Solar energy not to blame, grid development is solutionDG-International Solar Alliance

Almost $2.2 trillion were invested in clean energy in the world, which for the first time was higher than the investment in fossil fuels. It's now economics

- By Kelum Bandara

Director General of International Solar Alliance Ashish Khanna who is in Sri Lanka speaks to Daily Mirror on the importance of solar energy for the future.

He has over twenty-six years of experience leading energy sector development in the private and public sectors in more than fifteen developing countries in South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. He has unique experience working in the solar sector across the entire value chain, ranging from project conceptualisation to resource mobilisation, financing, bid process management, and project implementation. As the former Head of the World Bank's West and Central Africa Programme, he led the Mission 300 for energy access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030. The International Solar Alliance is an action-oriented, memberdriven, intergovernmental organisation 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.

Qn the wake of climate change, the future of renewable energy sources is uncertain as argued by some. How do you look at the future of solar energy? The important point is to look at what happened last year. Almost $ 2.2 trillion were invested in clean energy in the world, which for the first time was higher than the investment in fossil fuels. It's now economics.

There has been a 70% reduction in the price of solar over the last 10 years.

Most countries, when they're doing competitive bids for solar, are finding that the price for solar energy is substantially lower than new coal or new gas.

So it is the economics of making your industries more competitive, giving lower tariff and bills to households that are driving the solar energy in the world.