Renewable energies have their International Agency

by Blandine Pidoux on 3 February 2009 / 479 visites

The important role of renewable energies in facing the global energy challenges (security of supply, fight against climate change, ...), is widely recognized. Nevertheless, until today, there was not any international governmental organization solely devoted to their promotion. Finally, this has now changed with IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, that has been founded this month at the initiative of the German federal government.

Renwables have not developped sufficiently compared to the primary energy consumption

During the five-year period 2002-2006, global renewable energy capacity grew at rates of 15-30 percent annually for many technologies, including wind power, solar hot water, geothermal heating, and off-grid solar PV.14 In spite of this dynamic development in renewable energy, the continued growth in primary energy consumption is effectively cancelling out this effect. It is therefore not surprising, but all the more alarming, that the share of renewables has not been rising relative to the total consumption during the last few years. [1]

IRENA, a way to overcome obstacles to the development of renewables

Mandated by the 75 nations who signed its status during the Bonn conference on 26th of January 2009, the Agency will work towards:

- developing a comprehensive knowledge base,
- providing policy advice to national governments,
- promoting technology transfer and providing advice on financing,
- enhancing capacity building and stimulating research,
- cooperating with other organisations, institutions and networks and involving all stakeholders from governmental organisations, industry, academia, as well as civil society.

More information on www.irena.org