Education
This webpage, created in response to a request from educators, education managers and operators, provides a rapid, direct and easy access to IRENA key reports, infographics, data and tools. It also hosts IRENA’s Technical Papers Series, individually authored by IRENA staff and other internationally recognised experts.
Key reports
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World Energy Transitions Outlook: 1.5°C Pathway
Interactive versionThis report guides policy makers to stay on the the 1.5°C path to 2050, explores the socio-economic impacts of the transition and suggests ways to speed progress towards universal access to clean energy.
Energy transition, Off-grid for energy access, Targets & NDCs, Policy, Carbon capture, Critical materials English -
Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation: The Hydrogen Factor
Interactive versionThe report provides a comprehensive analysis of the geopolitical drivers and potential consequences of the development of clean hydrogen value chains.
Geopolitics, Hydrogen, Technology, Green hydrogen, Policy English -
Renewable Energy Market Analysis: Africa and its Regions
ViewThe report lays out a pathway to a renewable-based energy system and shows that the transition promises substantial gains in GDP, employment, and human welfare in each region of the African continent.
Macro-economic benefits, Socio-economic impact, Energy & jobs, Socio-economic impact English -
Renewable Energy and Jobs - Annual Review 2021
Interactive versionThis Special Edition of the report on Labour and Policy Perspectives, in collaboration with the ILO, presents the status of employment in 2020 and discusses the policy framework required for a just transition.
Energy & jobs, Socio-economic impact, Macro-economic benefits, Socio-economic impact English
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Renewable energy market analysis: Mano River Union region
ViewThis report analyses the energy sector landscape in the Mano River Union (MRU) region, discussing opportunities and solutions to scale-up renewable energy adoption in support of the region’s energy and socio-economic development goals.
Policy, Energy transition English -
The Breakthrough Agenda Report 2022
ViewThis report by IRENA, IEA and and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions is focused on supporting stronger international collaboration to drive reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy transition, Targets & NDCs, Policy English -
Scaling Up Renewables in Landlocked Developing Countries
ViewThis joint IRENA-UN-OHRLLS report provides an overview of deployment trends, drivers, barriers and opportunities for energy transition in LLDCs.
Energy transition, Policy English -
Bioenergy for the Transition: Ensuring Sustainability and Overcoming Barriers
ViewThis report provides an overview of the challenges and related policy measures required to scale up the deployment of key bioenergy applications.
Energy transition, Policy English
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Low-cost finance for the energy transition
ViewThis report identifies the pressing need for greater private sector engagement in the financing of energy transition projects, as well as closer public-private collaboration to sustain the net zero pathway.
Energy transition, Finance & investment, Costs, Technology English -
The cost of financing for renewable power
ViewBased on a new, unique dataset from a global survey, this IRENA report presents unprecedented insights on the cost of capital for onshore wind, offshore wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) projects.
Finance & investment, Costs, Technology, Solar energy, Wind energy English -
Renewable Energy Outlook for ASEAN: Towards a Regional Energy Transition (2nd Edition)
ViewThis report details a comprehensive pathway for the development of a sustainable and cleaner regional energy system for ASEAN.
Energy transition, Innovation, Technology English -
Renewable Energy for Agriculture: Insights from Southeast Asia
ViewThis report examines the role of renewables in meeting growing energy needs in the agriculture sector in an inclusive and environmentally sustainable manner.
Socio-economic impact, Energy transition, Bioenergy & biofuels, Technology, Buildings & cities English
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World Energy Transitions Outlook 2023: 1.5°C Pathway, Volume 2
ViewThis second volume of the 2023 Outlook, based on IRENA’s macro-econometric modelling work, provides policymakers with insights into how economic activity, employment and wellbeing may be affected under the 1.5°C pathway, compared to current policy settings.
Energy transition English -
Agricultural residue-based bioenergy: Regional potential and scale-up strategies
ViewThis report estimates the potential of agricultural residues for bioenergy production in Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and South America, and highlights best practices for the effective mobilisation of these resources.
Energy transition, Bioenergy & biofuels English -
Renewable energy for remote communities: A guidebook for off-grid projects
ViewThis report presents analysis of nine projects supplying electricity to remote communities across the globe, identifying key success factors and best practices to inform future projects.
Energy transition, Off-grid for energy access English -
Socio-economic footprint of the energy transition: South Africa
ViewThis report builds on the analysis presented in IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook to support energy transition planning and informed policy making in South Africa, and calls for a comprehensive policy framework that can advance the transition whilst safeguarding people, livelihoods and jobs.
Energy transition, Socio-economic impact English
Technical papers
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Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Rare Earth elements
ViewThe technical paper on Critical Materials for the Energy Transition emphasises that an accelerated energy transition requires a growing supply of critical materials, with Chapter 7 of the IRENA’s World Energy Transition Outlook 2022 further elaborating on these materials. IRENA continues to publish technical papers on groups of critical materials: the first one focuses on lithium and this second paper focuses on rare earth elements.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Lithium
ViewThis paper discusses the global lithium industry structure and major players while reflecting on current costs changes and their further implications, the role of the governments could play to de-risk lithium supply and the opportunities innovation can play in reducing demand growth.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition
ViewThis paper will assess how the growth of renewables will put critical materials at the centre of the energy transformation, with the objective of highlighting the criticalities related to the sector and of identifying how technological developments and innovation can positively reduce geopolitical risks.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Capturing Carbon
ViewThis paper explores the status and potential of carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies and their roles alongside renewables in the deep decarbonisation of energy systems.
Energy transition, Technology, Carbon capture -
Oil companies and the energy transition
ViewThis paper analyses the strategies of seven international oil companies (IOCs) in the context of energy transition.
Energy transition, Technology -
Energy subsidies: Evolution in the global energy transformation to 2050
ViewThe energy sector lacks a standard definition of subsidies. This paper contributes to research on how subsidies are calculated – for fossil-fuels, renewables and the sector as a whole.
Costs, Policy, Technology
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Measuring the socio-economics of transition: Focus on jobs
ViewWell-crafted deployment, integrating and enabling policies could create millions of new jobs. This report outlines the evolving global and regional distribution of energy employment.
Energy transition, Socio-economic impact
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The Renewable Spring: The interplay between finance and policy in the energy transition
ViewThis paper presents a brief overview of technology revolutions and how they interact with financial markets.
Energy transition, Finance & investment
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Renewable energy targets in small island developing states
ViewThis technical paper presents a quantification of SIDS’ renewable energy targets, both in their national energy plans and in their NDCs.
Targets & NDCs English -
Potential Limitations of Marginal Pricing for a Power System Based on Renewables
ViewMarginal pricing wholesale power markets could produce significant barriers for the energy transition, and on their own do not appear to be appropriate organisational structures for renewables-based power systems.
Energy transition, Policy -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Rare Earth elements
ViewThe technical paper on Critical Materials for the Energy Transition emphasises that an accelerated energy transition requires a growing supply of critical materials, with Chapter 7 of the IRENA’s World Energy Transition Outlook 2022 further elaborating on these materials. IRENA continues to publish technical papers on groups of critical materials: the first one focuses on lithium and this second paper focuses on rare earth elements.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Lithium
ViewThis paper discusses the global lithium industry structure and major players while reflecting on current costs changes and their further implications, the role of the governments could play to de-risk lithium supply and the opportunities innovation can play in reducing demand growth.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology
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Renewable energy targets in small island developing states
ViewThis technical paper presents a quantification of SIDS’ renewable energy targets, both in their national energy plans and in their NDCs.
Targets & NDCs English -
Potential Limitations of Marginal Pricing for a Power System Based on Renewables
ViewMarginal pricing wholesale power markets could produce significant barriers for the energy transition, and on their own do not appear to be appropriate organisational structures for renewables-based power systems.
Energy transition, Policy -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Rare Earth elements
ViewThe technical paper on Critical Materials for the Energy Transition emphasises that an accelerated energy transition requires a growing supply of critical materials, with Chapter 7 of the IRENA’s World Energy Transition Outlook 2022 further elaborating on these materials. IRENA continues to publish technical papers on groups of critical materials: the first one focuses on lithium and this second paper focuses on rare earth elements.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Lithium
ViewThis paper discusses the global lithium industry structure and major players while reflecting on current costs changes and their further implications, the role of the governments could play to de-risk lithium supply and the opportunities innovation can play in reducing demand growth.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition
ViewThis paper will assess how the growth of renewables will put critical materials at the centre of the energy transformation, with the objective of highlighting the criticalities related to the sector and of identifying how technological developments and innovation can positively reduce geopolitical risks.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Capturing Carbon
ViewThis paper explores the status and potential of carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies and their roles alongside renewables in the deep decarbonisation of energy systems.
Energy transition, Technology, Carbon capture -
The Renewable Spring: The interplay between finance and policy in the energy transition
ViewThis paper presents a brief overview of technology revolutions and how they interact with financial markets.
Energy transition, Finance & investment -
Oil companies and the energy transition
ViewThis paper analyses the strategies of seven international oil companies (IOCs) in the context of energy transition.
Energy transition, Technology -
Measuring the socio-economics of transition: Focus on jobs
ViewWell-crafted deployment, integrating and enabling policies could create millions of new jobs. This report outlines the evolving global and regional distribution of energy employment.
Energy transition, Socio-economic impact -
Energy subsidies: Evolution in the global energy transformation to 2050
ViewThe energy sector lacks a standard definition of subsidies. This paper contributes to research on how subsidies are calculated – for fossil-fuels, renewables and the sector as a whole.
Costs, Policy, Technology
-
Potential Limitations of Marginal Pricing for a Power System Based on Renewables
ViewMarginal pricing wholesale power markets could produce significant barriers for the energy transition, and on their own do not appear to be appropriate organisational structures for renewables-based power systems.
Energy transition, Policy -
Energy subsidies: Evolution in the global energy transformation to 2050
ViewThe energy sector lacks a standard definition of subsidies. This paper contributes to research on how subsidies are calculated – for fossil-fuels, renewables and the sector as a whole.
Costs, Policy, Technology