A multinational clean energy coalition has been launched at COP26 involving major governments, international organisations, legislators, business leaders, researchers and citizen groups.
The One Sun One World One Grid group was announced at COP26 by summit host Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the presence of other heads of government including US President Biden, the two prime ministers presented a One Sun Declaration, endorsed by more than 80 countries, setting out the group’s aims.
As part of the initiative a ministerial steering group will lead a process to accelerate the construction of large solar power stations and wind farms in the best locations, linked together by continental-scale grids crossing national borders.
The steering group includes France, India, the United Kingdom and the United States, and will also have representatives from Africa, the Gulf, Latin America and Southeast Asia.
Germany attended the first meeting as an observer while post-election negotiations on a new government continue, as did Australia.
In addition to large-scale solar and wind power connected through international grids, the One Sun Declaration highlights the need for investment in solar minigrids for remote villages, smart charging for electric vehicles to help balance green grids, and new financial instruments to attract low-cost capital into clean energy.
“By combining rooftop solar with desert solar power stations, plus offshore wind farms and hydropower, we can easily generate more than enough renewable energy to power the world. But only if we build the right grids,” said Nicholas Dunlop, Secretary-General of the Climate Parliament.
“Thanks to the UK COP26 Presidency taking up the project, and Prime Minister Modi’s personal interest, we’ve begun to assemble a powerful coalition which could get those grids and power stations built faster than ever.”