The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has issued a request for proposal for developing a long-term vision, implementation plan, road map, and institutional framework for its One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) program. Back in 2018, speaking at the inauguration of the second edition of Global RE-Invest meet, PM Modi had stressed on the importance of solar with his slogan, ‘One World, One Sun, One Grid,’ through which the PM implied the coming together of the entire globe to harness solar power 24/7, thus not limiting the solar power to daytime alone. With India at the center, the solar spectrum is divided into two broad zones, namely, Far East, which would include countries like Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. The far west would cover the West Asia and the African region. Through this initiative, India plans to build a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources that can be seamlessly shared for mutual benefits and global sustainability.

• The plan focuses on a framework for facilitating global cooperation, building a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources (mainly solar energy) that can be seamlessly shared.

Key Points

• The vision behind the OSOWOG is ‘The Sun Never Sets’ and is a constant at some geographical location, globally, at any given point of time.
• This is by far one of the most ambitious schemes undertaken by any country and is of global significance in terms of sharing economic benefits.
• It has been taken up under the technical assistance program of the World Bank.
• OSOWOG plan may also leverage the International Solar Alliance (ISA), co-founded by India that has 67 countries as members.

With India in the middle, the solar spectrum can easily be divided into two broad zones, which are:

• Far East including countries like Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Lao, Cambodia etc.
• Far West covering the Middle East and the Africa Region.

The initiative is planned across three phases:

• Phase I (Middle East-South Asia-South East Asia (MESASEA) interconnection): Indian Grid interconnection with the Middle East, South Asia and South-East Asian grids to share solar and other renewable energy resources for meeting electricity needs including peak demand. For this purpose, an assessment shall be made of renewable energy potential of all countries in these regions and a study carried out so as to how they can share their renewable energy resources with each other for meeting their electricity demand including peak demand and also for rationalising their tariffs.
• Phase II (solar and other renewable energy resources-rich regions’ interconnection): MESASEA grid getting interconnected with the African power pools to share solar and other renewable energy power of the countries located in solar and renewable energy-rich areas.
• Phase III (Global interconnection): to achieve the One Sun One World One Grid vision? by global interconnection of the power transmission grid.

Significance

• The proposed integration would lead to reduced project costs, higher efficiencies and increased asset utilization for all the participating entities.
• This plan will require only incremental investment because it will not require a parallel grid infrastructure due to working with existing grids.
• It will help all the participating entities in attracting investments in renewable energy sources as well as utilizing skills, technology and finances.
• Resulting economic benefits would positively impact poverty alleviation and support in mitigating water, sanitation, food and other socio-economic challenges.
• It will allow national renewable energy management centres in India to grow as regional and global management centres.
• This move, during the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, gives India the opportunity to be seen as taking a lead in evolving global strategies.

Strategic Importance of OSOWOG

• India is already expediting ISA's plan to set up the World Solar Bank (WSB) with a capital of USD 10 billion.
• WSB aims to compete with other newly created funding institutions like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the New Development Bank (NDB).
• The USA’s withdrawal from the Paris climate deal.
• OSOWOG will help to mitigate its ill effects on climate by providing clean and renewable energy sources, enabling member countries to fulfill their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) towards reducing global warming.
• China’s attempts to co-opt countries into its One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, a programme to invest billions of dollars in infrastructure projects, including railways, ports and power grids, across Asia, Africa and Europe.
• OSOWOG will provide a strategic rebalance in favour of India and will control the increasing Chinese dominance in Asian subcontinent, providing a better alternative to developing countries.

India’s other renewable energy-related initiatives 

International Solar Alliance (ISA) 

• It is a treaty-based inter-governmental Organisation. 
• It aims to deploy over 1,000 GW of solar generation capacity globally.
• It aims to mobilise investment of over $1 trillion by 2030. 
• Headquartered: Gurgaon. 
• It was established following the Paris Declaration as an alliance dedicated to the promotion of solar energy among its member countries.
• Presently, electricity is supplied to Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh. There are now plans to connect Sri Lanka with power transmission lines as well. 
• India, along with the other countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation had signed an agreement to enable cross-border electricity trade among the member states on a voluntary basis in 2014. 
• Later in August 2018, India also signed a MoU for establishing grid interconnection between the members of the BIMSTEC. 

Road Ahead

• The move is the key to future renewable-based energy systems globally because regional and international interconnected green grids can enable sharing and balancing of renewable energy across international borders.
• It allows grabbing opportunities to learn quickly from global developments and share renewable energy resources to reduce the global carbon footprint and insulate the societies from pandemics.
• This project has acquired global acceptability as it is based on the principle of sustainable development. Hence, by ensuring transparency in the implementation of this project and taking all the stakeholders onboard this solar alliance can prove to be a huge success for bringing about a transformational change at the global level.