GHANA in early September this year hosted the Seventh Regional Committee Meeting (RCM) of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for the Africa Region, a major milestone in the country’s renewable energy journey. The event, the first to be staged in Ghana, brought together 41 African nations, international partners, and industry experts — totalling about 250 delegates — to align regional priorities and advance the continent’s solar energy transition.
The International Solar Alliance is an intergovernmental organisation, launched by India and France during the COP 21 climate conference in Paris in November–December 2015, with the mandate to accelerate global adoption of solar energy. Its core mission is to promote solar power deployment in countries blessed with abundant sunlight, especially least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS), which face the twin challenges of energy insecurity and climate vulnerability.
The three-day conference, held from September 2 to 5, 2025, in Accra, was themed: “Catalysing Solar Investments and Institutional Capacity across the Continent.” It considered critical issues such as financing, capacity building, digitalisation, and policy reforms needed to accelerate solar deployment.
Among the major outcomes was the launch of the ISA Africa Solar Facility, managed by Africa50, with an initial $200 million in catalytic financing expected to mobilise up to twenty times that amount in private capital for solar investments.
On the sidelines of the RCM, The Ghanaian Times secured an exclusive interview with the Director General of ISA, Mr Ashish Khanna, on how Ghana could harness its vast solar resources to enhance energy security, boost agriculture, create jobs, and achieve its climate goals.
Ghana’s gains from ISA membership
Ques: Ghana is a member of the ISA. What opportunities does Ghana stand to gain from this partnership?
Ans: With the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama and Mr John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister of Energy and Green Transition and Chair of the Seventh RCM, Ghana is spearheading solar energy development in Africa.
As part of the recently signed Country Partnership Framework, Ghana and ISA will promote solar solutions in agriculture to enhance food security and sustainability. The partnership also recognises the need for strong private sector participation. To this end, ISA and Ghana will jointly explore concessional financing mechanisms that lower the cost of capital and encourage businesses to invest in solar projects.
Existing solar projects in Ghana
Ques: Are there any ongoing ISA-supported solar projects in Ghana, and what impact will they have?
Ans: Yes. One of the landmark initiatives is the Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STAR-C) established at Ho Technical University. The Centre focuses on developing local expertise and advancing applied research to support Ghana’s energy transition.
Ghana is endowed with some of the most abundant solar resources globally. As clean technology investment grows, the solar sector will generate significant employment. Through STAR-C, we aim to provide Ghanaian youth with the skills to design homegrown solutions tailored to the country’s needs.
In addition, ISA programmes are supporting commercial and industrial-scale solar projects in Ghana. These projects provide reliable, affordable power for businesses, thereby enhancing competitiveness, driving economic growth, and creating a platform for industrialisation.
Closing the rural access gap
Ques: Ghana has made progress in electricity access, but rural areas still face challenges. How can ISA support Ghana in using solar energy to bridge this gap?
Ans: Ghana can address rural energy access challenges by scaling decentralised renewable energy (DRE) solutions such as mini-grids, rooftop solar, and portable solar home kits.
Through initiatives like the SolarX Start-up Challenge, ISA is helping scale up low-cost solar innovations — from lighting to refrigeration and clean cooking technologies. These innovations improve rural living standards, enhance healthcare and education, and open opportunities for entrepreneurship.
Furthermore, ISA will support Ghana to expand solar mini-grids under the CPF agreement. These mini-grids offer scalable, reliable, and cost-effective power for remote communities where extending the national grid is impractical.
Financing solar projects
Ques: Access to affordable finance remains a barrier. What specific financing opportunities does ISA offer Ghana for large-scale and off-grid solar projects?
Ans: Financing is indeed a critical hurdle. ISA is addressing this through the Africa Solar Facility, a $200 million blended finance initiative implemented with Africa50. The facility combines concessional capital with commercial investment to de-risk projects, thereby improving their bankability and attracting private capital.
This model is particularly useful for early-stage projects such as solar parks, rooftop systems, and mini-grids in underserved communities.
Role of Ghana’s private sector
Ques: What role can Ghana’s private sector, particularly SMEs, play under ISA initiatives, and how can they be supported?
Ans: Ghana’s private sector, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), is central to accelerating the country’s solar transition. SMEs are closer to local communities and can tailor solutions to specific needs.
At the Africa RCM in Accra, ISA organised a CEO Caucus that convened business leaders to forge partnerships and co-develop strategies for solar expansion. By enabling Ghanaian SMEs to access international expertise, innovative financing, and technical training, ISA aims to catalyse entrepreneurship, stimulate job creation, and strengthen local solar value chains.
Building capacity through STAR-C
Ques: How will ISA help Ghana build local capacity through training, technology transfer, or research collaboration at the STAR-Centre?
Ans: The STAR-C at Ho Technical University is designed to be a cornerstone of Ghana’s solar capacity building. It offers practical training, innovation labs, and institutional mentorship for youth and women.
ISA is also creating a Global Capability Centre in collaboration with leading institutions such as IIT Delhi (India), INES (France), and NPTI (India). This Centre will serve as a global hub, while STAR-Cs — including Ghana’s — will operate as regional spokes. Through this hub-and-spoke model, local centres will access cutting-edge digital resources, benefit from global best practices, and facilitate knowledge exchange. Already, over 10 STAR-Cs are operational across Africa.
Solarising agriculture
Ques: Agriculture employs a large share of Ghana’s workforce. How can solar energy, especially irrigation and cold storage, support Ghana’s farmers?
Ans: Solar energy has enormous potential in agriculture. Currently, less than six per cent of Ghana’s farmland is under irrigation, compared to over 55 per cent in India and China. Replacing diesel pumps with solar-powered pumps could cut irrigation costs by up to 75 per cent while reducing emissions.
Solar cold storage systems can also help farmers reduce post-harvest losses, improve yields, and expand access to markets. The CPF prioritises agricultural solarisation, and Ghana’s Minister of Energy has already made this a key policy agenda. By engaging the private sector, Ghana can scale up such technologies and secure the food-energy-water nexus.
Green jobs and industrialisation
Ques: How can ISA-backed solar projects in Ghana create jobs for youth and women, and contribute to green industrialisation?
Ans: The ISA’s work is aligned with Mission 300 — a World Bank and African Development Bank-led initiative to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
In Ghana, solar expansion will create thousands of jobs in installation, maintenance, manufacturing, and research. Programmes such as the SolarX Start-up Challenge, STAR-C, and the Africa Solar Facility will empower youth and women to participate in this growing sector, thereby fostering green industrialisation.
Meeting Ghana’s climate targets
Ques: Ghana has ambitious climate and renewable energy targets. How can ISA partnerships help Ghana meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)?
Ans: Ghana’s NDCs aim to increase renewable energy’s share to 10 per cent by 2030. Through ISA partnerships, Ghana can accelerate solar deployment, attract investment, and overcome implementation barriers.
Ghana in 2030 and beyond
Ques: Looking ahead to 2030, where do you see Ghana in terms of solar energy adoption, and how central will ISA be in that journey?
Ans: By 2030, we envision Ghana implementing large-scale grid-connected solar plants, widespread rooftop systems, and solar-driven agricultural expansion. The country could become a leader in solar adoption in Africa, creating jobs, lowering energy costs, and building a resilient economy.
ISA will remain a trusted partner, helping Ghana leverage global expertise, technology, and finance to realise this vision.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
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