"The launch of the Innovation and Technology Center (IITC) of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will add further impetus to the success of the Agency, located in Abu Dhabi," said Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, president of the First Session of the Assembly of IRENA and UAE special envoy for Energy and Climate Change
“The IITC will provide IRENA with additional capacity and support in delivering its overall work plan,” Al Jaber added.
His comments came at the inauguration of the IRENA innovation and technology center (IITC) in Bonn, Germany, on Friday (7th October), co-hosted by the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in the Federal Republic of Germany, Norbert Rottgen and Adnan Amin, Director General of IRENA, and attended by His Excellency Mohamed Da’en Al Hamli, UAE Minister of Energy of the United Arab Emirates, His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al Mahmood, UAE Ambassador to Germany, as well as Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Since its founding conference in 2009, IRENA has come to represent a unique international platform to promote the exchange of policies and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy to meet the challenge of energy access, energy security and sustainable development.
“From climate change to energy security, and green growth, IRENA’s mission touches on the key issues of our generation. As such, the importance of its success cannot be understated,” said Al Jaber in his opening remarks at the inauguration ceremony
“This important milestone for the agency demonstrates the strong global determination to work cooperatively to advance the use of renewable energy around the world. Innovation and technology are key elements to scaling up renewable energy and combating climate change,” he added.
In June 2009, Abu Dhabi was selected by IRENA’s then 133 (now at 149), members to be the headquarters of the agency - representing the first time an international organization is based in a MENA region. IRENA will eventually be located in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City.
