Renewables get global push

IRENA has a far-reaching goal. The initials stand for International Renewable Energy Agency – and, as the first international organisation concentrating purely on renewables, IRENA plans to become the key driving force in “promoting a rapid transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy on a global scale”.

Born in Bonn, Germany, on 26 January, IRENA started life with the signatures of 75 national governments on its statute. The UK was not one of them, though a spokesperson for the Department for Energy and Climate Change said that membership is under active consideration, with Secretary of State Ed Miliband “keen to join in the near future”.

Sceptics might say we need more action, not more agencies. Among the as-yet-unconvinced is Dale Vince, CEO of green energy company Ecotricity, who feels that the time and money spent on IRENA “would be better spent actually doing something”. As he sees it, “it’s not like renewable energy is so new or hard to understand – it’s not rocket science (or nuclear power) after all. So I’m not sure what this agency can really bring to the party.”

At IRENA, of course, they see things rather differently. To overcome obstacles preventing wider use of renewables (such as lack of financing or just lack of awareness), the agency plans to facilitate access to information and to provide practical advice and support for industrialised and developing countries alike, to “help them improve their regulatory frameworks and build capacity”. As for the overlap with existing bodies already spreading the renewables message, IRENA insists it has a distinctive role to play and will regularly consult and co-operate with the likes of the UN Environment Programme and other networks, thereby complementing and pooling resources.

Membership had reached 77 by mid-March, with India becoming the biggest energy consumer so far on board. Countries keen to host the organisation (Germany, Austria and the UAE have put in bids), or to nominate a candidate to be its first Director General, have to join by an end-April deadline, but there are concerns that it will be financially and politically hobbled unless the likes of the US, Japan, Russia and China agree to get involved. – Claire Baylis

23 April 2009

Claire Baylis