ISA Urges Stronger Global Solar Push at Brussels Meet

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) recently convened its Sixth Regional Committee Meeting for Europe and the Others Region in Brussels, calling for bolder global collaboration to scale up solar energy. Chaired by Germany as Regional Vice President, the meeting brought together representatives from 20 countries and key partners to assess progress and outline a stronger action plan.

In his keynote, ISA Director General Ashish Khanna stressed the urgency of equitable investment in clean energy. “Nearly USD 2 trillion was poured into clean energy last year, with solar leading the charge. But just 15 percent of that went to low- and middle-income nations, and less than 2 percent to Africa,” Khanna pointed out. “We need strategic action to change this imbalance," he added.

He announced ISA’s plan to mobilise USD 200 million to leverage private investments, targeting more than 30 times that amount, in Africa’s distributed renewable energy sector. Khanna also highlighted the rollout of 16 Centres of Excellence across the region, powered by digital support from Global Capability Centres to strengthen policy and technology ecosystems.

Germany’s Tobias Rinke, Deputy Head at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, reiterated Europe’s commitment to equitable solar deployment. Calling the ISA “a truly global platform” now comprising 123 Member and Signatory nations, he underlined Europe’s role as a green tech leader. “Europe must lead with its institutional strength, innovation and financial firepower. Together, we can triple renewables by 2030, as pledged at COP28.”

Rinke said the ISA platform now boasts twice the number of active engagements since 2022 and is crucial to shaping the next phase of global solar deployment.

In a fireside chat with Ashish Khanna, IEA’s Director of Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks, Laura Cozzi, unpacked how artificial intelligence is becoming a game-changer in the global energy landscape. While data centres may spike demand, potentially adding a 'new Japan’s' worth of electricity usage by 2030, Cozzi stressed that AI also offers critical solutions for grid efficiency and solar integration. She announced the launch of an Energy and AI Observatory to track trends and promote best practices globally.

In a second conversation, Kate Hampton, CEO of the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), delved into how catalytic capital, not just concessional debt, can unlock large-scale private investment in solar. “It’s not the money that’s missing, it’s the patient equity and skilled human capital,” she said. She called for philanthropic support to fill these gaps by offering technical assistance and junior equity to local projects in the Global South.

Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, called solar energy the EU’s most effective answer to energy insecurity and rising climate pressures. “Solar is now the most affordable clean energy source,” he noted, citing an 82 percent cost reduction in the past decade and an additional 12 percent drop globally in 2023. He said solar is key to cutting fossil fuel reliance while driving competitiveness and job growth.

The meeting also featured deep-dive sessions on energy storage, green hydrogen, catalytic finance in Africa, capacity-building through ISA’s STAR-C platform, and digital transformation strategies to future-proof energy systems.

The ISA Regional Committees meet annually, with two Vice Presidents from each region steering the discussion. The Europe and Others region includes 15 Member Countries, 4 Signatory Countries, and 32 Prospective Members. The goal: tighter coordination and impactful action on ISA’s flagship programmes.

Launched by India and France at COP21 in 2015, the ISA is the world’s first intergovernmental body headquartered in India. With 123 Member and Signatory nations, the Alliance works to unlock investment in solar, reduce costs, and accelerate access, especially in Africa, Asia, and SIDS. ISA collaborates with MDBs, DFIs, and private sector actors to scale up transformative solar solutions across the developing world.