123-449: The International Renewable Energy Agency ( IRENA ) is an intergovernmental organization mandated to facilitate cooperation, advance knowledge, and promote the adoption and sustainable use of renewable energy . It is the first international organisation to focus exclusively on renewable energy, addressing needs in both industrialised and developing countries. It was founded in 2009 and its statute entered into force on 8 July 2010. The agency
246-480: A "fundamental transition" of the world's energy markets towards renewables, according to a report released by REN21 , a global renewable energy policy network based in Paris. In 2010, renewable power consisted about a third of the newly built power generation capacities. By the end of 2011, total renewable power capacity worldwide exceeded 1,360 GW, up 8%. Renewables producing electricity accounted for almost half of
369-810: A 22.5% increase on the 158,700 MW installed at the end of 2009. The increase for 2010 represents investments totalling €47.3 billion (US$ 65 billion) and for the first time more than half of all new wind power was added outside of the traditional markets of Europe and North America, mainly driven, by the continuing boom in China which accounted for nearly half of all of the installations at 16,500 MW. China now has 42,300 MW of wind power installed. Wind power accounts for approximately 19% of electricity generated in Denmark , 9% in Spain and Portugal , and 6% in Germany and
492-642: A combination of its own surveys, official national statistics, industry reports, research studies, and various news outlets. In its March 2024 publication, IRENA highlighted a marked rise in global renewable electricity capacity, with an increase of 473 gigawatts (GW) in 2023. This figure represents 86% of all newly installed power generation capacity during that year. China was the leading contributor to this growth. The report also noted significant developments in solar and wind energy : solar energy capacity expanded by 32.4% to reach 1.42 terawatts (TW), thus overtaking hydropower , while wind energy capacity also achieved
615-463: A faster rate than they are consumed". Solar power , wind power , hydroelectricity , geothermal energy, and biomass are widely agreed to be the main types of renewable energy. Renewable energy often displaces conventional fuels in four areas: electricity generation , hot water / space heating , transportation , and rural (off-grid) energy services. Although almost all forms of renewable energy cause much fewer carbon emissions than fossil fuels,
738-465: A fluctuating nature, such as wind power and solar power. In contrast, controllable renewable energy sources include dammed hydroelectricity , bioenergy , or geothermal power . Renewable energy systems have rapidly become more efficient and cheaper over the past 30 years. A large majority of worldwide newly installed electricity capacity is now renewable. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, have seen significant cost reductions over
861-616: A fluid system to move the heat from the collector to its point of usage, and a reservoir or tank for heat storage. The systems may be used to heat domestic hot water, swimming pools, or homes and businesses. The heat can also be used for industrial process applications or as an energy input for other uses such as cooling equipment. In many warmer climates, a solar heating system can provide a very high percentage (50 to 75%) of domestic hot water energy. As of 2009 , China has 27 million rooftop solar water heaters. Photovoltaic (PV) cells, also called solar cells , convert light into electricity. In
984-437: A given time. Solar energy can only be captured during the day, and ideally in cloudless conditions. Wind power generation can vary significantly not only day-to-day, but even month-to-month. This poses a challenge when transitioning away from fossil fuels: energy demand will often be higher or lower than what renewables can provide. Both scenarios can cause electricity grids to become overloaded, leading to power outages . In
1107-952: A large portion of the total, such as Kenya (43%) and Indonesia (5%). Technical advances may eventually make geothermal power more widely available. For example, enhanced geothermal systems involve drilling around 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) into the Earth, breaking apart hot rocks and extracting the heat using water. In theory, this type of geothermal energy extraction could be done anywhere on Earth. There are also other renewable energy technologies that are still under development, including enhanced geothermal systems , concentrated solar power , cellulosic ethanol , and marine energy . These technologies are not yet widely demonstrated or have limited commercialization. Some may have potential comparable to other renewable energy technologies, but still depend on further breakthroughs from research, development and engineering. Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) are
1230-636: A large share of the petroleum needed for domestic consumption, recently reached complete self-sufficiency in liquid fuels. Nearly all the gasoline sold in the United States today is mixed with 10 percent ethanol, a mix known as E10, and motor vehicle manufacturers already produce vehicles designed to run on much higher ethanol blends. Ford , DaimlerChrysler , and GM are among the automobile companies that sell flexible-fuel cars, trucks, and minivans that can use gasoline and ethanol blends ranging from pure gasoline up to 85% ethanol (E85). The challenge
1353-638: A more energy-dense biofuel like ethanol. Wood is the most significant biomass energy source as of 2012 and is usually sourced from a trees cleared for silvicultural reasons or fire prevention . Municipal wood waste – for instance, construction materials or sawdust – is also often burned for energy. The biggest per-capita producers of wood-based bioenergy are heavily forested countries like Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Austria, and Denmark. Bioenergy can be environmentally destructive if old-growth forests are cleared to make way for crop production. In particular, demand for palm oil to produce biodiesel has contributed to
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#17327728127381476-490: A new high of US$ 329 Billion for global renewables investment. A key benefit that this investment growth brings is a growth in jobs. The top countries for investment in recent years were China, Germany, Spain, the United States, Italy, and Brazil. Renewable energy companies include BrightSource Energy , First Solar , Gamesa , GE Energy , Goldwind , Sinovel , Targray , Trina Solar , Vestas , and Yingli . Climate change concerns are also driving increasing growth in
1599-506: A new type of geothermal power which does not require natural hot water reservoirs or steam to generate power. Most of the underground heat within drilling reach is trapped in solid rocks, not in water. EGS technologies use hydraulic fracturing to break apart these rocks and release the heat they contain, which is then harvested by pumping water into the ground. The process is sometimes known as "hot dry rock" (HDR). Unlike conventional geothermal energy extraction, EGS may be feasible anywhere in
1722-406: A noteworthy milestone by exceeding 1 TW. Renewable energy Renewable energy (or green energy ) is energy from renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human timescale . The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy , wind power , and hydropower . Bioenergy and geothermal power are also significant in some countries. Some also consider nuclear power
1845-430: A number of sources and technologies at different stages of commercialization. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has defined three generations of renewable energy technologies, reaching back over 100 years: First-generation technologies are well established, second-generation technologies are entering markets, and third-generation technologies heavily depend on long-term research and development commitments, where
1968-404: A passion for the dedicated few to a major economic sector in countries such as Germany, Spain, the United States, and Japan. Many large industrial companies and financial institutions are involved and the challenge is to broaden the market base for continued growth worldwide. Solar heating systems are a well known second-generation technology and generally consist of solar thermal collectors ,
2091-409: A range of construction strategies and technologies that aim to optimize the distribution of solar heat in a building. Examples include solar chimneys , orienting a building to the sun, using construction materials that can store heat , and designing spaces that naturally circulate air . From 2020 to 2022, solar technology investments almost doubled from USD 162 billion to USD 308 billion, driven by
2214-416: A renewable power source , although this is controversial. Renewable energy installations can be large or small and are suited for both urban and rural areas. Renewable energy is often deployed together with further electrification . This has several benefits: electricity can move heat and vehicles efficiently and is clean at the point of consumption. Variable renewable energy sources are those that have
2337-607: A significant share of the total electricity supply, such as in the Philippines, where geothermal represented 17 percent of the total power mix at the end of 2008. Geothermal (ground source) heat pumps represented an estimated 30 GWth of installed capacity at the end of 2008, with other direct uses of geothermal heat (i.e., for space heating, agricultural drying and other uses) reaching an estimated 15 GWth. As of 2008 , at least 76 countries use direct geothermal energy in some form. Second-generation technologies have gone from being
2460-543: A state be a member of the United Nations and to regional intergovernmental economic-integration organizations. States that gain membership to IRENA must uphold the organizations statute to the best of its abilities. On 9 January 2019, Canada became IRENA's 160th member. As of July 2022, 168 states and the European Union are members of IRENA, and a further 17 are in the process of accession. This assembly
2583-702: A variety of environmental conditions and perform more efficiently allowing a greater proportion of photon energy to end up in the storage compounds, i.e., carbohydrates (rather than building and sustaining living cells). However, prominent research faces hurdles, Sun Catalytix a MIT spin-off stopped scaling up their prototype fuel-cell in 2012 because it offers few savings over other ways to make hydrogen from sunlight. Most new renewables are solar, followed by wind then hydro then bioenergy. Investment in renewables, especially solar, tends to be more effective in creating jobs than coal, gas or oil. Worldwide, renewables employ about 12 million people as of 2020, with solar PV being
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#17327728127382706-456: Is thermal energy (heat) extracted from the Earth's crust . It originates from several different sources , of which the most significant is slow radioactive decay of minerals contained in the Earth's interior , as well as some leftover heat from the formation of the Earth . Some of the heat is generated near the Earth's surface in the crust, but some also flows from deep within the Earth from
2829-607: Is IRENA's main institutional governing body, which includes one delegate from each member state. The assembly meets once yearly to discuss all IRENA management including things such as budget, membership applications and yearly goals. The 9th Assembly took place in January 2019 with the 10th Assembly scheduled for 11–12 January in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The IRENA council is composed of 21 elected officials from member states, who each serve for two-year terms and must answer to
2952-471: Is a more economical means of long-term renewable energy storage, in terms of capital expenditures compared to pumped hydroelectric or batteries. Solar power produced around 1.3 terrawatt-hours (TWh) worldwide in 2022, representing 4.6% of the world's electricity. Almost all of this growth has happened since 2010. Solar energy can be harnessed anywhere that receives sunlight; however, the amount of solar energy that can be harnessed for electricity generation
3075-537: Is a technology for generating electricity by mixing fresh water and salty sea water in large power cells. Most marine energy harvesting technologies are still at low technology readiness levels and not used at large scales. Tidal energy is generally considered the most mature, but has not seen wide deployment. The world's largest tidal power station is on Sihwa Lake , South Korea, which produces around 550 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year. Earth emits roughly 10 W of infrared thermal radiation that flows toward
3198-419: Is about 800 times denser than air , even a slow flowing stream of water, or moderate sea swell , can yield considerable amounts of energy. Water can generate electricity with a conversion efficiency of about 90%, which is the highest rate in renewable energy. There are many forms of water energy: Much hydropower is flexible, thus complementing wind and solar. In 2021, the world renewable hydropower capacity
3321-525: Is common in Iceland, or to generate electricity. At smaller scales, geothermal power can be generated with geothermal heat pumps , which can extract heat from ground temperatures of under 30 °C (86 °F), allowing them to be used at relatively shallow depths of a few meters. Electricity generation requires large plants and ground temperatures of at least 150 °C (302 °F). In some countries, electricity produced from geothermal energy accounts for
3444-449: Is declining for wind power, solar photovoltaic (PV), concentrated solar power (CSP) and some biomass technologies. Renewable energy is also the most economic solution for new grid-connected capacity in areas with good resources. As the cost of renewable power falls, the scope of economically viable applications increases. Renewable technologies are now often the most economic solution for new generating capacity. Where "oil-fired generation
3567-410: Is dependent on regulated tariffs, due to high costs of infrastructure and ingredients for ongoing operations. Biomass does offer a ready disposal mechanism by burning municipal, agricultural, and industrial organic waste products. First-generation biomass technologies can be economically competitive, but may still require deployment support to overcome public acceptance and small-scale issues. As part of
3690-401: Is enough fuel for breeder reactors to satisfy the world's energy needs for 5 billion years at 1983's total energy consumption rate, thus making nuclear energy effectively a renewable energy. In addition to seawater the average crustal granite rocks contain significant quantities of uranium and thorium with which breeder reactors can supply abundant energy for the remaining lifespan of the sun on
3813-495: Is growing faster than its fossil fuels and nuclear power capacity. Since 2005, production of solar cells in China has expanded 100-fold. As Chinese renewable manufacturing has grown, the costs of renewable energy technologies have dropped. Innovation has helped, but the main driver of reduced costs has been market expansion. See also renewable energy in the United States for US-figures. Renewable energy technologies are getting cheaper, through technological change and through
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3936-686: Is headquartered in Masdar City , Abu Dhabi . The Director-General of IRENA is Francesco La Camera , a national of Italy. IRENA is an official United Nations observer. The first suggestions for an international renewable agency is based on the 1980 Brandt Report activities. NGOs and industry lobbying groups like Eurosolar , the World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE) and the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) have promoted IRENA since several decades. In 1990,
4059-518: Is influenced by weather conditions , geographic location and time of day. There are two mainstream ways of harnessing solar energy: solar thermal , which converts solar energy into heat; and photovoltaics (PV), which converts it into electricity. PV is far more widespread, accounting for around two thirds of the global solar energy capacity as of 2022. It is also growing at a much faster rate, with 170 GW newly installed capacity in 2021, compared to 25 GW of solar thermal. Passive solar refers to
4182-460: Is more valuable than VRE countries with large hydroelectric developments such as Canada and Norway are spending billions to expand their grids to trade with neighboring countries having limited hydro. Biomass is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms. Most commonly, it refers to plants or plant-derived materials. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly via combustion to produce heat, or converted to
4305-596: Is not possible to use or store excess electricity. Electrical energy storage is a collection of methods used to store electrical energy. Electrical energy is stored during times when production (especially from intermittent sources such as wind power , tidal power , solar power ) exceeds consumption, and returned to the grid when production falls below consumption. Pumped-storage hydroelectricity accounts for more than 85% of all grid power storage . Batteries are increasingly being deployed for storage and grid ancillary services and for domestic storage. Green hydrogen
4428-520: Is often associated with unsustainable deforestation . As part of the global effort to limit climate change , most countries have committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions . In practice, this means phasing out fossil fuels and replacing them with low-emissions energy sources. This much needed process, coined as "low-carbon substitutions" in contrast to other transition processes including energy additions, needs to be accelerated multiple times in order to successfully mitigating climate change. At
4551-477: Is that the heated water can be stored until it is needed, eliminating the need for a separate energy storage system. Solar thermal power can also be converted to electricity by using the steam generated from the heated water to drive a turbine connected to a generator. However, because generating electricity this way is much more expensive than photovoltaic power plants, there are very few in use today. Humans have harnessed wind energy since at least 3500 BC. Until
4674-498: Is the predominant power generation source (e.g. on islands, off-grid and in some countries) a lower-cost renewable solution almost always exists today". As of 2012, renewable power generation technologies accounted for around half of all new power generation capacity additions globally. In 2011, additions included 41 gigawatt (GW) of new wind power capacity, 30 GW of PV, 25 GW of hydro-electricity, 6 GW of biomass, 0.5 GW of CSP, and 0.1 GW of geothermal power. Renewable energy includes
4797-439: Is to expand the market for biofuels beyond the farm states where they have been most popular to date. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 , which calls for 7.5 billion US gallons (28,000,000 m ) of biofuels to be used annually by 2012, will also help to expand the market. The growing ethanol and biodiesel industries are providing jobs in plant construction, operations, and maintenance, mostly in rural communities. According to
4920-662: Is to slow and eventually stop climate change , which is widely agreed to be caused mostly by greenhouse gas emissions . In general, renewable energy sources cause much lower emissions than fossil fuels. The International Energy Agency estimates that to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, 90% of global electricity generation will need to be produced from renewable sources. Renewables also cause much less air pollution than fossil fuels, improving public health, and are less noisy . The deployment of renewable energy still faces obstacles, especially fossil fuel subsidies , lobbying by incumbent power providers, and local opposition to
5043-411: Is underpinning the renewable industry's rise and bringing the much needed transformation of our global energy system within reach." He added: "Renewable energies are expanding both in terms of investment, projects and geographical spread. In doing so, they are making an increasing contribution to combating climate change, countering energy poverty and energy insecurity". According to a 2011 projection by
International Renewable Energy Agency - Misplaced Pages Continue
5166-463: The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference , around three-quarters of the world's countries set a goal of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030. The European Union aims to generate 40% of its electricity from renewables by the same year. Renewable energy is more evenly distributed around the world than fossil fuels, which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. It also brings health benefits by reducing air pollution caused by
5289-479: The International Energy Agency (IEA) has predicted that by 2025, renewable capacity will meet 35% of global power generation. Public policy and political leadership helps to "level the playing field" and drive the wider acceptance of renewable energy technologies. Countries such as Germany, Denmark, and Spain have led the way in implementing innovative policies which has driven most of
5412-494: The NASA Office of Science and Technology Policy examined the concept and concluded that with current and near-future technologies it would be economically uncompetitive. Collection of static electricity charges from water droplets on metal surfaces is an experimental technology that would be especially useful in low-income countries with relative air humidity over 60%. Breeder reactors could, in principle, depending on
5535-1015: The PS10 solar power tower (Spain, 11 MW). The 370 MW Ivanpah Solar Power Facility , located in California's Mojave Desert , is the world's largest solar-thermal power plant project currently under construction. Many other plants are under construction or planned, mainly in Spain and the USA. In developing countries, three World Bank projects for integrated solar thermal/combined-cycle gas-turbine power plants in Egypt , Mexico , and Morocco have been approved. Global ethanol production for transport fuel tripled between 2000 and 2007 from 17 billion to more than 52 billion litres, while biodiesel expanded more than tenfold from less than 1 billion to almost 11 billion litres. Biofuels provide 1.8% of
5658-617: The Three Gorges Dam in China, Itaipu Dam across the Brazil/Paraguay border, and Guri Dam in Venezuela. The cost of hydroelectricity is low, making it a competitive source of renewable electricity. The average cost of electricity from a hydro plant larger than 10 megawatts is 3 to 5 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour. Geothermal power plants can operate 24 hours per day, providing baseload capacity. Estimates for
5781-574: The United Nations University , UNESCO, the World Bank , GEF, UNIDO , UNDP , UNEP , and WTO in the areas of education and training, financing, access to energy, potential studies and trade. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) compiles and publishes statistics on the net generating capacity of renewable energy sources for electricity production, covering a period from 2013 to 2023. The agency gathers data through
5904-427: The food vs. fuel debate, several economists from Iowa State University found in 2008 "there is no evidence to disprove that the primary objective of biofuel policy is to support farm income." Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower ; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. In 2015 hydropower generated 16.6% of
6027-451: The mantle and core . Geothermal energy extraction is viable mostly in countries located on tectonic plate edges, where the Earth's hot mantle is more exposed. As of 2023, the United States has by far the most geothermal capacity (2.7 GW, or less than 0.2% of the country's total energy capacity ), followed by Indonesia and the Philippines. Global capacity in 2022 was 15 GW. Geothermal energy can be either used directly to heat homes, as
6150-410: The 1980s and early 1990s, most photovoltaic modules were used to provide remote-area power supply , but from around 1995, industry efforts have focused increasingly on developing building integrated photovoltaics and photovoltaic power stations for grid connected applications. Many plants are integrated with agriculture and some use innovative tracking systems that follow the sun's daily path across
6273-492: The 208 GW of capacity added globally during 2011. Wind and solar photovoltaics (PV) accounted for almost 40% and 30%. Based on REN21 's 2014 report, renewables contributed 19 percent to our energy consumption and 22 percent to our electricity generation in 2012 and 2013, respectively. This energy consumption is divided as 9% coming from traditional biomass, 4.2% as heat energy (non-biomass), 3.8% hydro electricity and 2% electricity from wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. During
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#17327728127386396-400: The 20th century, it was primarily used to power ships, windmills and water pumps. Today, the vast majority of wind power is used to generate electricity using wind turbines. Modern utility-scale wind turbines range from around 600 kW to 9 MW of rated power. The power available from the wind is a function of the cube of the wind speed, so as wind speed increases, power output increases up to
6519-612: The Austrian government of Franz Vranitzky suggested a reneweables agency to the UN. One of the drivers was Hermann Scheer , a German politician and lobbyist which was acting as president of EUROSOLAR and chair of WCRE. On 15 June, at their annual event, the WWEA gave their 2010 World Wind Energy Award to the Founding member States of IRENA. They stated: "The creation of IRENA can be seen as
6642-749: The Interim Director-General and the interim headquarters were submitted by 30 April 2009. The second session of the Preparatory Commission met in Sharm el-Sheikh , Egypt , on 29–30 June 2009, to elect the Interim Director General and decide the location of IRENA's interim headquarters. It was decided, that the interim headquarters will be located in Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates . The UAE thus became
6765-486: The International Energy Agency, solar power plants may produce most of the world's electricity within 50 years, significantly reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases that harm the environment. The IEA has said: "Photovoltaic and solar-thermal plants may meet most of the world's demand for electricity by 2060 – and half of all energy needs – with wind, hydropower and biomass plants supplying much of
6888-700: The International Renewable Energy Agency was held in Bonn , Germany, on 26 January 2009. 75 countries signed the Agency's statute. The statute entered into force on 8 July 2010, 30 days after the 25th country deposited its instrument of ratification. The Founding Conference established the Preparatory Commission for IRENA, which consists of all signatory states. During the first session of the Preparatory Commission in Bonn on 27 January 2009,
7011-515: The Preparatory Commission on 24–25 October 2010 in Abu Dhabi appointed Kenyan representative Adnan Amin, Deputy Interim Director-General, to perform functions of Interim Director-General after resignation of Hélène Pelosse. On 4 April 2011, Adnan Amin was sworn in as the first Director-General. The agency has staged a number of events bringing together member states for interaction on ways and means of furthering renewable energy, and conducted significant research and development into viable solutions for
7134-646: The Renewable Fuels Association, "the ethanol industry created almost 154,000 U.S. jobs in 2005 alone, boosting household income by $ 5.7 billion. It also contributed about $ 3.5 billion in tax revenues at the local, state, and federal levels". Third-generation renewable energy technologies are still under development and include advanced biomass gasification , biorefinery technologies, hot-dry-rock geothermal power, and ocean energy . Third-generation technologies are not yet widely demonstrated or have limited commercialization. Many are on
7257-463: The Republic of Ireland. In Australian state of South Australia wind power, championed by Premier Mike Rann (2002–2011), now comprises 26% of the state's electricity generation, edging out coal fired power. At the end of 2011 South Australia, with 7.2% of Australia's population, had 54% of the nation's installed wind power capacity. Wind power's share of worldwide electricity usage at the end of 2014
7380-466: The UN will join forces to speed up the transformation of the global energy sector. Hélène Pelosse, former Interim Director General of IRENA, met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during 2009 Climate week in New York City , and together with Ban explored future fields of cooperation between IRENA and various UN bodies. IRENA also seeks to cooperate with the UN and associated organisations like
7503-567: The United Nations General Assembly declared January 26 as the International Day of Clean Energy through resolution A/77/327. This particular date was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the establishment of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in 2009. IRENA aims to become the main driving force in promoting a transition towards the use of renewable energy on a global scale: Acting as
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#17327728127387626-449: The amount of wind energy in their portfolio, saying it is their cheapest option. Solar thermal power stations include the 354 megawatt (MW) Solar Energy Generating Systems power plant in the US, Solnova Solar Power Station (Spain, 150 MW), Andasol solar power station (Spain, 100 MW), Nevada Solar One (USA, 64 MW), PS20 solar power tower (Spain, 20 MW), and
7749-494: The assembly. Council members rotate between states to ensure an efficient and fair representation of various member country sizes, geographic location, rates of development and particular concerns. The council deals directly with IRENA matters related to budgeting and annual reports. The Secretariat is the executive branch of IRENA and consists of the Director-General and their staff. The Secretariat acts as oversight to
7872-461: The benefits of mass production and market competition. A 2011 IEA report said: "A portfolio of renewable energy technologies is becoming cost-competitive in an increasingly broad range of circumstances, in some cases providing investment opportunities without the need for specific economic support," and added that "cost reductions in critical technologies, such as wind and solar, are set to continue." As of 2011 , there have been substantial reductions in
7995-446: The burning of fossil fuels. The potential worldwide savings in health care costs have been estimated at trillions of dollars annually. The two most important forms of renewable energy, solar and wind, are intermittent energy sources : they are not available constantly, resulting in lower capacity factors . In contrast, fossil fuel power plants are usually able to produce precisely the amount of energy an electricity grid requires at
8118-778: The cold outer space. Solar energy hits the surface and atmosphere of the earth and produces heat. Using various theorized devices like emissive energy harvester (EEH) or thermoradiative diode, this energy flow can be converted into electricity. In theory, this technology can be used during nighttime. Producing liquid fuels from oil-rich (fat-rich) varieties of algae is an ongoing research topic. Various microalgae grown in open or closed systems are being tried including some systems that can be set up in brownfield and desert lands. There have been numerous proposals for space-based solar power , in which very large satellites with photovoltaic panels would be equipped with microwave transmitters to beam power back to terrestrial receivers. A 2024 study by
8241-443: The cost of solar and wind technologies: The price of PV modules per MW has fallen by 60 percent since the summer of 2008, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates, putting solar power for the first time on a competitive footing with the retail price of electricity in a number of sunny countries. Wind turbine prices have also fallen – by 18 percent per MW in the last two years – reflecting, as with solar, fierce competition in
8364-571: The council and assembly and offers technical support to these governing bodies. The current of Director-General of IRENA is the Italian Francesco La Camera who was appointed to the position during IRENA's Ninth Assembly and assumed office on 4 April 2019. IRENA's first Director-General was Adnan Z. Amin , a Kenyan national. He was elected to the post in April 2011 and completed a second term that ended April 2019. Afterwards, he
8487-750: The country facing water shortages. Events at the Fukushima nuclear plant have renewed doubts about the ability to operate large numbers of nuclear plants safely over the long term. Further, cost estimates for "next generation" nuclear units continue to climb, and lenders are unwilling to finance these plants without taxpayer guarantees. The 2014 REN21 Global Status Report says that renewable energies are no longer just energy sources, but ways to address pressing social, political, economic and environmental problems: Today, renewables are seen not only as sources of energy, but also as tools to address many other pressing needs, including: improving energy security; reducing
8610-554: The crops used to produce bioethanol and biodiesel are grown specifically for this purpose, although used cooking oil accounted for 14% of the oil used to produce biodiesel as of 2015. The biomass used to produce biofuels varies by region. Maize is the major feedstock in the United States, while sugarcane dominates in Brazil. In the European Union, where biodiesel is more common than bioethanol, rapeseed oil and palm oil are
8733-412: The deforestation of tropical rainforests in Brazil and Indonesia. In addition, burning biomass still produces carbon emissions, although much less than fossil fuels (39 grams of CO 2 per megajoule of energy, compared to 75 g/MJ for fossil fuels). Some biomass sources are unsustainable at current rates of exploitation (as of 2017). Biofuels are primarily used in transportation, providing 3.5% of
8856-487: The development and use of such technologies. It is expected that renewable energy investments will pay off economically in the long term. EU member countries have shown support for ambitious renewable energy goals. In 2010, Eurobarometer polled the twenty-seven EU member states about the target "to increase the share of renewable energy in the EU by 20 percent by 2020". Most people in all twenty-seven countries either approved of
8979-406: The energy supply portfolio, as they contribute to world energy security , reduce dependency on fossil fuels , and some also provide opportunities for mitigating greenhouse gases . Climate-disrupting fossil fuels are being replaced by clean, climate-stabilizing, non-depletable sources of energy: ...the transition from coal, oil, and gas to wind, solar, and geothermal energy is well under way. In
9102-585: The fastest-growing renewable energy technology. It is cheap, low-maintenance and scalable; adding to an existing PV installation as demanded arises is simple. Its main disadvantage is its poor performance in cloudy weather. PV systems range from small, residential and commercial rooftop or building integrated installations, to large utility-scale photovoltaic power station . A household's solar panels can either be used for just that household or, if connected to an electrical grid, can be aggregated with millions of others. The first utility-scale solar power plant
9225-645: The first developing country to host a major international organisation. In addition, an innovation and technology center will be located in Bonn, and an office dedicated to liaising with the United Nations and other international institutions will be located in Vienna . Hélène Pelosse was elected as the Interim Director-General. The second session of the Preparatory Commission also adopted an interim work programme and budget as well as for interim staff regulations and interim financial rules. The fourth session of
9348-426: The five-years from the end of 2004 through 2009, worldwide renewable energy capacity grew at rates of 10–60 percent annually for many technologies, while actual production grew 1.2% overall. In 2011, UN under-secretary general Achim Steiner said: "The continuing growth in this core segment of the green economy is not happening by chance. The combination of government target-setting, policy support and stimulus funds
9471-447: The formation of IRENA. The Preparatory Conference for founding IREA was held on 10 and 11 April 2008 with 54 countries participating. Here, government representatives discussed the objectives, activities, finances, and organizational structure of IRENA. Participants expressed a need to begin a swift transition to a more secure, sustainable renewable energy economy with the assistance of an international body. The Founding Conference of
9594-548: The fuel cycle employed, extract almost all of the energy contained in uranium or thorium , decreasing fuel requirements by a factor of 100 compared to widely used once-through light water reactors , which extract less than 1% of the energy in the actinide metal (uranium or thorium) mined from the earth. The high fuel-efficiency of breeder reactors could greatly reduce concerns about fuel supply, energy used in mining, and storage of radioactive waste . With seawater uranium extraction (currently too expensive to be economical), there
9717-498: The future. On 8 September 2014, IRENA published a notable report on its works titled REthinking energy , which encouraged "speedier adoption of renewable energy technologies," as "the most feasible route to reduce carbon emissions and avoid catastrophic climate change." The study set out to gauge the global power sector and establish how technological advances, economic growth and climate change are transforming it. "A convergence of social, economic and environmental forces are transforming
9840-415: The global energy system as we know it. But if we continue on the path we are currently on and fuel our growing economies with outmoded ways of thinking and acting, we will not be able avoid the most serious impacts of climate change," Amin said at a function to release the report. The Ninth Meeting of International Renewable Energy Agency Council was held on 10–11 June 2015 at Abu Dhabi. On August 25, 2023,
9963-742: The global voice for renewable energies, IRENA will provide practical advice and support for both industrialised and developing countries, help them improve their regulatory frameworks and build capacity. The agency will facilitate access to all relevant information including reliable data on the potential of renewable energy, best practices, effective financial mechanisms and state-of-the-art technological expertise. IRENA provides advice and support to governments on renewable energy policy , capacity building, and technology transfer. IRENA will also co-ordinate with existing renewable energy organizations, such as REN21 . The statute to gain IRENA membership requires that
10086-446: The growth over the past decade. As of 2014, Germany has a commitment to the " Energiewende " transition to a sustainable energy economy, and Denmark has a commitment to 100% renewable energy by 2050. There are now 144 countries with renewable energy policy targets. Renewable energy continued its rapid growth in 2015, providing multiple benefits. There was a new record set for installed wind and photovoltaic capacity (64GW and 57GW) and
10209-416: The health and environmental impacts associated with fossil and nuclear energy; mitigating greenhouse gas emissions; improving educational opportunities; creating jobs; reducing poverty; and increasing gender equality... Renewables have entered the mainstream. In 2008 for the first time, more renewable energy than conventional power capacity was added in both the European Union and United States, demonstrating
10332-533: The horizon and may have potential comparable to other renewable energy technologies, but still depend on attracting sufficient attention and research and development funding. According to the International Energy Agency, cellulosic ethanol biorefineries could allow biofuels to play a much bigger role in the future than organizations such as the IEA previously thought. Cellulosic ethanol can be made from plant matter composed primarily of inedible cellulose fibers that form
10455-692: The horizontal axis units currently in use. As offshore wind speeds average ~90% greater than that of land, offshore resources can contribute substantially more energy than land-stationed turbines. Investments in wind technologies reached USD 161 billion in 2020, with onshore wind dominating at 80% of total investments from 2013 to 2022. Offshore wind investments nearly doubled to USD 41 billion between 2019 and 2020, primarily due to policy incentives in China and expansion in Europe. Global wind capacity increased by 557 GW between 2013 and 2021, with capacity additions increasing by an average of 19% each year. Since water
10578-491: The human toll of the coal supply chain. New EPA initiatives targeting air toxics, coal ash, and effluent releases highlight the environmental impacts of coal and the cost of addressing them with control technologies. The use of fracking in natural gas exploration is coming under scrutiny, with evidence of groundwater contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. Concerns are increasing about the vast amounts of water used at coal-fired and nuclear power plants, particularly in regions of
10701-481: The issue of whether biomass is carbon neutral is contested. Material directly combusted in cook stoves produces pollutants, leading to severe health and environmental consequences. Improved cook stove programs are alleviating some of these effects. The industry remained relatively stagnant over the decade to 2007, but demand for biomass (mostly wood) continues to grow in many developing countries , as well as Brazil and Germany . The economic viability of biomass
10824-408: The main feedstocks. China, although it produces comparatively much less biofuel, uses mostly corn and wheat. In many countries, biofuels are either subsidized or mandated to be included in fuel mixtures . There are many other sources of bioenergy that are more niche, or not yet viable at large scales. For instance, bioethanol could be produced from the cellulosic parts of crops, rather than only
10947-504: The main sequence of stellar evolution. Artificial photosynthesis uses techniques including nanotechnology to store solar electromagnetic energy in chemical bonds by splitting water to produce hydrogen and then using carbon dioxide to make methanol. Researchers in this field strived to design molecular mimics of photosynthesis that use a wider region of the solar spectrum, employ catalytic systems made from abundant, inexpensive materials that are robust, readily repaired, non-toxic, stable in
11070-408: The maximum output for the particular turbine. Areas where winds are stronger and more constant, such as offshore and high-altitude sites, are preferred locations for wind farms. Wind-generated electricity met nearly 4% of global electricity demand in 2015, with nearly 63 GW of new wind power capacity installed. Wind energy was the leading source of new capacity in Europe, the US and Canada, and
11193-472: The medium-term, this variability may require keeping some gas-fired power plants or other dispatchable generation on standby until there is enough energy storage, demand response , grid improvement, and/or baseload power from non-intermittent sources. In the long-term, energy storage is an important way of dealing with intermittency. Using diversified renewable energy sources and smart grids can also help flatten supply and demand. Sector coupling of
11316-526: The most important decision ever taken on the global level in favour of renewable energy. The founding of IRENA sent out a very strong signal to the world community that renewable energy will have to play and will play a key role in the future energy supply all over the world. With the Award, WWEA would also like to indicate that WWEA is committed to work closely with IRENA and will continue to give its full support." Since 1981, several meetings took place to discuss
11439-596: The old economy, energy was produced by burning something — oil, coal, or natural gas — leading to the carbon emissions that have come to define our economy. The new energy economy harnesses the energy in wind, the energy coming from the sun, and heat from within the earth itself. In international public opinion surveys there is strong support for a variety of methods for addressing the problem of energy supply. These methods include promoting renewable sources such as solar power and wind power, requiring utilities to use more renewable energy, and providing tax incentives to encourage
11562-513: The organization was involved in the implementation of policies such as the Paris Agreement, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the G7 and G20. IRENA's membership also grew to include nearly all countries world-wide. Various UN organisations work in the field of renewable energy. But IRENA is the only one dedicated to the promotion of 100% renewable energy worldwide. IRENA and
11685-788: The past decade, making them more competitive with traditional fossil fuels. In most countries, photovoltaic solar or onshore wind are the cheapest new-build electricity. From 2011 to 2021, renewable energy grew from 20% to 28% of global electricity supply. Power from the sun and wind accounted for most of this increase, growing from a combined 2% to 10%. Use of fossil energy shrank from 68% to 62%. In 2022, renewables accounted for 30% of global electricity generation and are projected to reach over 42% by 2028. Many countries already have renewables contributing more than 20% of their total energy supply, with some generating over half or even all their electricity from renewable sources. The main motivation to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources
11808-571: The power generation sector with other sectors may increase flexibility: for example the transport sector can be coupled by charging electric vehicles and sending electricity from vehicle to grid . Similarly the industry sector can be coupled by hydrogen produced by electrolysis, and the buildings sector by thermal energy storage for space heating and cooling. Building overcapacity for wind and solar generation can help ensure sufficient electricity production even during poor weather. In optimal weather, it may be necessary to curtail energy generation if it
11931-459: The present time; they include solar heating , photovoltaics , wind power , solar thermal power stations , and modern forms of bioenergy . Third-generation technologies require continued R&D efforts in order to make large contributions on a global scale and include advanced biomass gasification , hot-dry-rock geothermal power, and ocean energy . In 2019, nearly 75% of new installed electricity generation capacity used renewable energy and
12054-488: The primary challenges for new developments. It is popular to repower old dams thereby increasing their efficiency and capacity as well as quicker responsiveness on the grid. Where circumstances permit existing dams such as the Russell Dam built in 1985 may be updated with "pump back" facilities for pumped-storage which is useful for peak loads or to support intermittent wind and solar power. Because dispatchable power
12177-582: The public sector has a role to play. First-generation technologies are widely used in locations with abundant resources. Their future use depends on the exploration of the remaining resource potential, particularly in developing countries, and on overcoming challenges related to the environment and social acceptance. Biomass , the burning of organic materials for heat and power, is a fully mature technology . Unlike most renewable sources, biomass (and hydropower) can supply stable base load power generation. Biomass produces CO 2 emissions on combustion, and
12300-546: The remaining generation". "Photovoltaic and concentrated solar power together can become the major source of electricity". In 2013, China led the world in renewable energy production, with a total capacity of 378 GW , mainly from hydroelectric and wind power . As of 2014, China leads the world in the production and use of wind power, solar photovoltaic power and smart grid technologies, generating almost as much water, wind and solar energy as all of France and Germany's power plants combined. China's renewable energy sector
12423-419: The renewable energy industries. According to a 2011 projection by the IEA, solar power generators may produce most of the world's electricity within 50 years, reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions . Climate change , pollution, and energy insecurity are significant problems, and addressing them requires major changes to energy infrastructures. Renewable energy technologies are essential contributors to
12546-732: The renewable energy sector. Globally in 2020 there are over 10 million jobs associated with the renewable energy industries, with solar photovoltaics being the largest renewable employer. The clean energy sectors added about 4.7 million jobs globally between 2019 and 2022, totaling 35 million jobs by 2022. Renewable energy policy Renewable energy commercialization involves the deployment of three generations of renewable energy technologies dating back more than 100 years. First-generation technologies, which are already mature and economically competitive, include biomass , hydroelectricity , geothermal power and heat. Second-generation technologies are market-ready and are being deployed at
12669-585: The second largest in China. In Denmark, wind energy met more than 40% of its electricity demand while Ireland, Portugal and Spain each met nearly 20%. Globally, the long-term technical potential of wind energy is believed to be five times total current global energy production, or 40 times current electricity demand, assuming all practical barriers needed were overcome. This would require wind turbines to be installed over large areas, particularly in areas of higher wind resources, such as offshore, and likely also industrial use of new types of VAWT turbines in addition to
12792-527: The sector's increasing maturity and cost reductions, particularly in solar photovoltaic (PV), which accounted for 90% of total investments. China and the United States were the main recipients, collectively making up about half of all solar investments since 2013. Despite reductions in Japan and India due to policy changes and COVID-19 , growth in China, the United States, and a significant increase from Vietnam's feed-in tariff program offset these declines. Globally,
12915-418: The seed as is common today. Sweet sorghum may be a promising alternative source of bioethanol, due to its tolerance of a wide range of climates. Cow dung can be converted into methane. There is also a great deal of research involving algal fuel , which is attractive because algae is a non-food resource, grows around 20 times faster than most food crops, and can be grown almost anywhere. Geothermal energy
13038-412: The signatory countries adopted criteria and procedures for selecting IRENA's Interim Director-General and its interim headquarters. An Administrative Committee was created to assist the commission in preparing its second session. The Administrative Committee prepared draft proposals for an interim work programme and budget as well as for interim staff regulations and interim financial rules. Nominations for
13161-468: The sky to generate more electricity than conventional fixed-mounted systems. There are no fuel costs or emissions during operation of the power stations. Some of the second-generation renewables, such as wind power, have high potential and have already realised relatively low production costs. Wind power could become cheaper than nuclear power. Global wind power installations increased by 35,800 MW in 2010, bringing total installed capacity up to 194,400 MW,
13284-451: The solar sector added 714 gigawatts (GW) of solar PV and concentrated solar power (CSP) capacity between 2013 and 2021, with a notable rise in large-scale solar heating installations in 2021, especially in China, Europe, Turkey, and Mexico. A photovoltaic system , consisting of solar cells assembled into panels , converts light into electrical direct current via the photoelectric effect . PV has several advantages that make it by far
13407-433: The supply chain. Further improvements in the levelised cost of energy for solar, wind and other technologies lie ahead, posing a growing threat to the dominance of fossil fuel generation sources in the next few years. Hydro-electricity and geothermal electricity produced at favourable sites are now the cheapest way to generate electricity. Renewable energy costs continue to drop, and the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE)
13530-451: The target or called for it to go further. Across the EU, 57 percent thought the proposed goal was "about right" and 16 percent thought it was "too modest." In comparison, 19 percent said it was "too ambitious". As of 2011, new evidence has emerged that there are considerable risks associated with traditional energy sources, and that major changes to the mix of energy technologies is needed: Several mining tragedies globally have underscored
13653-468: The technology employing the most at almost 4 million. However, as of February 2024, the world's supply of workforce for solar energy is lagging greatly behind demand as universities worldwide still produce more workforce for fossil fuels than for renewable energy industries. In 2021, China accounted for almost half of the global increase in renewable electricity. There are 3,146 gigawatts installed in 135 countries, while 156 countries have laws regulating
13776-407: The ten biggest solar power stations are in China, including the biggest, Golmud Solar Park in China. Unlike photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight directly into electricity, solar thermal systems convert it into heat. They use mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight onto a receiver, which in turn heats a water reservoir. The heated water can then be used in homes. The advantage of solar thermal
13899-501: The term is not synonymous with low-carbon energy . Some non-renewable sources of energy, such as nuclear power , generate almost no emissions, while some renewable energy sources can be very carbon-intensive, such as the burning of biomass if it is not offset by planting new plants. Renewable energy is also distinct from sustainable energy , a more abstract concept that seeks to group energy sources based on their overall permanent impact on future generations of humans. For example, biomass
14022-484: The use of land for renewable installations. Like all mining, the extraction of minerals required for many renewable energy technologies also results in environmental damage . In addition, although most renewable energy sources are sustainable , some are not. Renewable energy is usually understood as energy harnessed from continuously occurring natural phenomena. The International Energy Agency defines it as "energy derived from natural processes that are replenished at
14145-551: The world potential capacity for geothermal power generation vary widely, ranging from 40 GW by 2020 to as much as 6,000 GW. Geothermal power capacity grew from around 1 GW in 1975 to almost 10 GW in 2008. The United States is the world leader in terms of installed capacity, representing 3.1 GW. Other countries with significant installed capacity include the Philippines (1.9 GW), Indonesia (1.2 GW), Mexico (1.0 GW), Italy (0.8 GW), Iceland (0.6 GW), Japan (0.5 GW), and New Zealand (0.5 GW). In some countries, geothermal power accounts for
14268-484: The world's transport energy demand in 2022, up from 2.7% in 2010. Biojet is expected to be important for short-term reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from long-haul flights. Aside from wood, the major sources of bioenergy are bioethanol and biodiesel . Bioethanol is usually produced by fermenting the sugar components of crops like sugarcane and maize , while biodiesel is mostly made from oils extracted from plants, such as soybean oil and corn oil . Most of
14391-483: The world's transport fuel and recent estimates indicate a continued high growth. The main producing countries for transport biofuels are the US, Brazil, and the EU. Brazil has one of the largest renewable energy programs in the world, involving production of ethanol fuel from sugar cane , and ethanol now provides 18 percent of the country's automotive fuel. As a result of this and the exploitation of domestic deep water oil sources, Brazil, which for years had to import
14514-502: The world, depending on the cost of drilling. EGS projects have so far primarily been limited to demonstration plants , as the technology is capital-intensive due to the high cost of drilling. Marine energy (also sometimes referred to as ocean energy) is the energy carried by ocean waves , tides , salinity , and ocean temperature differences . Technologies to harness the energy of moving water include wave power , marine current power , and tidal power . Reverse electrodialysis (RED)
14637-667: The worlds total electricity and 70% of all renewable electricity and is expected to increase about 3.1% each year for the next 25 years. Hydroelectric plants have the advantage of being long-lived and many existing plants have operated for more than 100 years. Hydropower is produced in 150 countries, with the Asia-Pacific region generating 32 percent of global hydropower in 2010. China is the largest hydroelectricity producer, with 721 terawatt-hours of production in 2010, representing around 17 percent of domestic electricity use. There are now three hydroelectricity plants larger than 10 GW:
14760-455: Was 1,360 GW. Only a third of the world's estimated hydroelectric potential of 14,000 TWh/year has been developed. New hydropower projects face opposition from local communities due to their large impact, including relocation of communities and flooding of wildlife habitats and farming land. High cost and lead times from permission process, including environmental and risk assessments, with lack of environmental and social acceptance are therefore
14883-544: Was 3.1%. The wind industry is able to produce more power at lower cost by using taller wind turbines with longer blades, capturing the faster winds at higher elevations. This has opened up new opportunities and in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, the price of power from wind turbines built 300 feet to 400 feet above the ground can now compete with conventional fossil fuels like coal. Prices have fallen to about 4 cents per kilowatt-hour in some cases and utilities have been increasing
15006-761: Was accorded Amin the honorary title of Director-General Emeritus . Along with his work as Secretariat, Amin also served as the Director of the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) at their New York office and as Special Representative of the UNEP Executive Director where he played a crucial role in reviewing international governance and his organizations participation at the World Summit of Sustainable Development. During his time as Director General of IRENA,
15129-522: Was built in 1982 in Hesperia, California by ARCO . The plant was not profitable and was sold eight years later. However, over the following decades, PV cells became significantly more efficient and cheaper. As a result, PV adoption has grown exponentially since 2010. Global capacity increased from 230 GW at the end of 2015 to 890 GW in 2021. PV grew fastest in China between 2016 and 2021, adding 560 GW, more than all advanced economies combined. Four of
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