This publication presents a structured methodology that countries can use to assess their capacity to produce renewable energy statistics.

Increasing the share of renewable power from variable sources, namely solar and wind energy, requires technological developments to be accompanied by well-designed regulations for grid management and operation.

This brief quantifies air pollution and climate change externalities related to fossil fuels, along with the extent these can be reduced with higher uptake of renewables.

This report is the first-ever projection of PV panel waste volumes to 2050. It highlights that recycling or repurposing solar PV panels at the end of their roughly 30-year lifetime can unlock an estimated stock of 78 million tonnes of raw materials and other valuable components globally by 2050.

Increasing economies of scale, more competitive supply chains and further technological improvements will continue reducing the costs of solar and wind power. The same factors will also boost the availability of these key renewable power sources at night and in varying weather conditions.

In October 2015, the G20 adopted the “Toolkit of Voluntary Options for Renewable Energy Deployment”. This report summarises the results for the G20, identifies action areas for G20 policy makers and proposes the next steps of a “REmap G20 process”.

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) produces comprehensive renewable energy statistics on a range of topics. This publication presents IRENA’s latest statistics for renewable power generation and capacity, as well as renewable energy balances for all countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation is poised to revolutionise the electrical system in countries around the world. From around 2% in 2016, the share of global electricity generated from solar PV to grow to as much as 13% by 2030, according to this report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The solar industry’s expansion is driven primarily by cost reductions, with the report anticipating further cost declines by up to 59% in ten years.

Irrigation improves yields, reduces vulnerability to changing rainfall patterns, and enables multiple cropping practices. This can stimulate socio-economic development in the agriculture sector helping the fight against poverty.

Scaling up renewable energy calls for mobilising a massive investment increase. Renewables bring far reaching benefits in terms of human health, energy access, environmental protection and the response to climate change, along with the potential to create new jobs around the world.

This working paper draws on engagement with a Transport Action Team of experts and expands on the transport-related findings published in IRENA’s report REmap: Roadmap for a Renewable Energy Future, 2016 Edition.

The report offers a comprehensive review of the status and trends in the region’s renewable energy development. It highlights Latin America’s wealth of knowledge, draws key lessons, and outlines findings to support the continued expansion of renewables for power generation, transport and other end-uses.

The historic Paris climate agreement, adopted by countries around the world in December 2015, aims to the rise of global temperature well below 2 degrees Celsius. Renewable energy will play a key role in this effort, which encompasses developing as well as developed countries, by increasing the supply of cheap and accessible energy in a less carbon-intensive manner.

This report highlights the role of islands in global efforts against climate change. It highlights transitions to renewables in the power, including planning and implementation, enabling business models and transition tools.

Antigua and Barbuda possesses abundant renewable energy resources, including considerable solar, wind, biomass and ocean potential. This Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA) presents a set of clear and practical steps for these islands to maximise renewables in the energy mix.

This publication shows data sets on renewable power-generation capacity for 2006-2015, renewable power generation for 2006-2014 and renewable energy balances for 100 countries and areas for 2013 and 2014.

A REmap country study highlights the potential to increase the share of renewable power generation in the Dominican Republic to as much as 44% by 2030.

The report examines the specificities of mini-grids connected to solar, biomass, wind and small hydropower, or some combination of these with other energy sources, and discusses the key factors influencing investors in mini-grid projects.

The report discusses challenges in policy making and proposes a co-ordinated effort to collect data on the installed costs of solar PV in Africa, across all market segments to improve the efficiency of policy support and accelerate deployment.

This report examines ground-breaking innovations that can help to unlock future power supply for unserved areas and communities through the rapid roll-out of mini-grids based on solar, wind or other renewable sources.

The number of people without access to electricity is estimated at more than a billion, while almost 2.9 billion still rely on traditional, unsustainable biomass sources such as firewood for cooking and heating. About 80% of those lacking modern energy access live in rural areas, which also host more than 70% of the world’s poor.

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.

The size of wind turbines has continuously increased over several decades to boost power generation from this key renewable energy source. As this technology brief from IRENA and IEA-ETSAP notes, large-scale wind farms and larger turbines drive the ongoing reduction of electricity costs.

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.

Mongolia can use its vast renewable energy resources to bolster energy security, reduce pollution, meet global climate commitments and develop regional electricity exports, finds this report prepared jointly by IRENA and Mongolian Ministry of Energy. Electricity output from the country’s solar and wind resources alone could reach 15,000 terawatt-hours per year.