International Solar Alliance and Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet Sign Agreement to Boost Solar Deployment

­Today, at COP 27, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) signed a grant agreement of USD 10 million with the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to boost the deployment of solar energy in developing countries. Under the agreement, ISA will strengthen its programmes, build capacities in the least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDs), and bolster its analytics & advocacy efforts.

Dr Ajay Mathur, Director General, International Solar Alliance said: “We have been engaging with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet since Glasgow COP 26, as part of our ongoing mission to solarise the world by 2030. Through this partnership, ISA will support its 110 member and signatory countries in developing a vibrant solar energy ecosystem and creating a viable and bankable solar energy project pipeline, building capacities, mitigating risks & creating innovative financing instruments, mobilising investments, and promoting technologies. In all of ISA’s activities, risk reduction is the unifying theme: whether it is for the reduction of risk to investors or reduction in policy risk due to new policies or to users due to vulnerabilities of international fuel prices and to climate impacts. Through initiatives progressing from this partnership, we hope to cut these risks and ease solar deployment globally.”

Simon Harford, CEO, GEAPP said: “Energy-poor countries represent about half of the global population. Yet only six percent of all solar PV and wind deployed in 2021 went to these countries. In fact, only one percent of all wind and solar capacity ever deployed has been installed in Africa. This is a trend GEAPP is determined to reverse. We are proud to work with partners such as the ISA to deliver clean energy solutions in cooperation with government, helping tackle climate change and powering more equitable economic growth and sustainable livelihoods.”

The broad avenues of collaboration will also include encouraging the exchange of information and best practices, quality assurance of solar products, steps to advance training to strengthen capacities in technological and financial, deployment of solar building awareness for solar energy, and further deploying innovative technologies.

The ISA-GEAPP partnership will create awareness to nudge an enabling policy and regulatory environment to support the shift to clean energy. This pro-growth model ensures universal energy access, unlocking a new era of inclusive economic growth while enabling the global community to meet critical climate goals during the next decade.