Lok Sabha Question No. 555 (STARRED), answered on 2018-04-05
Subject: Production of Solar Energy
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: ASADUDDIN OWAISI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO-555

TO BE ANSWERED ON-05.04.2018

## INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE

## 555. SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI

Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:-

(a)  whether the  International Solar Alliance (ISA) was conceived by India to address solar technology development needs of the sunshine countries;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the names of countries in the alliance at present along with the names of the countries which have asked for its membership;

(c)  whether  the  member  countries  are  making  any  contributions  for  the  running  of  the alliance;

(d)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  benefits  so  far  accrued  or  likely  to  be  accrued  to  the member countries by this alliance; and

(e) the future roadmap chalked by ISA for further harnessing solar energy in the recently held solar conference?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER (I/C) (SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a)  to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

## Statement referred to in Reply to parts (a) to (e) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 555 to be answered on 5 April 2018 regarding International Solar Alliance

(a) and (b) The idea and concept behind the International Solar Alliance (ISA) is part of the prime Minister of India's vision to provide clean and affordable energy to all. This vision was formally presented to the Heads of the diplomatic Missions of eligible member countries of the  ISA  in  India  on  30  July  2015.  In  his  statement  at  the  inaugural  ceremony  of  the  third India-Africa  Forum  Summit  on  29  October  2015,  the  Prime  Minister  of  India  invited  the African countries to join the alliance of solar-rich countries and stated that the goal is to make solar  energy  an  integral  part  of  our  life  and  reach  it  to  the  most  unconnected  villages  and communities.

The  Paris  Declaration  on  International  Solar  Alliance  (ISA),  inter-alia,  supported  India's proposal to launch International Solar Alliance as a common platform for cooperation among solar resource rich countries lying either fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and intending to work  together towards the development of appropriate benchmarks,  facilitating  resource  assessments,  supporting  research  and  development  and demonstration facilities, with a view to encouraging innovative and affordable applications of solar technologies.

Out of 121 prospective member countries that lie either fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, 61 countries have signed the Framework Agreement of the ISA ( List enclosed as Annexure). Five countries, namely Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Federal Republic of Germany, Republic of Korea, Republic of Tunisia, and Italian Republic that  lie  outside  the  Tropics  of  Cancer  and  Capricorn,  have  expressed  interest  in  becoming full-fledged members of the ISA.

(c) and (d) The Government of the India has provided 5 acres of land for establishing ISA Secretariat in campus  of National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gwalpahari, Gurugram, Haryana. In addition, for creating corpus, building infrastructure and meeting recurring expenditure over 5 year duration from 2016-17 to 2020-21, the Government of India has agreed to provide a support of Rs 175 crore to ISA, out of which Rs 130 crore has already been released. In addition, Government of France has deputed a person to ISA Secretariat on secondment basis .

The ISA will help the member countries in collectively addressing key common challenges for scaling up development & deployment of solar energy in line with their needs.

(e) The Delhi Solar Agenda adopted in the Founding Conference of the ISA , inter-alia, states that the ISA member States have agreed to pursue an increased share of solar energy in the final  energy  consumption in  respective  national  energy  mix,  as  a  means  of  tackling  global challenges of climate change and as a cost effective solution by supporting and implementing policy  initiatives  and  participation  of  all  relevant  stakeholders,  as  applicable,  in  respective States.

## Annexure referred to in Reply to parts (a) and (b) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 555 to be answered on 5 April 2018 regarding International Solar Alliance

## List of Countries that have signed the Framework Agreement of the ISA

| S. No.   | Member Countries and Territories             |
|----------|----------------------------------------------|
| 1        | People's Democratic Republic of Algeria      |
| 2        | Commonwealth of Australia                    |
| 3        | Peoples Republic of Bangladesh               |
| 4        | Republic of Benin                            |
| 5        | Federal Republic of Brazil                   |
| 6        | Burkina Faso                                 |
| 7        | Republic of Burundi                          |
| 8        | Republic of Cape Verde                       |
| 9        | Kingdom of Cambodia                          |
| 10       | Republic of Chad                             |
| 11       | Republic of Chile                            |
| 12       | Commonwealth of Dominica                     |
| 13       | Union of Comoros                             |
| 14       | Congo - Democratic Republic of               |
| 15       | Republic of Costa Rica                       |
| 16       | Cote d'ivoire                                |
| 17       | Republic of Cuba                             |
| 18       | Republic of Djibouti                         |
| 19       | Dominican Republic                           |
| 20       | Arab Republic of Egypt                       |
| 21       | Republic of Equatorial Guinea                |
| 22       | Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia      |
| 23       | Republic of Fiji                             |
| 24       | French Republic                              |
| 25       | Gabonese Republic                            |
| 26       | Republic of The Gambia                       |
| 28       | Republic of Guinea                           |
| 29       | Republic of Guinea-Bissau                    |
| 30       | Republic of Guyana                           |
| 31       | Republic of India                            |
| 32       | Republic of Kiribati                         |
| 33       | Republic of Liberia                          |
| 34       | Republic of Madagascar                       |
| 35       | Republic of Malawi                           |
| 36       | Republic of Mali                             |
| 37       | Republic of Mauritius                        |
| 38 39    | Republic of Mozambique Republic of Nauru     |
| 40       | Republic of Niger                            |
| 41       | Federal Republic of Nigeria                  |
| 42       | Independent State of Papua New Guinea        |
| 43       | Republic of Peru                             |
| 44       | Republic of Rwanda                           |
| 45       | Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe |
| 46       | Republic of Senegal                          |
| 47       | Republic of Seychelles                       |
| 48       | Federal Republic of Somalia                  |
| 49       | Republic of South Sudan Republic             |
| 50       | Democratic Socialist of Srilanka             |
| 51       | Republic of Sudan Republic of Suriname       |
| 52 53    | United Republic of Tanzania                  |
| 54       | Togolese Republic                            |
|          | Kingdom of Tonga                             |
| 55       | Tuvalu                                       |
| 56 57    | Republic of Uganda                           |
| 58       | United Arab                                  |
|          | Emirates Republic of Vanuatu                 |
| 59       | Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela             |
| 60       | Republic of Yemen                            |
| 61       |                                              |