On 8th April 2025, GOGLA with the support of Good Energies and IKEA Foundation organized the South Asia Forum for Distributed Energy (SAFDE) 2025 today, April 08, 2025, in New Delhi with a strong message from global clean energy leaders to accelerate investments and partnerships in distributed renewable energy (DRE segment). This year, the forum brought together 300+ delegates, including high-level officials, policymakers, potential business partners, financial institutions, development partners, industry practitioners, and exhibitors from India and across South Asia.
Speaking at the forum, Ashish Khanna, Director General of the International Solar Alliance, said, “We need to enable private sector investments to drive technology and innovation for DRE, while the government focuses on developing the policy and regulatory framework, along with results-based financing, to make these solutions affordable for the poor.”
GOGLA shared new insights into the sector’s potential, revealing a USD 53 billion market opportunity in India alone. If this potential is fully tapped, the sector is capable of generating 35 million green jobs by 2047 and significantly improve lives through productive-use technologies such as solar irrigation, cooling systems, and clean mobility.
DRE adoption is projected to reduce 0.2 million tons of CO2 emissions by 2030. As per GOGLA affiliates, they have sold over 768,000 off-grid solar products across South Asia in 2023 and 80,000+ jobs were created through India’s DRE sector between 2019–2021.
Sarah Malm, Executive Director, GOGLA, said: Distributed renewable energy is bringing change and transforming the energy landscape today, powering local economies, enhancing climate resilience and driving sustainable solutions. By integrating AI and digital platforms, we can optimise efficiency, expand access and position ourselves as global leaders in the clean energy innovation industry
During the event, GOGLA also pre-launched a new study that explores how off-grid technologies can significantly enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of grid-based energy systems. The study advocates for a win-win model for both private sector players and DISCOMs, demonstrating how smart interplay between grid and off-grid can accelerate access, reduce costs, and drive innovation across the energy ecosystem.
Other key speakers included Harish Hande, Chief Executive of SELCO Foundation, and Ronald Mekata, Managing Director of the Energy Authority of Papua New Guinea, who shared cross-border insights on DRE implementation and innovation.
SAFDE 2025 has set a strong precedent in showcasing how India continues to shape the global discourse on decentralized renewable energy. As countries seek community-first, climate-smart solutions, the event reaffirmed the sector’s growing momentum on a global level. Reaching the full DRE opportunity will require many crucial steps like public-private partnerships, inclusion of grassroots entrepreneurs, and targeted finance mechanisms.
