On January 7, 2025, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) partnered with the International Solar Alliance (ISA), launched Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), Digitalization of Utilities for Energy Transition (DUET), and Energy Transitions Innovation Challenge 2.0 (ENTICE 2.0) which aimed at advancing India’s renewable energy sector.
- These partnerships boost India’s ambitious target of 500 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
Three Key Initiatives and Partnerships
i.Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF): GEAPP strengthened its partnership with ISA by signing ISA’s MDTF with the goal of raising USD 100 million to support solar energy projects in India.
- GEAPP, through its Project Management Unit (PMU), will support ISA by providing governance oversight, facilitating fund raising efforts, and leveraging its expertise in energy transition planning, financing, and project implementation .
ii.DUET (Digitalization of Utilities for Energy Transition): The DUET program focuses on modernizing India’s grid systems to create a digital database of grid assets, including their locations and specifications.
- Additionally, smart sensors will be installed to monitor voltage, current and phase in real time.
- DUET aims to reduce energy losses, optimize Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) deployment and integrate Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) sources into the grid.
Note: The government estimates 47 GW of battery energy storage systems by 2032.
iii.ENTICE 2.0: This platform is set to launch in January 2025 and was designed to support startups by offering funding, market access and mentorship to scale innovative solutions for India’s clean energy transition.
- The program aims to identify investable projects that will help India achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while promoting job creation and economic growth in the renewable energy sector.
iv.These initiatives align with India’s broader Energy Transition Planning (ETP), aim to close funding gaps, strengthen institutional capacity, and promote scalable, cost-effective solutions for India’s clean energy transition.
About Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP):
i.GEAPP was launched by the Rockefeller Foundation at the 2021 United Nations (UN’s) Climate Change Conference (COP26) to promote universal energy access and meet critical climate goals.
- Its work is organized around 3 catalytic themes: distributed renewable energy, green grids and green economy.
ii.It provides country-level support to 7 foundation countries, focuses on replicable and scalable solutions in an additional 13 countries and reaches 80+ countries.
- 7 foundation countries: Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Vietnam.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Woochong Um
Headquarters- New York, United States of America (USA)
About International Solar Alliance (ISA):
ISA was launched by the Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Modi and the former President of France, Francois Hollande during the COP21 Paris Climate Conference held in November 2015.
- ISA became the 1st international intergovernmental organization to be headquartered in Haryana, India.
Director General (DG)- Ajay Mathur
President- Narendra Modi
