All Things Renewable

Episodet

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  Transition Pathways: How Can Sub-Saharan Africa Turn Vast Renewable Potential into Reliable Energy? 27.08.2026 17min

  Sub-Saharan Africa holds some of the world's largest renewable energy potential, yet around 560 million people in the region still live without access to electricity. In this episode, Kamlesh Dookayka and Mamadou Goundiam, IRENA experts on Sub-Saharan Africa, explore how the region can move beyond untapped potential to deploy its vast resource base at scale. They examine the structural barriers holding projects back, the role of long-term planning at the national and continental level, and what countries and communities stand to gain when renewables deliver reliable energy, economic development and lasting local value.
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  How is Southeast Asia charting its own pathways to a renewable future? 06.08.2026 18min

  Each country charts its own energy transition pathway. Across Southeast Asia, countries are balancing rising energy demand, import dependence and climate commitments, and renewables are emerging as a reliable solution. Karanpreet Kaur, Country Engagement Officer for Asia, explains how local circumstances shape each nation's approach. She explores how governments turn strengths into opportunities, why cross-border cooperation matters, and how the Accelerated Partnership for Renewable Energy in Southeast Asia (APRESA) helps to translate ambition into action to empower communities while building low-carbon economies. Follow IRENA under #TransitionPathways to see how local action powers regional progress.
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  Local Pathways, Global Energy Transition: Turning Local Strengths into Global Progress 23.07.2026 17min

  No two countries follow the same energy transition pathway, yet renewable energy is emerging as a common solution across them all. In this episode, Binu Parthan, Deputy Director, Country Engagement and Partnerships (CEP), explains why local circumstances such as geography, resources and economic development shape each nation's approach to the energy transition. He explores how countries turn local strengths into renewable opportunities, why renewables prove relevant across diverse priorities, and how knowledge sharing accelerates progress worldwide. Follow IRENA this summer under #TransitionPathways to see how local action powers global change. 
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  Capacity and Generation: Unveiling the Story Told by the Numbers 15.07.2026 13min

  In 2025, the world added a record 693 gigawatts of renewable power capacity, alongside record growth in renewable electricity generation. But what do these numbers really tell us? In this episode, Julian Prime, Head of Statistics at IRENA, unpacks the concepts of capacity and generation with examples. He also explains how the numbers translate into a story of progress towards a sustainable energy future.
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  Electrification: Powering the Next Phase of the Energy Transition 25.06.2026 13min

  As geopolitical tensions rise, energy demand grows and fossil fuel markets grow volatile, the global energy transition is entering a new phase, with electrification and renewable power emerging as the foundation of future energy systems. In this episode, Ricardo Gorini, Head of IRENA's Energy and Socioeconomic Outlooks Unit, draws on IRENA’s new report  Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels: A Roadmap Powered by Renewables, Electrification and Grid Enhancement to explain why electrification powered by renewables is becoming the next frontier of the energy transition. He unpacks the case for a global target of 35% electrification by 2035, the benefits reaching well beyond emissions from energy security and competitiveness to cleaner air and new jobs, and why modern grids have become a bottleneck the transition cannot afford to ignore.
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  Driving the Energy Transition: Patent Trends in Heavy-Duty Road Transport 15.05.2026 29min

  Trucks and buses keep the global economy moving, yet 94% still run on fossil fuels and the sector accounts for around 40% of road transport emissions. In this episode, Dr Lakshmi Supriya, Patent Analytics Officer at WIPO, and Jaidev Dhavle, Associate Programme Officer at IRENA, draw on the new joint WIPO–IRENA Patent Landscape Report: Decarbonizing Heavy-Duty Road Transport to examine what patent data reveals about innovation in the sector. They unpack why patents matter for the energy transition, the rise of battery-electric and hydrogen technologies, where innovation is concentrated, and the policy and investment shifts needed to turn this momentum into real impact.
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  Investing in People: Education and Skills for the Energy Transition 01.05.2026 15min

  The energy transition cannot succeed without the people to deliver it. Yet as deployment accelerates, a growing skills gap threatens to slow progress. With 40% of the world's population under 25, the opportunity to build that workforce has never been greater. In this episode, Samah Elsayed, Programme Officer leading IRENA's work on education, discusses the skills the transition demands and how IRENA is shaping energy education globally, from training educators to building local and digital capacities. She also examines the qualification gaps that still hold progress back, and why inclusion is as important as investment.For more on IRENA’s Education initiatives: https://www.irena.org/Education-and-Skills
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  From Energy Crisis to Energy Security: Why Supply Chains Matter? 27.04.2026 13min

  The Middle East conflict has severely disrupted the global economy and exposed the fragility of fossil fuel supply chains. From fuel shortages to supply chain shocks, energy security is being redefined. Countries that invested early in renewables are proving more resilient, showing that security is less about securing fuels and more about ensuring access to technologies, materials and industrial know-how. In this episode, Ann-Kathrin Lipponer, Associate Programme Officer for Innovation and Supply Chains at IRENA, discusses what countries should do to secure a sustainable energy future, the new risks they may face, and why international partnerships are key to success.
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  How Can Clean Cooking Transform the Lives of 2.1 billion people? 26.03.2026 15min

  The energy transition is incomplete without addressing how people cook their meals. For over 2.1 billion people worldwide, that still means relying on polluting fuels such as wood, charcoal, and kerosene, which pose serious health risks, particularly for women and children. Yet access to cleaner solutions is one of the most immediate and transformative steps available. Caroline Ochieng, Programme Officer for Energy Access Policy at IRENA, explores how clean cooking can improve health, empower women and youth, protect the environment, support sustainable development, and why it must be central to the energy transition.
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  Beyond the Price: How Well-Designed Renewable Energy Auctions Drive Positive Impacts 13.03.2026 22min

  Renewable energy auctions have become one of the most widely used policy mechanisms for procuring renewable electricity worldwide. In this episode, Diala Hawila, Team Lead on Renewable Energy Policy and Finance, and Hannah Sofia Guinto, Associate Programme Officer at IRENA, explore how auction design has shifted beyond achieving the lowest possible price to support grid integration, sustainable development and a just energy transition. They examine key design challenges, the objectives governments are embedding into auction frameworks and what countries and communities stand to gain from well-designed auctions.
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  Fuelling Aviation: How to Unlock Investment to Scale Up SAF 27.02.2026 16min

  Aviation accounts for 2.5% of global emissions and remains one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are widely seen as its most immediate solution, yet production sits below 1% of global jet fuel use. In this episode, Haliru Audu, Programme Officer for Project Financing at IRENA, explores what is holding SAF back from scale, what it takes to attract serious investment, and how financial instruments and risk-sharing mechanisms such as FinInvest@ETAF can help bridge the gap between pilot projects and industrial-scale deployment.  
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  How Can Energy Planning Close the Gap Between Plans and Projects? 06.02.2026 19min

  As the global energy transition accelerates, countries face growing pressure to turn renewable energy targets into bankable project pipelines. In this episode, Juan Jose Garcia Mendez, Programme Officer for Clean Energy Transition Scenarios at IRENA, discusses how energy planning is evolving into a dynamic tool for coordinating investment, managing risk and aligning energy systems with development priorities. The conversation also explores inclusive stakeholder engagement and how initiatives such as the LTES network and the Global Coalition for Energy Planning (GCEP) are helping bridge the gap between national plans and financing.
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  Renewable Energy Jobs: Progress, Trends and Future outlook 27.01.2026 33min

  Despite record renewable energy deployment in 2024, job creation in the sector grew by just 2.3%, the smallest increase in years. In this episode, Michael Renner, Head of Socioeconomics and Policy at IRENA, and Olga Strietska-Ilina, Head of Future Skills Unit at the International Labour Organizatition (ILO), unpack the findings of the latest IRENA-ILO report, Renewable energy and jobs: Annual review 2025. The conversation explores the factors shaping employment trends, from automation and geographic shifts to the growing demand for digital and technical skills. The discussion also highlights what policymakers, industry and educational institutions should do to build an inclusive, skilled workforce ready for the energy transition ahead.
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  Gender Perspective: How to Make the Energy Transition Truly Gender Equitable? 11.12.2025 17min

  Women make up just 32% of the global renewable energy workforce and hold only 19% of senior leadership positions. In this episode, IRENA's expert explores the barriers behind these figures and what it takes to move beyond token inclusion towards meaningful participation. The discussion highlights the role of indigenous women in advancing socio-economic benefits of decentralised renewables, and outlines the actions needed from all stakeholders to unlock a truly gender-equitable energy transition. 
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  Financing the Renewable Future: What do the Latest Trends Reveal About Progress, Gaps and Opportunities in Energy Transition Investment? 26.11.2025 18min

  Global investment in the energy transition reached a record $2.4 trillion in 2024, more than double the 2019 levels, with one-third going to renewable technologies. Yet, the pace of growth is slowing and regional disparities persist. In this episode, Faran Rana, Renewable Energy Finance and Policy expert at IRENA, explores what is driving record investments in solar and batteries, the challenges behind slowing deployment in key sectors, and how emerging manufacturing hubs are reshaping global supply chains. The discussion highlights why tripling renewable capacity by 2030 requires not just more money, but the right kind of impact-driven investments.
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  From Commitments to Action: Why NDCs Need Renewable Energy Targets? 23.09.2025 15min

  Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are countries' self-determined climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, with 2025 marking crucial NDC 3.0 submissions ahead of COP30. In this episode, Toyo Kawabata, Programme Officer, NDC Implementation at IRENA, explores why renewable energy targets in NDCs are essential in helping countries to transition away from fossil fuels. He also discusses the barriers to stronger commitments and pathways for transforming pledges into actionable plans. 
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  Harnessing the Winds: How to Unlock Full Potential of Offshore Wind Energy? 09.09.2025 12min

  Offshore wind is emerging as a critical technology for the energy transition. With only 83GW of installed capacity today, it has vast untapped potential. In this episode, Simon Benmarraze, Head, Energy Planning and Modelling at IRENA, and Rikke Povlsen from the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA) explore the technical and commercial viability of GOWA's ambitious target of 2,000 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2050. They discuss falling costs, innovations in floating offshore wind and the role of public-private partnerships in accelerating the deployment of offshore wind.
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  What’s Behind the 93% Drop in Battery Storage Costs? 27.08.2025 7min

  Battery energy storage is essential for maximising the potential of renewables, and with costs falling 93% since 2010, it has shifted from a costly barrier to a key enabler of the energy transition. In this episode, Deborah Ayres, Renewable Energy Costs team at IRENA explores the drivers behind the cost reductions, policies needed to accelerate deployment and why affordable battery storage is essential for modernising grids, integrating more renewables and achieving the goal of tripling renewable capacity by 2030.
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  Decarbonising the Shipping and Aviation sectors: What are the best strategies? 21.08.2025 16min

  Maritime shipping and aviation together represent over 5 % of global energy-related CO2 emissions, making decarbonisation of these sectors essential. While electric vehicles have revolutionised road transport, aviation and shipping face unique decarbonisation challenges from longer asset lifetimes, complex infrastructure needs, and fuel compatibility requirements. In this episode, IRENA's Arno van den Bos, Analyst – Green Hydrogen Energy (Power to X), explores the innovative approaches needed to cut emissions to make global transport cleaner and more sustainable.
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  Steel to Shipping: How can we tackle emissions of the heavy industry? 19.08.2025 15min

  Heavy industries such as shipping, aviation, steel and aluminium account for over a quarter of global carbon emissions, yet remain among the toughest sectors to decarbonise. From the high costs of switching production processes to scaling immature technologies, the challenges are immense. IRENA's Deepti Siddhanti and Karan Kochhar from the Innovation and End-Use team examine the systemic approaches needed to decarbonise heavy industry, explore promising solutions, and share why international collaboration is essential for industrial transformation and a net-zero future.