The International Solar Alliance (ISA) on November 3 unveiled plans for the first transnational network of solar power grids, known as the Green Grids Initiative – One Sun One World One Grid (GGI-OSOWOG), at COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland.

The initiative is aimed at connecting 140 countries to round-the-clock green and renewable power.

The project, spearheaded by the governments of India and the UK and implemented by ISA in partnership with the World Bank Group, aims to harness solar energy wherever the sun is shining, ensuring that generated electricity flows to areas that need it most.

Further, 80 ISA member countries endorsed the One Sun declaration, which states that realising the vision of One Sun One World One Grid through interconnected green grids can be transformational, enabling all to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement to prevent dangerous climate change, to accelerate the clean energy transition and to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

These efforts can stimulate green investments and create millions of good jobs. By sharing the sun's energy, the initiative can help to build a more peaceful and prosperous world, the ISA said.

The GGI-OSOWOG will bring together a global coalition of national governments, international financial and technical organisations, legislators, power system operators and knowledge leaders to accelerate the construction of the new infrastructure needed for a world powered by clean energy. In doing so, the project aims to reduce reliance on non-renewable energy, such as coal, by enabling them to buy affordable solar power from other countries.

As the chief agency leading and delivering the project, ISA aims to help mobilise $1-trillion of funding by 2030 to assist developing countries in expanding their solar power grids to meet their energy access, energy security and energy transition needs. The initiative is widely seen as a big and bold move ahead on the ISA's solar transition roadmap and will go some way towards realising its vision for a solar energy future.

"This network has the potential to be a modern engineering marvel and a catalyst for effectively mitigating climate change in the next decade. The One Sun Declaration is multilateralism in action, with leaders of the world coming together to drive sustainable impactful change for a cleaner planet and a greener economy," said ISA director general Dr Ajay Mathur.

"Through the power of solar and other renewables, and our collective efforts, we believe we can build and achieve a green recovery, transitioning away from fossil fuels to a solar future and opening up affordable, renewable electricity supplies to markets that have been historically underserved," he said.

Under the plans unveiled on November 3, the ISA intends to push for a network of interconnected green grids in the coming years. As part of its first phase, the project will drive interconnectivity across the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

The second will focus on African power pools, while the third will drive global green grid interconnections.

The global grid concept was first announced by India Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2018 during the first assembly of the ISA. In May this year, the UK pledged technical, financial and research support for the project.

"One Sun, One World and One Grid will not only reduce storage needs but also enhance the viability of solar projects. This creative initiative will not only reduce carbon footprints and energy cost but also open a new avenue for cooperation between different countries and regions," said Modi.

"The [GGI-OSOWOG] is an idea whose time has come. If the world has to move to a clean and green future, these interconnected transnational grids are going to be critical solutions. I congratulate the International Solar Alliance and the UK COP Presidency for bringing it nearer to implementation," he said.

"What we want… is to take these inventions, these breakthroughs, and get them the finance and the support they need to make sure that they are disseminated through the whole world," said UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

US President Joe Biden supported the GGI-OSOWOG initiative in his speech at the launch event.

"We have to scale up clean technologies that are already commercially available and cost competitive like wind and solar energy," Biden said.