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- The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to renewable energy. In accordance with its Statute, IRENA’s objective is to “promote the widespread and increased adoption and the sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy” (Article II). This concerns all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner, which include bioenergy, geothermal energy, hydropower, ocean, solar, and wind energy.
IRENA was founded on 26 January 2009 in Bonn, Germany, by 75 States which signed its Statute. As of September 2012, IRENA participants include 158 States and the European Union (EU), out of which 100 States and the EU have ratified the Statute and are IRENA Members.
IRENA is the first global intergovernmental organisation to be established in decades – a clear sign of the international community’s commitment to renewable energy and an acknowledgement of the need for a focused action in this respect.
IRENA has a diverse membership. Many Members rely on traditional biomass to satisfy their basic needs, while others have decades of experience in renewable energy generation and technologies. Some Members are oil-producing countries, while others are small island states, entirely dependent on fossil fuel imports for their energy supply. This diverse membership provides a wealth of experience, resources and specialist knowledge.
Governments, public and private organisations, academics and the media can draw on IRENA’s extensive knowledge base and wide-reaching expertise for a one-stop service that facilitates increased interest in, and adoption of, renewable energy technology and policies.
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