Bhutan Advances Solar Adoption with Launch of STAR-C in Collaboration with ISA

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has signed a Trust/Operational Agreement with the College of Science and Technology, Royal University of Bhutan, to operationalize the Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STAR-C).

The agreement was formalized in the presence of Hon’ble Secretary Mr. Karma Tshering, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The signing parties included Mr. Ashish Khanna, Director General of ISA; Dr. Cheki Dorji, President of the College of Science and Technology; Mr. Nar Bahadur, Regional Programme Head (Asia), ISA; and Mr. Felipe Saliba, Chief of Knowledge Management and Institutional Development (KMID), ISA.

During a roundtable discussion and site visit, stakeholders discussed key aspects of sustainability and strategy. Focus areas included Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes, STAR-C leadership development, quality and standards in solar technology, job creation, incubation, and entrepreneurship.

STAR-C is expected to play a pivotal role in advancing solar technology adoption in Bhutan by building institutional capacity, supporting standards and testing for solar panels and systems, and fostering entrepreneurship. Its workplan will align closely with Bhutan’s Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) with ISA, ensuring that the alliance’s vision of moving from Ambition to Action is implemented effectively.

This initiative represents a significant step toward enabling Bhutan and ISA Member Countries to develop skills, create opportunities, and accelerate their solar energy transition.