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Updated November 5th, 2021 at 09:10 IST

COP26: India requests global community to make solar power priority in energy deployment

Union Cabinet Minister Bhupender Yadav at COP26 highlighted the importance of investing in grid extension and modernisation with a focus on solar power

Reported by: Anwesha Majumdar
COP26
Image: Twitter/ @byadavbjp | Image:self
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During the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland on Thursday (local time), India encouraged the international community to make solar power a primary focus in energy deployment. Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav is currently representing India at a special event which is hosted by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in collaboration with the United Kingdom underneath the concept Green Grid Initiative - One Sun One World One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG). During the event, Yadav emphasised the importance of grid interconnection in revitalising regional integration and further transitioning to a low-carbon energy system. 

He further highlighted the importance of investing in grid extension and modernisation, with a focus on solar power, to help with the transformation in the world energy value. From many nations, the heads of the delegations proposed their words at the event, where dignitaries like Jean Yves Le Adrian, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs; Jennifer Granholm, the United States Secretary of Energy; Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Nigeria's Minister of Climate Change; as well as Dr. Ajay Mathur, the Director-General of ISA were in attendance. The ceremony also featured a pre-recorded statement from Samoa's Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Matafa. 

PM Modi and UK PM Boris Johnson jointly announced the GGI-OSOWOG initiative

The speakers who were present at the event embraced and supported the GGI-OSOWOG initiative. This initiative was jointly declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Boris Johnson at COP26 and they recommended that the role of the International Solar Alliance in facilitating this by assisting regional power pools is significant. Regional power pools are where a set of nations generate an interconnected grid to enhance electricity trade and then connect with various regional pools to establish a global grid. 

Meanwhile, at the COP26 Leaders event 'Accelerating Clean Technology Innovation & Development', Prime Minister Modi had noted that fossil fuels had driven the industrial revolution, but the competition for fossil resources had also produced global conflicts. PM Modi further stated while referring to the Surya Upanishad that the Sun is the origin of all energy and solar energy is both environmentally friendly and long-term. 

Benefits of  the 'One Sun One World One Grid' initiative

The main problem is that this massive amount of energy is only accessible during the daytime and is weather-dependent. Thus, the solution to this problem is the 'One Sun One World One Grid' initiative. This program will contribute to the creation of a global grid that allows renewable energy to be sent anywhere, at any point in time. Further, it will aid in the reduction of storage requirements as well as the feasibility of solar projects. The OSOWOG effort will help to cut carbon emissions and save money on electricity. It will open up new channels of communication between regions and nations. 

India and the United Kingdom had decided in May 2021 to merge the Green Grids Initiative and the One Sun One World One Grid projects to launch GGI-OSOWOG at the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow in November 2021. GGI-OSOWOG will provide additional technical, commercial, and scientific collaboration to assist enable cross-border renewable power transfer projects, which will give OSOWOG its worldwide infrastructure.  

(Image: Twitter/ @byadavbjp)
(With ANI inputs)

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Published November 5th, 2021 at 09:10 IST

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