International efforts to double the share of renewable energy by 2030 need to accelerate if they are to be successful, according to a new global roadmap launched at the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) Assembly in Abu Dhabi.

More than 150 countries are attending the two-day assembly, which has become the world’s pre-eminent policy gathering to promote the uptake of renewable energy.

The REMAP (Renewable Energy Roadmap) 2030 process will bring together experts and policy makers from across the globe together to assess the gap between current renewable energy projections and targets set by the UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative.

Initial results show that investment in renewable power generation, grid expansions, sustainable biomass and the use of renewable energy to generate heat needs to accelerate substantially to meet targets. Global renewable power generation will have to exceed annual expansion rates of more than 150 GW per year, compared to around 110 GW in 2011.

“REMAP 2030 clearly maps the challenge we face in meeting international targets to double the share of renewable energy worldwide,” said Adnan Amin, Irena director general.

“The good news is that costs are falling, the technology is spreading, and countries across the world are implementing policies to make this happen. With the right political will, a world powered by clean, renewable energy is within our reach,” he added.

Irena is mandated by 159 countries and the European Union to promote the sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy, and to serve as the global hub for renewable energy cooperation and information exchange.

Formally established in 2011, Irena is the first major international organization to be headquartered in the Middle East. – TradeArabia News Service