At the inaugural conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) held in New Delhi this weekend, the Government of India pledged $1.4 billion to fund the development of solar projects in 15 African and South Asian countries that are part of the ISA consortium. The conference was attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The ISA is an Indian initiative that was jointly launched by Narendra Modi and the French president on November 30, 2015, in Paris, on the sidelines of COP-21, the UN Climate Conference. The ISA seeks to address obstacles to deploying solar energy at scale through the improved harmonization and aggregation of demand from solar-rich countries located fully or partially between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

The $1.4 billion pledge will be in addition to the $143 million that the Indian government has already spent to develop solar projects in various countries. The $1.4 billion will be used to fund 27 projects across 15 countries.

Out of the sanctioned $1.4 billion, Bangladesh will receive $180 million to develop solar powered base stations in difficult-to-access areas in order to strengthen Tele-Talk Network Coverage and for the development of a 100 MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Mollahat.

Another $21 million will be provided to the Republic of Benin in west Africa for the electrification of 550 social community infrastructure facilities, including health centers, high schools, and hand-pumped boreholes, in Benin’s rural areas using solar PV systems.

The African country Burkina Faso will receive $37 million to fund the development of solar powered water stations for semi-urban water supply. The Republic of Chad will receive $27 million for the establishment of a solar PV module manufacturing plant at its capital city, N’djamena.

The Democratic Republic of Congo will be given $148 million to develop a 15 MW solar PV project and public electricity network at the village of Karawa. Congo will also utilize the funding for the development of the 10 MW Lualaba provincial solar project, the 15 MW Oriental Kasai provincial solar project, and public electricity networks in the cities of Mbuji-Mayi and Kolwezi.

Ghana will receive a total of $41 million to fund the development of a solar powered street lighting project and for the development of solar powered mini-grids for the benefit of communities in the island and forest areas of the country. Guinea will receive a total of $20.22 million to develop a solar project that will supply electricity and drinking water to seven public universities and another solar project to generate power for the electrification and refrigeration of 200 health centers.

Mali will be provided with $150 million for a 50 MW solar power project in Fana, a 2 MW solar PV project in Mopti, and for the development of infrastructure for the irrigation of 2,500 hectares through solar power.

Niger will receive $38 million for the electrification of 250 villages through solar PV systems.

Nigeria will get $75 million for the development of a 50 MW solar PV project in Bauchi State and to develop solar PV renewable micro-utility (REMU) in six political zones of Nigeria. Rwanda will get $122 million for a 30 MW (2 x 15 MW) solar PV project with storage capacity for supplying power to the national grid and to develop solar mini-grids for 50 centralized off-grid areas, 200 public institutions, and 200 business centers.

The island nation of Seychelles will get $7.6 million for solar LED street lighting projects in Mahe, Praslin, and La Digue. The funding will also be utilized for solar rooftop projects at government buildings in Seychelles and 2 MW solar PV projects in Praslin and La Digue.

Sri Lanka is set to receive $100 million for the development of 200,000 rooftop solar units for low income families and the establishment of rooftop solar units in hospitals, schools, colleges, and other government establishments.

Tanzania will get the largest share of them all. It is set to receive a whopping $385 million to develop a 150 MW grid-connected solar PV farm in the Shinyanga region in the Kishapu district.

The Republic of Togo will receive $40 million for the electrification of 350 villages through solar PV systems.

Mercom previously reported that ISA had invited proposals from the governmental organizations of its member countries for the development of the rooftop solar projects at select buildings in their respective countries.

Image credit: MNRE via twitter