The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an intergovernmental organisation that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future, and serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, a centre of excellence, and a repository of policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge on renewable energy.  IRENA promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, including bioenergy, geothermal, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy in the pursuit of sustainable development, energy access, energy security and low-carbon economic growth and prosperity.

With a mandate from countries around the world, IRENA encourages governments to adopt enabling policies for renewable energy investments, provides practical tools and policy advice to accelerate renewable energy deployment, and facilitates knowledge sharing and technology transfer to provide clean, sustainable energy for the world’s growing population.

In line with these aims, IRENA provides a range of products and services, including:

• Renewable Readiness Assessments, conducted in partnership with governments and regional organisations, to provide policy guidance and facilitate the sharing of case studies and best practices;
• the Global Atlas for Renewable Energy, which maps solar, wind sources country by country;
• the IRENA Renewable Energy Learning Partnership (IRELP), an online learning network;
• Handbooks for renewable energy policy development;
• Technology briefs and cost studies
• Facilitation of renewable energy planning at regional levels;
• Renewable Energy Country Profiles.

With 140 states and the European Union as members, and active participation by many more signatories and applicants for membership around the world, IRENA helps countries achieve their clean energy potential and promotes renewable resources and technologies as the key to a sustainable future.

The IRENA Headquarters

On 29 June 2009 the city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates was designated as the interim seat of the Agency. At the First Session of the IRENA Assembly in April 2011, Abu Dhabi was announced as the permanent seat of IRENA, making it the first intergovernmental organisation to be headquartered in the Middle East. The Agency also has an Innovation and Technology Centre based in Bonn, Germany, and has a presence in New York, United States of America.

Further information on the IRENA Headquarters is available here.