About IRENA

IRENA’s main objective will be to foster and promote the large-scale adoption of renewable energy worldwide. This overall objective can be broken down into a number of concrete targets: improved regulatory frameworks for renewable energy through enhanced policy advice; improvements in the transfer of renewable energy technology; progress and improvements on renewable energy skills and know-how; a scientifically sound information basis through applied policy research; and better financing of renewable energy. Through its objective, IRENA will help to reduce the pressure on finite energy sources, provide a sound basis for meeting future energy demand, stabilize energy prices, improve access to energy particularly for the world’s poorest, combat climate change and increase energy security. At the same time, it will contribute to economic growth and job creation.

To meet these goals, IRENA must become a centre of excellence facilitating renewable energy technology transfer and providing experience for practical applications and policies. Its focus should be on the requirements of renewable energy. It should act as a facilitator and catalyst, supporting various programmes and assisting national governments as well as the private sector. Its role should be to offer support on all issues relating to renewable energy, helping countries to benefit from the transfer of knowledge and technology.

Why an IRENA?

Renewable energy offers a unique opportunity to provide the world with cheap, reliable and clean energy for the future. At the same time, the economic risks connected with the current energy supply are comparable to those of the 1970s. Indeed, they are exacerbated today by major environmental risks and dangers to society. To meet these global challenges we need an international agency for renewable energy.

IRENA will act as a driver for renewable energy on an international level. Its role will be to promote political processes that give due consideration to renewable energy. There is an urgent need for renewable energy to play a stronger part in international political processes – whether they deal with trade, investment, environment, energy or other issues. Its aim will be to generate momentum for renewable energy on an international level.

IRENA is particularly necessary as renewable energy lags behind other energy sources in all areas. IRENA will constitute an independent driving force in the political process with the goal of creating a level playing field for the development of renewable energy. There are two reasons why this is needed. First, political structures often place renewable energy at a disadvantage compared to other energy sources. Second, current market requirements and structures impede the spread of renewable energy. Renewable energy requires different technology, power and service structures. The costs of these must be calculated differently.

To date, only a minority of states have shown themselves willing or able to introduce efficient renewable energy policies (including appropriate legislation and institutional frameworks), develop effective industries, assess their national potential and promote research, development, education and training. We now need to disseminate best practices and lessons learned in order to give countries wishing to profit from the many benefits of using renewable energy the support they need to exploit their vast domestic potential. IRENA will carry out a broad range of activities to meet these needs.

Furthermore, IRENA will close an institutional gap. Many individual initiatives exist at present, but they lack a focal point. What is needed is an organisation that can guide and coordinate activities in the area of renewable energy on an international level so that their impacts are maximised. With their limited mandate and capacities, current international renewable energy associations and networks cannot fill the institutional gap the way that IRENA could.

IRENA is likely to be more cost effective than the existing consultancy processes. It will reduce costs by taking over tasks currently performed inefficiently through bilateral exchanges. It will also save money for donors by helping to better coordinate existing activities and avoid duplicating work. Moreover, it will support donors and target countries by ensuring that current initiatives are fully effective – that is to say, that they have access to the necessary data, take international best practice into account, enjoy state-of-the-art technological know-how and are integrated into a network of related initiatives.