Context: In this episode of the Perspective Prog. based on Global Solar Grid. The Fourth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance - ISA being held virtually will deliberate on the key initiatives around the operationalisation of One Sun One World One Grid initiative, 1 trillion dollar Solar Investment Roadmap for 2030, and approval of a Blended Financial Risk Mitigation Facility. 

• World leaders of ISA member countries will also discuss the strategic plan of the ISA for the next five years which includes Country Partnership Framework, Strategy for Private Sector Engagement, and initiatives such as Viability Gap Financing scheme to facilitate affordable finance for solar energy projects across ISA’s membership. 
• The concept of a single global grid for solar power was first outlined at the First Assembly of the ISA in 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
• It envisions building and scaling inter-regional energy grids to share solar energy across the globe, leveraging the differences of time zones, seasons, resources, and prices between countries and regions. 
• OSOWOG will also help decarbonise energy production, which is today the largest source of global greenhouse gas emissions. 
• In this episode we will discuss all issues related to ISA and the proposed global solar grid.

Key Points

• The  Fourth Assembly of the ISA, which is being hosted in India this week, will deliberate on the key initiatives around the operationalisation of the OSOWOG initiative, the $1 trillion Solar Investment Roadmap for 2030, and approval of a blended financial risk mitigation facility.
• To kickstart the ambitious One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) project floated by the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the South Asian network and existing power transfer between India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh would be boosted in the first phase of the action plan.
• The ISA during the first day of meetings in its fourth general assembly discussed the OSOWOG plan and the need for it to be part of the India’s climate action plan.
• In the ongoing fourth general assembly of the ISA, member countries will also discuss the strategic plan of the ISA for the next five years encompassing a Country Partnership Framework, Strategy for Private Sector Engagement, and initiatives such as Viability Gap Financing scheme to facilitate affordable finance for solar energy projects across ISA’s membership.
• Earlier on 21 February about ISA’ plans to launch a Green Grid Initiative (GGI) at COP-26 at Glasgow. ISA co-founded by India during the 2015 climate change conference in Paris has assumed centre-stage for India’ attempts at a global climate leadership role. 

“GGI-OSOWOG will bring more technical, financial and research cooperation to help facilitate cross-border renewable energy transfer projects and greening of grids at regional and national levels,

Key Impact of this move

• OSOWOG offers an opportunity to use solar energy 24 hours a day even when the sun is not shining over us, because it is shining somewhere else on the globe.
• The electricity transfer between India and the neighbouring countries can be boosted. “There is already 3 Gw of transfer capacity already installed between Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal with India. It can be increased to 7 Gw by 2023, and if plans are fulfilled, this capacity can be doubled to 14 Gw by 2025.

About International Solar Alliance (ISA)

• Officially announced during the COP21 in Paris in 2015, the ISA is a partnership of solar resource-rich countries. Currently, 121 countries have agreed to be members of ISA. 
• Most of these are countries with a large participation from Africa, South-east Asia, and Europe. 
• Pakistan and China are not members of the ISA. 
• It is headquartered in Gurugram.