Australia has the opportunity to play a leading role in international efforts to increase the deployment of renewable energy technologies and drive down their costs with its election to the Council of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

 

IRENA is headquartered in Abu Dhabi and provides a central point for knowledge sharing among member countries and works alongside existing global organisations including the International Energy Agency. IRENA also providing advice to facilitate capacity building among developing countries, including Australia’s Pacific neighbours.

 

Australia ratified the IRENA statute in January 2011 and will be represented on the Council by Martin Hoffman, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.

 

The IRENA Council, consisting of 21 members, is the oversight and management body for IRENA between meetings of the Assembly.
 
Minister Ferguson said that Australia’s participation with IRENA complements our domestic action to increase the deployment of renewable energy technologies through the expanded 20 per cent by 2020 Renewable Energy Target, the $5 billion Clean Energy Initiative, and the Government’s work on a mechanism to price carbon. 
  
While in Abu Dhabi Minister Ferguson will also attend the second Clean Energy Ministerial meeting, meet with ministerial counterparts and key tourism stakeholders, and visit Masdar City, Abu Dhabi's flagship community that will deploy clean energy technologies and drive innovation.