What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
“India is a global leader, and we are committed to sustainability,” stated Bhupender Bhalla, Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
NEW DELHI: New Delhi will host the first International Solar Festival on September 5-6, as announced by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on Monday. This event underscores India’s commitment to transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, with a particular emphasis on solar power.
“India is a global leader, and we are committed to sustainability,” stated Bhupender Bhalla, Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. He reiterated India’s ambitious target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil energy by 2030, of which 300 GW will come from solar energy. “Nuclear energy will be a small component of that goal. We must quadruple our solar capacity in the next six years,” Bhalla added.
The festival will bring together stakeholders from around the world, including countries from Africa and the West, and institutions like the Asian Development Bank, United Nations, and World Bank. These organizations are expected to provide financial support to enhance the renewable energy sector globally.
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Dr. Ajay Mathur, Director General of ISA, emphasized the significance of the event in uniting various stakeholders to explore opportunities in the green energy sector. “Solar is one of the fastest emerging power sectors. Festivals like the International Solar Festival will deliberate on this,” he said. Mathur highlighted the potential of solar energy to provide reliable electricity, particularly in rural areas, and to be cost-effective in applications like cold storage and solar pumps.
India has been proactive in promoting solar energy through substantial subsidies for solar system installations. This move aims to reduce average household power consumption and foster sustainable living.
The festival will also address the broader issue of climate change, a topic of increasing global concern. Platforms like G20 and COP28 have been discussing ways to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Bhalla noted that solar energy plays a major role in large-scale energy generation and serving remote rural populations, providing reliable electricity for lighting, cooking, and other essential uses.
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ISA, a global intergovernmental organisation dedicated to advancing solar power adoption, currently has 119 members and signatory countries. Its mission is to unlock $1 trillion of investments in solar by 2030, focusing on setting up solar projects in countries most impacted by climate change, particularly Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
“Climate change is impacting us like never before,” Mathur said, highlighting the urgent need for renewable energy solutions. He expressed hope that the festival would stimulate local economies, reduce energy imports, and lower emissions. “Our hope is to have a light in every household. We have a lot of success stories to celebrate and share, and that is why we now have a festival.”
ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It aims to mobilize efforts against climate change through the deployment of solar energy solutions.
