Page 13 - AsiaElec Week 05 2021

AsiaElec NEWS IN BRIEF AsiaElec

POLICY

IRENA forges new

partnerships to advance
energy transformation

The International Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA) signed a host of new agreements in
the margins of IRENA’s recently concluded
Eleventh Assembly. The four-day meeting
held virtually for the first time brought close
to 100 minister level representatives and 2000
attendees together to discuss pathways needed
to drive renewables adoption in a year of
critical climate action. climate benefits. 11.8 GW in 2021, a monumental 37% step-
In the margins of the Assembly, IRENA Under the Power Africa agreement, the up compared to 2020’s 31.9 GW. China will
penned formal partnerships with the three two parties will work to expand access to continue to lead the new capacity additions,
major institutions from the public and affordable, reliable, and modern electricity contributing 63% of the expected growth.
private sector, furthering the Agency’s through off-grid energy solutions that use As Covid-19 hit the Chinese market first,
long-standing commitment to cooperative renewable and complementary technologies fears over supply chain disruptions emerged,
energy transformation action. Memoranda of to improve economic activity, and enhance the with offshore wind developers worried about
understanding were formalised with the Food provision of essential social services, such as delays to projects down the line. And as the
and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), US Aid’s education, agriculture, water, and healthcare. pandemic spread throughout the world,
Power Africa and Enel Foundation. The agreement signed by IRENA Director risks of a severe slump in construction
Under a new agreement with Enel General Francesco La Camera and Power activity grew. More countries closed their
Foundation, the two parties will share Africa Coordinator Mark Carrato, will also borders and went into lockdown and
data and insights about the development feature joint efforts to improve the provision several manufacturing sites for turbines and
of the green hydrogen economy, which is of electricity to displaced refugee communities other components temporarily shut down
increasingly cited as a central component of and settlements, including through the Smart operations.
carbon neutral economies by 2050. IRENA Communities Coalition supported by Power However, with the first wave of the virus
estimates that at least 1700 GW of renewables- Africa. Efforts will also be made to co-develop settling, the offshore wind market returned to
powered electrolyser capacity is needed by the domestic capacities that facilitate greater a growth trajectory, supported by increased
middle of the century, to produce the amount access to renewable energy finance for African capacity targets from several nations. While
of green hydrogen required for a net zero entrepreneurs. staying resilient in an uncertain market was
future. At the signing, IRENA Director-General key in 2020, this year the industry finds itself
Signed by the IRENA Director General Francesco La Camera said IRENA is positioned for record growth, especially as
and Enel’s group Chief Executive Officer committed to ensuring the transition brings commissioning activities pick up pace in Asia
Francesco Starace, the partnership will also prosperity and wellbeing to communities and around the world.
feature corporation on youth engagement across sub-Saharan Africa. After 2021, China will begin phasing
initiatives and regional market trends., Public- IRENA out feed-in-tariffs and many developers are
private partnerships are an important focus of therefore pushing to complete projects during
the Agency’s work as it looks to mobilise the the coming period. As such, this year is
expertise, innovations and capital from the WIND expected to see high capacity additions in the
private sector to advance the global energy country.
transition. Global installed offshore “China had a construction backlog of
Francesco La Camera, IRENA Director- more than 10 GW going into 2020, and
General commented that youth and wind capacity to see 37% Chinese developers are racing to reach
hydrogen development are two key energy maximum commissioning by the end of the
transformation issues, and that the Agency growth in 2021, fueled by year in order to claim full feed-in-tariffs. This
welcomes partnerships with private sector means 2021 is going to see major capacity
corporations that share the Agency’s vision for China additions, particularly since some projects
a low-carbon future. initially scheduled for commissioning in 2020
Under an MoU with FAO, IRENA Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the world’s ended up slipping into 2021,” says Alexander
aims to help improve the profitability and installed offshore wind capacity rose by 15% Fløtre, Rystad Energy’s Product Manager for
sustainability of the food and agriculture in 2020, reaching 31.9 gigawatts (GW) at year- Offshore Wind.
sectors by accelerating the use of renewables end, from 27.7 GW at the end of 2019, Rystad Europe and the US also saw some delays
and sustainable bioenergy while fostering Energy estimates. due to the pandemic. The developers of the
climate adaptation and resilience. The topic China was the main contributor in 2020, second phase of the 50 MW Kincardine
came under the spotlight during Assembly accounting for 39% of last year’s additions, floating offshore wind project in Scotland and
week, which featured a Ministerial meeting followed by the Netherlands (18%) and the the Kriegers Flak combined grid solution in
co-hosted by IRENA, the UAE and the UN UK (17%). Denmark had to delay start-up. In the US,
on initiatives, policies, and targets designed Rystad Energy expects the global installed Danish player Ørsted announced in October
to simultaneously deliver food, energy and offshore wind capacity to further increase by delays of at least one year for five projects due

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