Africa Clean Energy Corridor High-Level Meeting,
Fourth session of the IRENA Assembly,
World Future Energy Summit 2014, and
IRENA Renewable Energy Jobs Conference

The World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2014 concluded on Wednesday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, United Arab Emirates.

On Wednesday morning and afternoon, the event “Renewable energy investment in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), moving beyond targets: opportunities and challenges” took place. This invitation-only session was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, the Renewable Energy Industry Advisory Board (RIAB) of the International Energy Agency and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). A moderated discussion examined factors enabling successfully financed projects, as well as private sector views on key barriers for scaling up financing in renewables.

Throughout the day, IRENA hosted a workshop on "Business models for renewable energy deployment in cities." The event brought together key local government decision-makers and private sector actors to discuss cost effective business models. Discussions addressed, inter alia: waste to energy, solar water heaters, and retrofitting outdoor/road lighting.

Full web coverage available here: 22 Jan

On Tuesday, the IRENA Renewable Energy Jobs Conference took place, highlighting the renewable energy sector as a significant employer with the potential of adding millions of jobs worldwide in the coming years. This first conference on the topic included experts, practitioners, academics and other stakeholders from the public and private sectors, providing a platform for sharing knowledge, experiences and best practices.

In addition, IRENA organized side events at the World Future Energy Summit on: grid integration and energy storage; the Project Navigator software tool for renewable energy developers; and "Hybridizing isolated diesel grids for decentralized energy: Public-private investment opportunities."

Full web coverage available here: 21 Jan

A youth choir welcomed participants on Monday morning to the opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the 2014 WFES, an event dedicated to renewable energies, energy efficiency and clean technologies. The event included a conference, an international exhibition, the Project & Finance Village, the Young Future Energy Leaders program, as well as a number of corporate meetings and concurrent social events, including several several side events organized by IRENA.

At the opening ceremony, the week was framed as an action-oriented conference and event to ensure sustainable access to water and energy, mitigate impacts of climate change, create jobs and sustained economic growth and develop solutions through partnerships, through WFES and interconnected conferences on water and waste management.

Sultan Ahmed al Jaber, CEO, Masdar, called for a collective effort to rethink and transform economies to become more resilient, productive and efficient, making it possible to achieve the tremendous potential for sustainable energy and development. Opening remarks were made also by IRENA Director-General Adnan Amin and a panel of Heads of State from Africa focusing on harnessing Africa’s great renewable energy potential.

Full web coverage available here: 20 Jan

The fourth Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) closed on Sunday evening. Issues considered during the session included: various organizational and institutional matters, including the work programme and budget for 2014-15 and procedure for appointing the Director-General; IRENA's annual publication RE-thinking energy; IRENA Renewable Energy and Jobs Report; report on RE-map 2030 – IRENA's Global Roadmap to 2030; Renewable Readiness Assessments; the IRENA/Abu Dhabi Fund for Development Project Facility; and the Project Navigator, an online tool to support the development of renewable energy projects.

A ministerial roundtable discussion took place on Sunday parallel to the IRENA Assembly, organized in two parts. The first part focused on the theme "renewables – extending the frontier," and the second part addressed regional initiatives for scaling up investment in renewable power.

Full web coverage available here: 19 Jan

The fourth session of the IRENA Assembly opened on Saturday morning. The Assembly elected Pedro Joaquín Coldwell, Secretary of Energy of Mexico, as President of its fourth session.

Agenda items taken up on Saturday included: organization of work; implementation of the 2013 work programme and budget; the work programme and budget for 2014-15; a signing ceremony for the IRENA Global Atlas Initiative; IRENA Council Chair's report; IRENA's annual publication REthinking energy; the IRENA Renewable Energy and Jobs Report; and RE-map 2030 – IRENA's Global Roadmap to 2030.

Full web coverage available here: 18 Jan

On Friday afternoon, a ministerial meeting convened to consider an Action Agenda for the Africa Clean Energy Corridor, an initiative launched at the third session of the IRENA Assembly in January 2013 with the objective of developing clean, indigenous, cost-effective renewable power to support Africa's economic development.

Discussions covered, inter alia: countries' views on the opportunity to move to a renewable energy future; key challenges that countries will face in making the transition; whether countries are fully equipped to utilize their renewable resource potential; and whether the concept of the Africa Clean Energy Corridor provides the necessary elements to enable renewable energy transition.

The Round Table was followed by a Partnership Panel on Promoting Investment in Renewable Power Infrastructure. Topics discussed included challenges for renewable power investment in the African setting, key elements for projects to be bankable, whether the Corridor makes sense at the scale envisaged and how partners can be engaged in the development of the Corridor.

The ministers agreed to endorse the IRENA Communiqué on the Africa Clean Energy Corridor with elements of zoning and resource assessment, country and regional planning, enabling frameworks for investment, capacity building and public information.

Full web coverage available here: 17 Jan