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 wide range of products and services, including:
- Annual reviews of renewable energy employment;
- Renewable energy capacity statistics;
- Renewable energy cost studies;
- Renewables Readiness Assessments, conducted in partnership with governments and regional organisations, to help boost renewable energy development on a country by country basis;
- The Global Atlas, which maps resource potential by source and by location;
- Renewable energy benefits studies;
- REmap, a roadmap to double renewable energy use worldwide by 2030;
- Renewable energy technology briefs;
- Facilitation of regional renewable energy planning;
- Renewable energy project development tools like the Project Navigator, the Sustainable Energy Marketplace and the IRENA/ADFD Project Facility.
With more than 180 countries actively engaged, IRENA promotes renewable resources and technologies as the key to a sustainable future and helps countries achieve their renewable energy potential.