The Indian government has given the final green light to ratify the International Solar Alliance (ISA) – the $1trn global solar initiative launched by India and France at the COP 21 climate summit in late 2015.
The cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave retrospective approval to ratification of the framework agreement underpinning the ISA, which aims to co-ordinate the efforts of more than 120 nations boasting good solar resources.
The partners said then that the new group will “undertake innovative and concerted efforts with a view to reducing the cost of finance and cost of technology for immediate deployment of competitive solar generation assets”.
The body will work to promote common approaches over R&D, standards and training, with a view to technology transfer from wealthier to poorer nations, especially in Africa.
The ISA will be based at Guragaon in Haryana. India, where construction of its headquarters is already underway.
Under Modi’s premiership India has pursued an ambitious solar programme that aims to have 100GW in place by 2022, up from about 8.7GW at the end of October 2016.
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