International Solar Alliance Establishes ISA Solar Awards 2020

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has successfully institutionalised ISA Solar Awards with its partners to recognise distinguished entities, both individuals (scientists, engineers and technologists) and agencies from ISA member countries for their outstanding contribution in providing affordable, reliable and scalable solar energy solutions.

The ISA Solar Awards will promote ISA’s agenda of addressing the energy access needs and energy security issues in a green and clean manner by facilitating the massive deployment of solar technology at an affordable cost. This activity will enhance the participation of individuals, institutions and agencies working in solar sector in ISA member countries. The objectives of these awards are to encourage the contributions and progress in bringing scalable solutions to the forefront, to inspire a shift in the approach towards affordable clean energy and to activate work towards development in the field of solar energy, whilst providing the necessary platform for incubation to emerging innovations in the field.

The details of the awards and the application process are available on the Official ISA Portal. The application forms will be evaluated by a screening committee followed by an International Awards Committee, comprising of high-level dignitaries and leaders from the renewable energy sector. Rachel Kyte, Dean, The Fletcher School, Tufts University will lead as the Chair of the Awards Committee.

The ISA Solar Awards will showcase 3 award categories:

1. ISA Kalpana Chawla Haryana Solar Award 

The Government of Haryana, India has institutionalised the ISA Kalpana Chawla Haryana Solar Award to reward the best scientist, engineer or technologist who is actively involved in innovation, R&D, development, and deployment of path-breaking technologies in the field of solar energy.

Prize Money: USD 66,099

2. ISA Karnataka Visvesvaraya Solar Award

The Government of Karnataka, India has set up the ISA Karnataka Visvesvaraya Solar Award to recognize the proactive role played by Governments of member countries in ISA’s four regions in areas of promotion of floating solar technology projects in each of the four regions of the ISA.

Four awards will be given (1 in each region)

Prize Money: USD 50,279

3. ISA Diwakar Solar Award

The ISA Diwakar Solar Award has been established with the support of Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways. Goyal donated the monetary component of the Carnot prize, that had been conferred upon him by Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, for his work in sustainable energy solutions in 2019. This award will be presented to the organizations in the Host Country of the ISA who work for children with special needs, and that have adopted solar energy to encourage sustainability for an inclusive society.

Prize Money: Rs 94,315

4. ISA Madhya Prradesh Acharya Vinoba Bhave International Solar Pump Award

The government of Madhya Pradesh has institutionalised ISA Madhya Pradesh Vinoba Bhave solar award to recognize the proactive role played by Governments of member countries in the area of promotion of solar pumps in each of the four regions of the ISA. This award will be operational from the year 2021.

“The world is at a critical juncture now and is staring at an uncertain future in terms of energy production. All nations need to come together and formulate a mechanism to address energy needs through clean and sustainable methods like Solar. Combined efforts by the nations will form the pillar of a successful solar revolution. The ISA Awards are an opportunity to recognise the brilliant minds who are not only doing exemplary work in the field of Solar Energy but also set an example and inspire other individuals, institutions and nations to follow.”, said Upendra Tripathy, Director General, International Solar Alliance (ISA).

[Updated on September 24, 2020]