The International Renewable Energy Alliance, or REN-Alliance, a coalition of five renewable energy associations, says it is accelerating its efforts for COP22 in Marrakech, Morocco, to demonstrate how renewable technologies working together can meet energy needs at island, rural, city, national and regional levels.
The REN-Alliance was formed in 2004 during the first International Renewable Energy Conference in Bonn, Germany, to promote the use of renewable energy technologies worldwide.
As reported, the five associations are the International Hydropower Association, the International Geothermal Association, the International Solar Energy Society, the World Bioenergy Association and the World Wind Energy Association.
In order to fight climate change, the COP21 Agreement coming out of Paris in 2015 called for all countries to work together toward greenhouse-gas reduction commitments that ultimately result in no more than 2 degrees C and ideally 1.5 degrees C warming above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) established this goal to avoid catastrophic impacts from climate change. However, the alliance says the current Intended Nationally Determined Contributions that form a part of this agreement are an important yet insufficient step to be taken by national governments to achieve this goal. A decarbonized energy sector must be achieved within the next few decades in order to meet this climate challenge.
According to the REN-Alliance, the renewable technologies it represents are ready to meet the challenges of the Paris accord and are already in a position with cost-effective and mature technologies to achieve a carbon-free energy system within the necessary time frame called for by the IPCC and as adopted in the Paris Agreement to be achieved by 2050.
Through the presentation of case studies and best practices being undertaken by localities, regions and communities throughout the world, and the promotion of favorable policies, the REN-Alliance is stepping up its efforts to demonstrate that renewables working together can result in a decarbonized energy system based on global 100% renewable energy well before the end of this century.
The REN Alliance underlines that a renewable energy supply not only is good for the climate, but also offers manifold economic and social benefits, for developing and for industrialized countries alike. Renewable energy technologies are today’s cheapest options when comparing new investment – as has been stated by independent organizations, such as the International Renewable Energy Agency.
Stefan Gsänger, secretary general of the World Wind Energy Association, comments, “Communities in rural areas, especially, can benefit tremendously from the global shift towards 100 percent renewable energy: They may not only cover their own energy needs from local renewable resources, but also become suppliers of urban areas – hence, creating new income opportunities for themselves. This will boost rural areas in industrialized and, in particular, in the so-called developing countries.”
