Background

The ISA is an inter-governmental organisation with a membership of 114 countries (92 Member Countries and 22 Signatory Countries). The ISA provides the programmatic Support through its 9 programmes and its flagship initiatives like Solar Finance Facility, SolarX Grand Challenge and STAR-C to scale up solar applications for sustainable development and climate action.

ADB is currently supporting the ISA in implementing its programmes and activities through a Knowledge and Support Technical Assistance (KSTA or TA). The ISA aims to expand its programmes and initiatives to Asia and the Pacific region with support from ADB, as its key Partner Organisation in the region.

Description of the DDW Session:

The Deep Dive workshop will bring together three group of stakeholders; (1) Government representatives from Asia Pacific Member/Signatory Countries of the ISA and ADB, (1) Private Sector and DFIs and (3) ADB and ISA officials to deliberate on matters pertaining to the the solar energy sector in the Asia Pacific Region. Panel discussions will be conducted with opportunities for questions and engagements with the participating audience.

Target audience:

All stakeholders in the solar energy sector including policymakers, new technologies developers, manufacturers, investors and financial institutions, research and development organisations, energy utilities and grid operators, environmental organisations, Industry associations and advocacy groups.

Structure of the DDW Session:

The workshop will have two 90 minutes sessions.

First panel discussion (90 minutes): Advancing solar technologies and Opportunities in Asia and the Pacific: The panel discussion will focus on the solar technologies and applications particularly solar minigrids, solar water pumping systems and floating solar. The ISA Secretariat will present an analysis of the lessons learnt in solar project implementation and a way forward for Asia and the Pacific Region. ADB will tap into its expertise in the energy sector in the region and present its perspectives on new technologies and their uptake.

Second panel discussion (90 minutes): Innovative Financing for Solar Projects in Asia and the Pacific: The panel discussion will focus on innovative financing instruments for solar projects in Asia and the Pacific. The ISA will present its solar facility with regional focus on Asia and the Pacific. As an investment organization, ADB will moderate the session and provide technical inputs in the discussion.

Objectives

  • To increase regional partnership, for instance between the ISA and ADB for new opportunities in solar energy in Asia and the Pacific region.
  • To provide a comprehensive understanding of ISA programmes and initiatives and explore opportunities of replicating successes in Asia and the Pacific region.
  • To stimulate the private sector/ investors to uptake solar projects and initiatives in Asia and the Pacific Region.
  • To encourage the governments of Asia and the Pacific countries to create an investment friendly ecosystem through policy and regulatory support.

AGENDA

9:00 - 9:05 a.m.

Welcome Address

Joshua Wycliffe, Chief of Operations, International Solar Alliance

9:05 - 9:05 a.m.

Opening Remarks

Priyantha Wijayatunga, Chief, Energy Sector Group, ADB

9:10 - 9:15 a.m.

Special Address

Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, Nepal

9:15 - 9:20 a.m.

Special Address

Hongpeng Liu, Director, UN ESCAP

9:20 - 9:25 a.m.

Keynote Address

Ali Majid, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Technology, Maldives

9:25 - 9:35 a.m.

Presentation of the ISA Demonstration Projects and other initiatives

Ramesh Kumar Kuruppath, Chief of Unit, Programme and Projects Cluster, ISA Secretariat

9:35 - 10:10 a.m.

Panel Discussion

Ramesh Kumar Kuruppath, Chief of Unit, Programme and Projects Cluster, ISA Secretariat

Panellists

  • Nirod Chand Mondal, Joint Secretary, Power Division, Bangladesh

  • Kulman Ghishing, Managing Director, Nepal Electricity Authority, Nepal

  • Alamgir Morshed, Executive Director and CEO, Infrastructure Development Company Limited, Bangladesh

  • Rohan Seneviratne, Manager, Ceylon Electricity Board (ECB), Sri Lanka

  • Shweta Koshy, Programme Coordinator, UNDP

10:10 - 10:20 a.m.

Audience interaction

Moderator, ISA

10:20 - 10:25 a.m.

Closing remarks

Sulakshana Jayawardena, Additional Secretary, Presidential Secretariat

10:25 - 10:30 a.m.

Vote of thanks

ISA Representative

11:00 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.

Panel Discussion: Innovative Financing for Solar Projects in Asia and the Pacific

Welcome Address

  • Joshua Wycliffe, Chief of Operations, International Solar Alliance

Special Address

  • H.E. Nawal Al-Hosany, NFP-United Arab Emirates

  • H.E. Frehiwot Woldehanna, NFP-Ethiopia

  • H.E. Ahmed Mohamed Mohina, NFP-Egypt

Presentation on the “Global Solar Facility” and “SolarX Start-up Challenge”

  • Pragya Gupta, RM and Financial Specialist, ISA

Panel Discussion

  • Moderated by Sujata Gupta, Director, ADB

Panellists

  • Joshua Wycliffe, Chief of Operations, International Solar Alliance

  • Santosh Singh, Intellecap Advisory

  • Harsh Singhal, Edhina Capital

  • Neha Nagpal, Invest India

  • Dushyant Thakor, WAIPA

  • Arsalan Ali Farooq, ADB Ventures

  • Juliette Leusink, Senior Investment Officer, EIB

12:10 p.m. - 12:25 p.m.

Audience interaction

12:25 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Closing Remarks and Vote of Thanks

Pragya Gupta, M and Financial Specialist, ISA

SPEAKERS

Joshua Wycliffe

Joshua Wycliffe

Chief of Operations, International Solar Alliance

Priyantha Wijayatunga

Priyantha Wijayatunga

Chief of Energy Sector Group,
Asian Development Bank

Dinesh Kumar Ghimire

Dinesh Kumar Ghimire

Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Nepal 

Hongpeng Liu

Hongpeng Liu

Director, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Ramesh Kumar Kuruppath

Ramesh Kumar Kuruppath

Deputy Minister, Ministry Of Environment, Climate Change And Technology - Maldives

Nirod Chandra Mondal

Nirod Chandra Mondal

Joint Secretary, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources - Bangladesh

Kul Man Ghising

Kulman Ghising

Managing Director, Nepal Electricity Authority

Alamgir Morshed

Alamgir Morshed

Executive Director and CEO, Infradtructure Development Company Limited

Shweta Koshy

Shweta Koshy

Program Coordinator, UNDP

Sujata Gupta

Sujata Gupta

Director, East Asia Sustainable Infrastructure, Asian Development Bank

About the Organizer

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. It assists its members and partners by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies as a means for bringing energy access, ensuring energy security, and driving energy transition in its member countries.The ISA strives to develop and deploy cost-effective and transformational energy solutions powered by the sun to help member countries develop low-carbon growth trajectories, with particular focus on delivering impact in countries categorized as Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Being a global platform, ISA’s partnerships with multilateral development banks (MDBs), development financial institutions (DFIs), private and public sector orgnaisations, civil society and other international institutions is key to delivering the change its seeks to see in the world going ahead.

Presentations