At 6th session of Int’l Solar Alliance Assembly in India: Energy Minister seals strategic deal to promote universal access to electricity.

The MoU was sealed by the member of government during the Sixth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance Assembly, ISA, in New Delhi, India. 

Minister Eloundou Essomba who led the Cameroonian delegation to the international gathering, which held from October 31 to November 2, used the opportunity to seal the deal which has been described by experts in the energy sector as strategic, with Alliance's Director General. 

The goal of the MoU is to set up a Solar Technology and Application Research Center, STAR-C, project in Cameroon. 

The move comes to add to steps already taken by the government in considering solar energy as one of the best alternatives to facilitating access for all to clean, sustainable energy. 

Worth noting is the fact that, the Head of State, Paul Biya, had in April 2022, ratified the amended framework agreement establishing the International Solar Alliance, following its vote by Parliament.

Minister 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. 

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

Speaking during the ISA gathering, Minister Eloundou Essomba, said the implementation of the STAR-C project will enormously contribute in the energy sector which remains key to the country’s emergence.  

“…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,” he said. 

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. 

Minister Eloundou Essomba marketing Cameroon’s energy potential 

About 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. 

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.

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 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.