Renewable cost data to support policy making: Design, implementation and best practice (GSE/IRENA wo

Rome, Italy

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Italy’s Energy Services Operator (Gestore dei Servizi Energetici – GSE S.p.A) held a joint workshop on how to use renewable energy cost data to support policy making. GSE is a founding member of the IRENA Renewable Costing Alliance, which works with project investors to gather and compile real-world data on the rapidly improving cost profile of renewable energy sources and technologies. 

The purpose of the workshop in Rome on 12 December was to:

  • Discuss the rationale and importance of systematically collecting up-to-date cost and performance data for renewable energy technologies and fuels;
  • Present recent cost and performance data for renewables and identify current and future challenges for policy makers in a dynamic market;
  • Discuss regulatory models that provide a legal basis for ongoing collection of cost and performance data for renewable energy technologies;
  • Discuss the data needs for different technologies and markets to meet the analytical needs of policy makers, along with how to collect such data in the most efficient way, minimising compliance costs.

About 45 participants from 11 countries attended the workshop, including officials from France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Malaysia, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, and representatives from research institutes, academia and industry.

Presentations from the workshop are available below:

“The need for better renewable cost data: Rationale, benefits and the role of IRENA”
Michael Taylor, IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre

“Collecting RE cost data to support policy development: The case of Italy”
Dr Luciano Barra, Ministry of Economic Development – Italy

“Renewable Energy: The True Cost”
Michael Taylor, IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre

“The Medium-term Outlook for Renewables: What needs to be done to accelerate deployment?”
Michael Waldron, International Energy Agency

“Developing a comprehensive renewable cost data collection process to support Italian policy makers”
Luca Benedetti, Head of Studies and Statistics, GSE

“Renewable cost data to support ambitious renewable deployment goals”
Ramon Méndez, Director of Energy, Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining – Uruguay

“Collecting cost data to support new solar PV markets”
Eun Young So, IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre

“Challenges in collecting renewable cost data in SE Asia”
Dr Ali Askar Sher Mohamad, Sustainable Energy Development Authority – Malaysia