At 6th session of Int’l Solar Alliance Assembly in India: Minister Eloundou Essomba markets Cameroon’s energy potentials.

The member of government reaffirmed government’s commitment during the Sixth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance Assembly, ISA, in New Delhi, India. 

Minister Eloundou Essomba was leader of the Cameroonian delegation to the international gathering, which held from October 31 to November 2. 
It was presided over by India’s Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar Singh, in his capacity as the President of the ISA Assembly.

The Sixth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance, it should be said, brought together ministers from 20 countries and delegates from across 116 member and signatory countries. 

Addressing delegates during the gathering, Cameroon’s Minister of Water Resources and Energy, Gaston Eloundou Essomba, said: “…as is the case with majority of Sub-Saharan African countries, access to energy is a major concern in Cameroon, where the average electrification rate is 70%, with 40% in rural areas”.

Minister Eloundou Essomba said in its quest for universal access to electricity by 2030, “the Cameroon government has set up a vast program to harness photovoltaic solar energy in two components”. 

The member of government cited the Off-Grid component (OFF-GRID), which he said to date, “has already enabled the construction of 350 decentralised solar mini-power stations in rural areas, with nearly 10,000 households electrified”.

He told delegates to the gathering that the centralised component (ON-GRID), “has already enabled the construction of two solar photovoltaic power plants, with a total capacity of 36 Megawatt-peaks fed into the grid”.

Minister Eloundou Essomba said the commissioning of these solar power plants, a year ago, has already prevented the 27,000 tonnes worth carbon emission. 

The minister said convinced that solar energy is one of the best alternatives for facilitating access for all to clean, sustainable energy, the Head of State, Paul Biya, “proceeded in April 2022, to ratify the amended framework agreement establishing the International Solar Alliance, following its vote by Parliament”.

Eloundou Essomba seized the opportunity to thank the executive of Alliance for the training courses that are regularly organised on solar technologies, and which has benefited many young Cameroonians. 

He recalled that a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, has been signed with Alliance's Managing Director, for the establishment of a Solar Technologies and Applications Research Center, STAR-C, project in Cameroon. 

Minister Eloundou Essomba expressed the wish to see the Alliance make every effort to ensure the effective implementation of the STAR-C project in Cameroon by 2024.

Viability gap funding for solar projects 

Delegates to the ISA Assembly decided to increase the viability gap funding for solar projects in member countries from 10% of the project cost to up to 35%, depending on the capacity and needs of the countries and their respective projects.

Speaking while presiding the gathering, India’s Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar Singh, in his capacity as the President of the ISA Assembly, said: “Around 80% of the global population resides in countries that depend on fossil fuel imports, totalling a staggering 6 billion people”

Renewable energy sources, he said, have the potential to supply 65% of the world’s total electricity by 2030 and decarbonize 90% of the power sector by 2050.

He said the ISA is steadfast in its commitment to member countries to make solar as the energy source of choice, foster environments conducive to attracting investments and ensuring ample energy availability to meet the surging global demands.

“Towards this, ISA through its viability gap funding (VGF) mechanism provides a grant of $150,000 or 10% of the project cost (whichever is lower), per country per project. The Assembly decided to increase the range to 35% of the project cost, depending on the capacity and needs of the countries and their respective projects,” he said. 

The Co-President of the Assembly, Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, who doubles as France’s Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships, said for his government, the “ISA is a key initiative to promote the development of clean energy and thus combat climate disruptions”.

“It is playing its full part in this great project, with constant and growing support for our Alliance. Through the French Development Agency (AFD), we have financed over 1.5 billion euros worth of solar projects since 2016. France is taking action and we are determined to accelerate,” he disclosed. 

The Director General of International Solar Alliance, Dr Ajay Mathur, underscored the need to urgently accelerate the build-up of solar energy, especially in developing countries and in applications that influence the daily lives of those without access to reliable energy. He mentioned getting electricity from solar mini-grids, powering agricultural pumps, running cold storages. 

About ISA 

The ISA works with governments to ease solar deployment and promote solar power as a sustainable transition to a carbon-neutral future. Its mission is to unlock $1 trillion of investments in solar by 2030 while reducing technology and its financing costs. 

It is partnering with multilateral development banks, development financial institutions, private and public sector organisations, civil society, and other international institutions to deploy cost-effective and transformational solutions through solar energy, especially in the least developed countries and the small island developing states.