Calling it a landmark initiative to save the world from global warming, and to push solar energy as a viable alternative across the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande jointly inaugurated the Interim Secretariat of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in Gurgaon on Monday. They also laid the foundation stone of the ISA secretariat, which will be hosted by India at the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) campus in Gurgaon.
NISE, Gurgaon will provide 5 acres of land for the construction of the ISA secretariat, and during the interim period three floors of the Surya Kiran building at the campus will be allotted to run the alliance. The Alliance comprises more than 100 solar-resource-rich countries working together with the objective of globally increasing the use of solar energy. Both PM Modi , and the French president Hollande travelled in Delhi Metro till Arjangarh Metro station, and reached NISE by road which is 11 km from the station. A DMRC spokesperson said that a special train was arranged for the two heads of the state to travel to Gurgaon, and scheduled in such a manner that movement of other trains was not disturbed.
In his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that that it launch of Solar alliance in Haryana was a historic occasion as it was happening in the land which has given the message of Geeta. “The people of India are dedicated to life, and respect all forms of energy particularly the Sun. This alliance which aims to harness solar energy is part of our belief system, and would be taken to logical conclusion”, he assured. The PM described the solar alliance as one of the two landmark initiatives, apart from innovation, that emerged during the two-week Climate Change Conference held in Paris last year, in which key roles were played by India and France. “We realised that if oil producing countries can unite, then 122 nations in the world who get more than 300 days of Sun can also unite, and the idea of solar alliance was born out of this thought. I assure you that this idea will impact generations as world would generate more green power”, said Modi. He appreciated the role played by French President in the formation of Alliance, and brining all nations together.
The French Development Agency will allocate 300 million Euros to developing solar energy over the next five years in order to finance the initial projects to be undertaken by the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Speaking on the occasion, the President of France, Francois Hollande, described the Alliance as India’s gift to the world for combating climate change. He said that the Prime Minister had approached him last year with the idea of an international coalition aiming at development of solar energy, particularly in countries with the greatest potential for it, and making this energy accessible to all. Following this, he and Narendra Modi had together launched the International Solar Alliance at the opening of the Paris Climate Conference on November 30, 2015.
Hollande said that the Alliance was faced with the challenge of raising global investment to the tune of 1,200 billion Euros required to develop solar energy by 2030.
The French President said that several French-Indian projects would be launched in order to contribute to the success of the Alliance, and a number of agreements have been signed for this purpose. Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Union minister of state for power, coal and renewable energy, Piyush Goyal were present on the occasion along with several dignitaries.
Original News: HT
No comments:
Post a Comment