New Delhi, Dec 7, 2024: As India and the United States work together to address the climate crisis and advance renewable energy technologies, the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote more responsive and sustainable energy systems. This partnership aims to expand the use of renewable energy, strengthen energy interconnections across regions, and support the development of a unified grid to facilitate the large-scale transfer of clean power.
Under the MoU, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will work with ISA to establish and expand clean energy transmission networks. These efforts will focus on regions such as South Asia, the Persian Gulf, Southeast Asia, and Africa, promoting energy security, sustainability, and greater access to renewable energy across borders.
This collaboration aligns with the ISA’s One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative, a flagship effort to drive cross-border energy trade and ensure reliable, affordable access to renewable energy. Co-founded by India and France in 2015 and headquartered in Gurugram, India, the ISA serves as a global platform to advance solar energy adoption, mobilise investments, and develop innovative solutions to combat climate change. USAID will bring its technical expertise, innovative financing tools, and decades of experience in fostering sustainable energy solutions to support ISA’s mission and the successful implementation of OSOWOG.
ISA Director General Dr Ajay Mathur noted, “ISA and USAID’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed today shall jointly endeavour to accelerate trans- regional electricity grid interconnections, enhance regional power system planning and cross-border clean energy trade, create regional clean energy markets/power pools, and mobilize investment and financial models for trans-regional cross-border electricity grid connections and super grids.”
USAID Mission Director Dr Steven Olive added, “The US Government is committed to advancing global clean energy transitions as part of our efforts to address the climate crisis. Promoting sustainable power systems that incorporate renewable energy sources is essential for building energy security and driving economic growth. This Memorandum of Understanding with the International Solar Alliance is an important step in achieving these goals by strengthening energy systems both regionally and globally.”
The MoU reaffirms a key commitment outlined in the US-India joint statement issued in September 2024, which identified clean energy collaboration as a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship. By advancing regional and transcontinental energy integration, the agreement supports shared efforts to combat climate change, accelerate renewable energy adoption, and build resilient energy systems that drive sustainable development.
The International Solar Alliance is a global initiative launched in 2015 by India and France at the COP21 in Paris, with 120 Member and Signatory countries. It works with governments to improve energy access and security worldwide and promote solar power as a sustainable transition to a carbon-neutral future. ISA’s mission is to unlock US$1 trillion of investments in solar by 2030 while reducing the cost of the technology and its financing. It promotes the use of solar energy in the agriculture, health, transport, and power generation sectors.
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