The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an intergovernmental organisation that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future, and serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, a centre of excellence, and a repository of policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge on renewable energy. IRENA promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, including bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy in the pursuit of sustainable development, energy access, energy security and low-carbon economic growth and prosperity.
With a mandate from countries around the world, IRENA encourages governments to adopt enabling policies for renewable energy investments, provides practical tools and policy advice to accelerate renewable energy deployment, and facilitates knowledge sharing and technology transfer to provide clean, sustainable energy for the world’s growing population.
In line with these aims, IRENA provides a range of products and services, including:
- Renewable Readiness Assessments, conducted in partnership with governments and regional organisations, to provide policy guidance and facilitate the sharing of case studies and best practices;
- the Global Renewable Energy Atlas, hosted on the IRENA website, which maps solar, wind sources country by country;
- the IRENA Renewable Energy Learning Partnership (IRELP), an online learning network;
- Handbooks for renewable energy policy development;
- Technology briefs and cost studies to strengthen evidence-based policy-making and investment;
- Facilitation of renewable energy planning at regional levels;
- Renewable Energy Country Profiles.
With over 100 states and the European Union as members, and active participation by many more signatories and applicants for membership around the world, IRENA helps countries achieve their clean energy potential and promotes renewable resources and technologies as the key to a sustainable future.
Future Headquarters of IRENA
On the 29 June 2009 the city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates was designated as the interim seat of the Agency. At the First Session of the IRENA Assembly in April 2011 Abu Dhabi was announced as the permanent seat of IRENA, making it the first intergovernmental organisation to be headquartered in the Middle East. The Agency also has an Innovation and Technology Centre based in Bonn, Germany, and is establishing a presence in New York, United States of America.
While IRENA’s permanent headquarters are being built in Masdar City, a cluster of public and private institutions dedicated to the development of sustainable energy on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, the Agency’s offices are currently located in Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi.
Further information on the future headquarters of IRENA is available here.