The Silicon Valley for solar: scaling up a sunrise sector
Jul 17, 2026
In the next episode of the Energy Connects podcast, host Chiranjib Sengupta speaks to Ashish Khanna, Director General of the International Solar Alliance, as the organisation celebrates a 10-year milestone. In this revisited conversation, Khanna reflects on the organisation’s journey and how it has grown to its current strength of 25 member countries, highlighting the rapid growth of solar deployment, the need to unlock private-sector investment, and the importance of building local skills and institutions. He also explores how AI and digitalisation can expand energy access, support distributed renewable energy systems, and help developing nations leapfrog into a more sustainable future.
Meet our expert guest speaker

Ashish Khanna
Director General
International Solar Alliance

Chiranjib Sengupta
Editor-in-Chief
Energy Connects
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