ISA Drives $200 Mn Effort To Scale Distributed Renewables in Africa

International Solar Alliance (ISA) held its sixth meeting of the Regional Committee for Europe and the Others Region convened in Brussels under the chairmanship of the Federal Republic of Germany as the Regional Vice President.

The meeting focusses on the issue of energy access, Director General of ISA, Ashish Khanna at the meeting said, “With 600 million people in Africa still living without access to electricity—and across the Global South, where 70% of the world’s population resides—there is an urgent need for nearly $200 billion in investments. ISA is mobilising $200 million to leverage more than 30 times the private investment in Distributed Renewable Energy in Africa while connecting 16 Centres of Excellence with digitalization support from Global Capability Centres (GCCs); providing technology and policy roadmaps while engaging in-depth across select countries.”

Leadership Views

Director General of ISA, Ashish Khanna also highlighted the importance of the meeting and said, “We face critical contradictions and concerns regarding solar energy. Data states that nearly $2 trillion was invested in clean energy in the last fiscal year alone, with solar photovoltaics leading the way and holding the largest share of these investments. Despite this growth, the distribution remains unequal. Only 15% of these investments are reaching low- and middle-income countries, and less than 2% is going to Africa, a region with some of the world’s best solar radiation potential.”

Tobias Rinke, Deputy Head of Division, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Germany, highlighted the International Solar Alliance’s evolution into a truly global platform, now comprising 123 Member and Signatory countries, and noted the doubling of active engagements since 2022.  He also noted Germany’s readiness, during its vice presidency, to work collaboratively with regional partners to shape a shared vision for the International Solar Alliance.

Laura Cozzi, Director of Sustainability, Technology, and Outlooks at the International Energy Agency (IEA), in a conversation with Mr Ashish Khanna, Director General, of ISA, addressed the rise of artificial intelligence in rapidly reshaping global energy systems. She highlighted projections indicating that AI-related infrastructure could add electricity demand equivalent to that of a ‘new Japan’ by 2030. Despite this surge, AI holds immense potential to optimise grid operations, accelerate solar deployment, and improve energy access, particularly in the Global South. To monitor these trends and promote practical applications, she also informed about the launch of a new Energy and AI Observatory by the International Energy Agency.

In the second fireside chat, themed, ‘Changing Paradigm’, the Director General of the International Solar Alliance engaged in a wide-ranging conversation with Kate Hampton, CEO of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Kate Hampton pointed out that the key financial barrier is not the availability of debt, but the lack of catalytic or patient equity—an instrument crucial for mobilising private investment. She highlighted the unique role of philanthropy in addressing this gap by supporting country platforms through technical assistance, policy engagement, and junior equity.

The Cost Of Solar Power Fall By 82% Over the Past Decade & Declined 12% Globally In 2023

In his keynote address, Dan Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing at the European Commission, emphasized the urgency of Europe’s response to rising energy costs and the escalating climate crisis. He highlighted solar energy as central to the solution, noting its role in reducing fossil fuel dependency, enhancing competitiveness, and lowering emissions. He pointed out that at the European Union (EU) level, the cost of solar power has fallen by 82% over the past decade, with an additional 12% global decline in 2023 alone—making solar not only the fastest-growing but also the most affordable clean energy source available today.

The Meeting will also feature focused discussions on the following themes: Catalytic Finance in Africa; integrated institutional strengthening through ISA’s capacity building initiative STAR-Cs and Global Capability Centre; Digital Transformation and AI in the Energy Sector; and a Roundtable on Energy Storage and Green Hydrogen.