Tag: IRENA

655 million people still living without electricity underscore urgent need to deliver on universal energy access target

Stuart Mitchell

At a time when energy security and affordability have risen to the top of the development agenda, 655 million people globally still lack access to electricity, and two billion use polluting fuels and technologies for cooking putting their health and well-being at risk. Sub-Saharan Africa bears a disproportionate share of these gaps, with over 560 million living without electricity and 970 million lacking access to clean cooking. The latest edition of Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report, featuring new 2023 and 2024 data, shows while most regions are nearing…

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WIPO and IRENA Launch Patent Landscape Report on Decarbonizing Heavy-Duty Road Transport

Stuart Mitchell

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) launched today a new Patent Landscape Report on Decarbonizing Heavy-Duty Road Transport at the International Transport Forum (ITF) Summit in Leipzig, Germany. The report, which draws on contributions from the International Road Transport Union (IRU) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), provides a comprehensive patent-based analysis of innovation trends in the technologies driving the decarbonization of trucks and buses worldwide. The report follows WIPO’s Technology Trends: Future of Transportation report published in 2025, the third publication in…

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Moving from Energy Crisis to Energy Security with Renewables

Stuart Mitchell

The strategic deployment of renewables has provided enhanced resilience in the face of the current energy crisis by a number of countries, according to a new policy advisory from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The brief, aimed at policy makers responding to the disruption in international energy markets, suggests a set of immediate and longer-term actions to insulate countries and communities from the worst effects of the crisis, and steer their economic recovery toward greater energy security and resilience. Renewables are already reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports across…

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Near-700 GW Surge in 2025 Proves Renewable Energy Resilience

Stuart Mitchell

2025 saw total renewable power capacity reach 5149 gigawatts (GW) after the addition of 692 GW, or a 15.5% of annual increase, according to new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The Renewable Capacity Statistics 2026 also finds renewable energy dominates the total capacity expansion at 85.6% share, while non-renewables continue to account for a smaller share of additions. Geopolitical tensions are once again thrusting energy into the global spotlight. Escalation in the Middle East raises fresh concerns over supply security and fossil fuel price volatility. Against this…

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The 4th NewGen Renewable Energy Accelerator Opens Its Doors to Young Innovators

Stuart Mitchell

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) launched the fourth edition of the IRENA NewGen Renewable Energy Accelerator (NewGen), aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs and innovators in driving the renewable energy transition. NewGen provides capacity building, mentorship, and tailored support to youth-led start-ups and growth businesses that develop innovative solutions to advance renewables deployment. The initiative is delivered with the support of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, in partnership with Social Alpha (a non-profit organisation based in India that supports social start-ups) and Enel Foundation (a global non-profit think-tank…

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