International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi formalise Framework for Action to advance solar skills across member countries

Key facts

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi signed a Framework for Action (FFA) to advance solar energy skills and capacity building across ISA member countries.
• The framework aims to train renewable energy engineers, research professionals, and Solar Technology Application Centre (STAR-C) trainers.
• The partnership has previously supported M. Tech. programmes for professionals from 18 developing countries across Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.
• Over the last five years, over a hundred students undertook masters in renewable energy through the ISA–IIT Delhi partnership.
• The new framework launches a one-year post-graduate diploma programme based on a 'Train-the-Trainers' model, in collaboration with Institut National de l'Énergie Solaire (France).
• Future plans include expanding academic opportunities to Master's programmes in Public Policy and Ph.D. pathways for the solar energy sector.
• The collaboration covers four core areas: capacity building, academic programmes, joint research, and knowledge exchange.
• The research component will focus on solar resource assessment, quality standards, and emerging technologies.
• IIT Delhi plans to incorporate AI, ML, and Blockchain techniques to enhance distributed solar and ensure security in future sustainable energy systems.