Glasgow climate summit to throw light on India's global solar grid plan

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The 26th edition of the UN Climate Change Conference is likely may take up the ambitious One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) plan pitched by India.

OSOWOG aims to build a global solar grid that will help transfer of  solar power from one part of the world to another.

The summit, referred to the Conference of the Parties or COP26, will be held in Glasgow, UK, from October 31 to November 12, 2021. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is in-charge of implementing the initiative. Ajay Mathur, Director-General of ISA, said the government has asked the agency to carry out a study on the viability of the initiative.

"We hope to share a declaration (on OSOWOG) that can be adopted at COP26," Mathur was quoted as saying in the media.

The idea for the OSOWOG initiative was put forth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the First Assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in October 2018. He had called for connecting solar energy supply across borders.

In May 2021, the UK and India agreed to combine forces of the Green Grids Initiative and the One Sun One World One Grid initiative and jointly launch GGI-OSOWOG at the COP26 summit.

The fourth general assembly of the International Solar Alliance is scheduled for October 18-21 which will deliberate on key initiatives in the solar energy sector, including the operationalisation of OSOWOG mission.

It will deliberate on the operationalisation of the OSOWOG initiative, the $1 trillion Solar Investment Roadmap for 2030, and approval of a Blended Financial Risk Mitigation Facility.

OSOWOG is planned to be completed in three phases. The first phase will entail interconnectivity within Asia, the second phase will add Africa, and the third phase will globalise the whole project.