders, Solar Project Developers, Solar Manufacturers, R&D Institutions, Academia and Think Tanks, Civil Society, International Organizations and Donors, Representatives of Non-Governmental and Community-based Organizations, Academics, Research and Training Institutes, International Media, Multilateral and Bilateral Agencies.

The Noble Prize Winner in Chemistry (jointly with John B Goodenough & Akira Yoshino) Dr. M Stanley, was also present at the summit virtually. Dr. Stanley won Nobel Prize in 2019 for the revolutionizing discovery of the lithium-ion batteries. Mr. Bernard Piccard, Founder and Chairman of Solar Impulse, Foundation, Switzerland was also there virtually.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, at the inaugural, said that five Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under Petroleum & Natural Gas Ministry will be joining International Solar Alliance (ISA)’s Coalition for Sustainable Climate Action (ISA-CSCA) as Corporate Partners. He said, “Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and GAIL (India) Limited will be contributing to ISA’s Corpus Fund.”

In applause to the role of the ISA in making fast strides since launching at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, November 30, 2015, by Shri Narendra Modi, and then French President, Shri Pradhan said, "As the latest inter-governmental international organization with its headquarters in India, ISA is not only a testament to India's unwavering faith in multilateralism but also a commitment to a better, sustainable and greener future. He said that the Alliance reflects the vision and the firm belief that the beneficence of the Sun could be used to bring together the peoples of this planet for a shared solution to our energy needs.”

Being a treaty-based international intergovernmental organization, International Solar Alliance (ISA) was jointly launched by Indian and France. Secretary-General of the UN was present during CoP21. The Paris Declaration establishes ISA as an alliance dedicated to the promotion of solar energy among its member countries. The organization’s major objectives are deployment of 1000 GW of solar capacity and mobilization of US$ 1000 billion of investment in solar energy sector by 2030. Being an action-oriented organization, ISA has intentions of bringing together member countries for aggregation demand and realization of economic scale, results in reduction of costs of solar applications, facilitation deployment of existing solar technologies at scale and promotion of collaborative solar R&D and capacity. Based on the June 26, 2020 report, the ISA Framework Agreement is signed by 86 countries, where 68 have deposited instruments of ratification. Headquartered at Gurugram, Haryana, ISA is directed by Upendra Tripathy, Director General.

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