Green Grids Initiative

Green Grids Initiative: During the COP26 conference in Glasgow, the joint declaration between India and the UK on “One Sun, One World, One Grid” (OSOWOG) was announced. This initiative signifies a collaborative effort to create a unified global grid for solar energy, emphasizing a shared commitment to harnessing the power of the sun for the benefit of our interconnected world.

What is OSOWOG?

The OSOWOG idea was first floated by the Indian Prime Minister in 2018 during the first assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
The idea behind the concept is a trans-national electricity grid supplying solar power across the globe.
The vision behind the OSOWOG mantra is “the Sun never sets” and is a constant at some geographical location, globally, at any given point of time.
OSOWOG is planned to be completed in three phases. The first phase will entail interconnectivity within the Asian continent; the second phase will add Africa, and the third phase will globalise the whole project.
The project has been taken up under the technical assistance programme of the World Bank.
In May 2021, the United Kingdom and India have agreed to jointly launch the Green Grids-One Sun One World One Grid initiative at the COP26 summit being hosted by the UK at Glasgow in November 2021. The concept of OSOWOG is what the UK has called a green grid.

Importance of GGI OSOWOG

Facilitating Global Renewable Energy Cooperation: Encouraging collaboration in technical, financial, and research realms to support cross-border renewable energy projects. This strengthens the global infrastructure of OSOWOG.

Scaling Organizational Impact: Creating a broad organizational network that spans national governments, international financial and technical bodies, legislators, power system operators, and knowledge leaders. This collective effort aims to expedite the development of new infrastructure for a world powered by clean energy.

Accelerating Global Renewable Ecosystem: Speeding up the transition to a worldwide network of interconnected renewables, shared for mutual benefit and sustainable global development.

Driving Solar-Powered Economic Recovery: Generating momentum and investment for low-carbon, innovative solar projects. Uniting skilled workers to contribute to a solar-powered economic recovery and the creation of millions of green jobs.

Enhancing Efficiency and Asset Utilization: Lowering project costs, improving efficiencies, and maximizing asset utilization for all involved entities.

Positive Economic and Social Impacts: Delivering economic benefits, contributing to poverty alleviation, and addressing socio-economic challenges such as water, sanitation, and food security.

Empowering National Renewable Energy Management: Allowing India’s national renewable energy management centers to evolve into regional and global hubs, fostering international collaboration and leadership in the renewable energy sector.

Challenges

Maximizing Solar Power Efficiency: The majority of solar energy infrastructure is situated in desert regions, where dust deposits on panels can decrease efficiency by up to 40%. However, there’s a need for documentation on enhancing the performance of existing solar facilities.

Cost-Effective Considerations: While solar energy is a green alternative, there are hidden environmental costs. Solar technologies involve energy-intensive raw materials and chemicals. The documentation should address strategies for responsible handling and disposal of these materials.

Capital Investment Challenges: Power transmission over long distances requires substantial capital investment in setting up transmission lines. Experts highlight the potential high costs associated with extensive transmission. Strategies for cost-effective long-distance transmission need consideration.

Eco-friendly Approaches: The initiative lacks defined strategies for recycling and repurposing existing solar infrastructure. Embracing a circular economy approach could provide exciting opportunities for sustainability and reduced environmental impact.

Addressing E-Waste Concerns: The solar industry faces a challenge with e-waste, especially as solar panels have a 25-year lifespan. An estimated 28 million panels will need decommissioning annually from 2026. Focusing on repair, reuse, and recycling is crucial to mitigate environmental repercussions.

Way Forward

Environmental costs of solar power, efficiency issues, energy losses due to conversion and transfer, and the problem of waste management are barriers that need to be addressed urgently by the implementing bodies.
In India, the implementation of GGI comes at an increased environmental cost due to waste disposal issues.
These obstacles need to be worked around by developing specific systems to reuse and recycle existing infrastructure.
To make the initiative a success in India, there needs to be a careful consideration of the initiative’s costs and the benefits.
Its modifications need to be planned in ways that suit the country’s requirements and resource capabilities.
Institution building is key to fulfilling the ambitions of a multi-country grid project.
In this context, ISA (International Solar Alliance) can act as an independent supranational institution to take decisions about how the grid should be run and conflicts settled.