GOGLA, the global off-grid solar association, and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) have signed a renewed and expanded Memorandum of Understanding, broadening cooperation between the two organisations. The agreement was signed at the Eighth Meeting of the ISA Regional Committee for the Africa Region in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
GOGLA and ISA will continue to work together on the conditions that accelerate the deployment of off-grid and decentralised solar power solutions, bringing industry evidence into government decision-making and working towards common quality standards for off-grid solar products. The renewed MoU extends that work into productive-use applications, local manufacturing, and the mobilisation of private capital.
The wider scope reflects where the off-grid solar sector is now. GOGLA's most recent Global Off-Grid Solar Market Report showed that affiliates sold a record 10.2 million solar energy kits in 2025 and serve 148 million people worldwide. A further 645,000 households and farms are using solar water pumps and refrigeration units supplied by GOGLA affiliates. Globally, 655 million people still live without electricity. Off-grid solar is the least-cost route to reaching 40% of the people who will still need to be connected by 2030, and an estimated USD 21 billion of investment is required to deliver it.
A wider agenda
The MoU is non-exclusive and sets a framework for cooperation within each organisation's mandate. Areas of joint work include:
- Market intelligence and industry perspective, with GOGLA providing advisory support and data on off-grid and stand-alone solar markets to ISA and its partners
- Quality standards, working towards one set of rules for off-grid solar products and services across markets
- Policy and stakeholder engagement, convening governments, ISA National Focal Points, industry, financiers and development partners
- Private capital mobilisation, including support for operationalising ISA's USD 15 million de-risking contribution to the NSIA Distributed Renewable Energy Fund, and promotion of local solar and battery manufacturing
- Solar for food and water security, scaling solar water pumping systems and solar cold storage through feasibility work, project preparation and financing approaches
- Institutional capacity, including Solar Technology Application Resource Centres (STAR-C), central solar agency models, technical training, Solar for She, and digital-twin support for utilities
- Joint events, research and knowledge products
Several of these workstreams follow the direction the market itself is taking.
Solar water pumping and cold storage are among the largest distributed solar applications worldwide. India, where ISA is headquartered, runs the world's largest public programme for solar irrigation, targeting 2 million stand-alone solar pumps and the solarisation of 1.5 million grid-connected agricultural pumps. Bringing feasibility work, project preparation and financing approaches together across ISA's membership offers a route to scale these systems well beyond the markets where they are already established.
Asia manufactures much of the world's distributed solar equipment, and African markets absorb a large share of it. When poor-quality products hit the market, they erode trust and undercut the manufacturers and distributors that are deploying durable products. Common standards protect buyers and reputable producers alike, which is why both organisations are backing them alongside support for local solar and battery manufacturing.
Sarah Malm, Executive Director, GOGLA
ISA convenes governments across Africa, Asia and Latin America. GOGLA represents the off-grid solar and energy access companies that build, finance and service these markets. Working together puts industry evidence directly into the conversations where policy and investment decisions are made, in every region where our members operate.
Mr Ashish Khanna, Director General, International Solar Alliance
With half of energy access for 600 million people in Africa likely to come from decentralized solar solutions and with program for 1 million solar pumps in Africa, ISA’s partnership with GOGLA would enable government, industry and finance to scale off-grid solar through private sector — from productive uses such as irrigation and cold storage to local manufacturing, skills and quality standards.
GOGLA and ISA will hold periodic consultations and may establish a joint working group to coordinate implementation. They will also work together on events, research and knowledge products, including at the Global Off-Grid Solar Forum and Expo in Kigali on 27 to 29 October.