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NEW DELHI, Feb. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) announces Dr. Ajay Mathur as its new

Director General following his election at the first special assembly, held

virtually.

A coalition of 73 member countries, ISA was established at the end of 2015 to

accelerate the demand for and use of safe, sustainable, and affordable solar

energy for all. It aims to mobilize over USD 1 trillion of investment into

solar projects by 2030 through focused advocacy, policy and regulatory support,

capacity building, and by overcoming perceived investment barriers. Dr. Mathur

replaces Mr. Upendra Tripathy, who has served as Director General since the ISA

was founded in 2015.

Dr. Mathur's leadership appointment to the ISA takes place in a year when

addressing global climate change transition commitments will take center stage:

2021 started with the US's renewed climate focus through the Biden

administration and will culminate with COP26, the UN's Climate Change

Conference in the UK in November. As the sole multilateral forum dedicated to

solar energy transition and building upon existing milestones, including

pooling resources across its members, and creating economies of scale to reduce

the cost for clean energy, ISA is poised to renew its commitment towards global

solar transition through the new leadership.

Speaking at the ISA's special assembly, Dr. Mathur, said:

"I am honored to lead the International Solar Alliance and am ambitious about

what we can achieve together with our members and partners to transition to a

safer, sustainable, equitable and more prosperous future for all through solar

energy.

"ISA has a vital role to help establish the infrastructure and ecosystem for a

zero-carbon emission future. With strong foundations already in place, my

immediate focus is to identify and mobilize the opportunities and capital to

accelerate our solarization goals in the interim and long-term."

Dr. Mathur who will take over the leadership of ISA on March 15, brings a

wealth of leadership expertise across all key areas of energy transition, from

policy, research, and technology commercialization to financing, international

cooperation and institutional development. Currently Director General of The

Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), a key driver of the energy transition to

renewables and reduction in urban air pollution for the past five years, Dr.

Mathur has held leadership appointments at the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and

the Green Climate Fund. In 2020, he received an IconSWM-CE Lifetime Achievement

Award for his contribution to environmental protection.

Ms Barbara Pompili, Minister for Ecological Transition of the French Republic

and ISA Co-President added: "At a time when we have reached a new milestone

with the recent decision to open ISA membership to all UN Member countries,

France, as co-President of ISA, extends its full support to Dr. Mathur. We are

fully confident that he is the right person to further the development of ISA,

particularly through its universalization, robust governance and support to

concrete initiatives to facilitate solar power deployment, such as the 'STAR-C'

program."

Mr. R.K. Singh, Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy for India and

ISA President, said: "The ISA has grown to become an able global body working

effectively towards energy access, energy security and energy transition. I

look forward to working constructively under our new Director General and

alongside other esteemed Members to take this important mandate forward against

a backdrop of growing support around the world for the low-carbon transition."

COP26 President Alok Sharma said: "I am delighted that Dr Ajay Mathur, an

invaluable friend of COP26, is taking up this important post. The International

Solar Alliance has been a key partner in driving the international

collaboration we need to a low carbon future, and I look forward to working

together ahead of COP26 this November."

Outgoing Director General Mr. Upendra Tripathy commented: "I am grateful to all

the member countries for their trust and support over the past five years which

has seen ISA grow from an idea to the go-to international organization on solar

energy that it is today. It is so pleasing to see more and more countries

joining the ISA to work together to pool efforts and resources to bring solar

to the next level."

About the International Solar Alliance

The International Solar Alliance (ISA), was launched at COP21 in Paris and has

recently expanded its membership scope to include all UN member states. There

are 90 signatories and 193 prospective members. The ISA provides a dedicated

platform for co-operation, through which the global community, including

governments, bilateral and multilateral organizations, corporates, industry,

and other stakeholders, can contribute to help achieve the common goal of

increasing the use and quality of solar energy in meeting energy needs of

prospective ISA member countries in a safe, convenient, affordable, equitable

and sustainable manner.

ISA's Key Milestones

- ISA aggregated demand for 23GW across various solar programs worth USD 13Bn

- ISA led the price discovery for a project for 272,000 solar pumps, with a

cost reduction of more than 40%

- ISA formed an International Steering Committee to institutionalize the World

Solar Bank

- ISA issued a Letter of Award to an EDF-led consortium to design a roadmap for

India's ambitious Global grid (OSOWOG)

Photo -

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Source: The International Solar Alliance (ISA)