The Union Ministry of New and Renewable energy (MNRE) proposed the ‘One Sun One World One Grid’ (OSOWOG) to interconnect renewable energy by sharing solar resources with more than 140 countries of West Asia and SouthEast Asia. The grid will be interconnected with African power pools.
- Its aim is to provide solar power to nations which lack sunlight, by building a common transmission system.
- The proposal was mooted on the lines of PM Modi’s announcement on cross-border solar connectivity in October 2019.
Implementation:
-For the implementation of proposed OSOWOG, the MNRE has invited proposals from consulting firms for making a long-term OSOWOG road map and identify two or three cross-border projects that can be initiated within one or two years.
-Preference should be given to one with each of the Middle East, South East and Africa regions considering India as the grid fulcrum for these identified pilots.
Already implemented schemes regarding solar power sharing:
-India has already initiated the International Solar Alliance (ISA) which aims to deploy over 1,000 GW of solar generation capacity globally and mobilise investment of over $1 trillion towards by 2030.Â
- The ISA, a treaty-based inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana was established following the Paris Declaration to promote solar energy among its member countries.
–Electricity supply to neighboring countries: The government is also planning to connect more neighbouring countries through a regional power grid which can be used to supply electricity to surrounding nations without adequate number of power plants. Apart from Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh, which already take power from India, there are plans to connect Sri Lanka with power transmission lines as well.Â
Other initiativesÂ
*Â India, along with the other countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, had signed an agreement to enable cross-border electricity trade on a voluntary basis among the member states in November 2014.
* MOU(a memorandum of understanding )Â in August 2018 was signed for establishing grid interconnection between the members of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec).
Note: The member states of the Bimstec are India, Bangladesh Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and Thailand.
About MNRE:
Minister of State (IC) (Power, New & Renewable Energy)– Raj Kumar Singh
Secretary– Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi
