ISA Inks Pact With Bhutan For Development Of Solar Projects

ISA Inks Pact With Bhutan For Development Of Solar Projects

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has signed a Country Partnership Agreement (CPA) with the Department of Energy and, the Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources in Bhutan. This partnership aims to pave the way for a more sustainable & resilient energy future for Bhutan, the ISA said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“An MoU focusing on the STAR-C initiative has also been signed. ISA is collaborating closely with the Royal Government of Bhutan to establish the STAR Centre at the Royal University of Bhutan aimed at fostering solar innovation and capacity building,” said ISA.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies as a means for bringing energy access, ensuring energy security, and driving energy transition in its member countries. The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilize efforts against climate change through the deployment of solar energy solutions. It was conceptualized on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015. With the amendment of its Framework Agreement in 2020, all member states of the United Nations are now eligible to join the ISA. At present, 116 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement, of which 94 countries have submitted the necessary instruments of ratification to become full members of the ISA.

According to a recent report, India is expected to more than double its onshore wind and solar PV capacity by 2028 and achieve its milestone of 50% non-fossil fuel generation before 2030. In 2022, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved $18.26 million in financing for the construction of the first utility-scale solar photovoltaic power plant in Bhutan.