Opinion

SNEC Exclusive Interview: Global Solar Council Chair

TaiyangNews & SNEC Solar Leadership Conversations With Chair Of Board GSC Máté Heisz

Anu Bhambhani

The Chair of the Board of Global Solar Council (GSC) Máté Heisz sat down for an exclusive interview with TaiyangNews Head of Sales & Marketing Min Ge during the world's largest solar show SNEC 2023 as part of TaiyangNews & SNEC Solar Leadership Conversations.

Founded in 2015 at COP21 in Paris, GSC brings together the world's national, international and regional solar associations. Heisz explained that the association does not engage with governments, but its advocacy efforts and messages are primarily targeted at international associations such as the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), or the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the like.

As the Chair of the GSC board, Heisz said his priority is to increase the membership to corporate members since its current members such as the SolarPower Europe (SPE), the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA), among others are its founding members. Having corporates in its fold, explained Heisz, will help increase GSC's impact to the next level, and to achieve policy objectives.

The COP28 at Dubai this year from November 30, 2023 to December 12, 2023 is considered a milestone event as the UNFCCC is branding it as the Year of Global Stock Take. It means the world needs to move discussions from targets and ambitions to implementation, he explained.

Towards COP28, Heisz said, GSC will work towards making sure solar has a prominent role in delivering climate ambitions and achieving net zero targets.

Along with the Global Wind Energy Council, International Hydropower Association, International Geothermal Association, the Green Hydrogen Organization and Long-Duration Energy Storage Council, GSC has also formed a Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) as an umbrella organization to act as a vehicle to deliver intervention at COP28.

The Global Renewables Alliance will work with governments and international institutions to agree and achieve a global renewables target as part of COP28, said Heisz.

Our TaiyangNews & SNEC Leadership Conversations with GSC's Máté Heisz and other interviews are available on TaiyangNews YouTube Channel.