As the world strives to cut carbon emissions, electric power from renewables has emerged as a vital energy source.  Fuel needs for transport and industry, meanwhile, could be met with renewable-based hydrogen.

This report contains the latest developments and good practices to develop grid connection codes for power systems with high shares of variable renewable energy – solar photovoltaic and wind.

This brief by China Water Risk and IRENA examines the expected impact of China’s power sector on water and climate in 2030. Building on plans announced at the COP21 climate change conference in Paris, and earlier analyses by China Water Risk and IRENA, it assesses the impact of different options for China’s power mix in 2030 on water use and carbon emissions. As the findings show, decarbonising the power sector through renewables would also yield benefits in areas related to water.

This report maps and categorises innovative solutions to integrate renewables. It brings together insights on key innovations to facilitate higher shares of solar and wind in the power sector.

This guidebook provides information for policy makers and examples of available tools and solutions to facilitate the use of low-temperature renewable heat sources in new and existing district energy systems.

This Commission Report analyses the geopolitical implications of the accelerating global shift to renewables. It is the culmination of deliberations by the Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation. 

This outlook highlights climate-safe investment options until 2050, policies for transition and specific regional challenges. It also explores options to eventually cut emissions to zero.

IRENA's latest global cost study shows how the competitiveness of renewables continued amid the fossil fuel crisis and highlights cost trends for major renewable electricity sources.

The new report shows 162 gigawatts (GW) or 62% of total renewable power generation added last year had lower costs than the cheapest new fossil fuel option.

The first edition of REthinking Energy, a flagship series from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), examines challenges and opportunities for accelerated deployment of renewables in the power-generation sector, while reviewing global progress in the transition to a sustainable energy future.

Cities have emerged as a key focus of global climate mitigation and adaptation strategies. This report highlights resource potential, targets, technology options and planning priorities.

Offshore renewable energy – including offshore wind and solar power, as well as emerging ocean energy technologies – could support sustainable long-term development and drive a vibrant blue economy. 

The municipal authorities for Zhangjiakou City, in co-operation with the China National Renewable Energy Centre (CNREC) and IRENA, have adopted an ambitious 30-year roadmap to phase out coal-fired power generation and scale up solar and wind power instead.

This report explores two broad future paths: Current Plans (meaning the course set by current and planned policies) and the path for a clean, climate-resilient Energy Transformation.

This flagship report examines trends and developments in the global quest for a sustainable energy future. As this third edition emphasises, accelerated deployment will fuel economic growth, create new employment opportunities, enhance human welfare and contribute to a climate-safe future.

Renewable energy needs to be scaled up at least six times faster for the world to start meeting key decarbonisation and climate mitigation goals. Yet the envisaged energy transformation cannot happen by itself. This report identifies focus areas where policy and decision makers need to act.

IRENA’s latest global cost study shows solar and wind power reaching new price lows. The report highlights cost trends for all major renewable electricity sources.

This outlook shows how through smart charging EV batteries can help to integrate high shares of solar and wind power into existing grids, as battery storage capacity helps to even out the variability of these sources.

Doubling renewables in the global energy mix by 2030 is not only feasible, but cheaper than not doing so. This second edition of IRENA’s global roadmap provides an in-depth perspective on the energy transition in 40 economies, representing 80% of global energy use. It offers concrete technology options and outlines solutions to accelerate renewable energy growth.

Geopolitics of the energy transition: Critical materials provides comprehensive insights into the significance of critical materials, examining their associated geopolitical implications and offering recommendations for a sustainable and efficient global energy transition.

Thermal energy storage (TES) can help to integrate high shares of renewable energy in power generation, industry and buildings. This outlook identifies priorities for research and development.

The report outlines ways in which cities can catalyse the shift to a low-carbon future, in turn supporting regional and national governments with the achievement of sustainable energy targets.

This report outlines a pathway for the world to achieve the Paris Agreement goals and halt the pace of climate change by transforming the global energy landscape.

REmap 2030 provides a plan to double the share of renewable energy in the world’s energy mix between 2010 and 2030.

Este folleto describe por qué una adopción acelerada de las energías renovables es una solución clave para un escenario climáticamente seguro.