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On June 29th , inn SHARM EL SHEIKH - Egypt (one of the world's most famous leisure and diving resorts in South Sinai , the Preparatory Commission of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has named Hélène Pelosse as the first head of the emerging Agency.
Four candidates with outstanding profiles and strong backgrounds in the field of renewable energy were nominated by the Member States for the position and the French candidate, Pelosse, was appointed.
Pelosse is currently deputy head of Staff in the Private Office of the French Minister for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development, and Town and Country Planning in charge of international
The Preparatory Commission also confirmed Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates to be named as the interim headquarters of IRENA while Bonn, in Germany, will host IRENA's centre of technology and innovation and Vienna, Austria, will be home to the Agency's liaison office for cooperation with other organisations active in the field of renewables.
The UAE may not be the greenest nation in the world today; it is taking bold steps to position itself as the renewable energy hub of tomorrow. In 2006 Abu Dhabi established Masdar City, a $15 billion development that will become the world's first zero-carbon, zero-waste city. It will be home to more than 1,500 renewable energy-related companies, creating a global centre of renewable innovation.
Masdar City will be powered entirely by renewable energy, including photovoltaics (PV), concentrated solar power (CSP) and waste-to-energy technology.
Masdar has already inaugurated a 10-megawatt solar PV power plant, the largest of its kind in the Middle East. Now it is laying the foundations for a much bigger - 100-megawatt - solar thermal plant scheduled to come online in 2012. At the same time, Masdar is working on a 420-megawatt hydrogen-fuelled power plant, among the biggest in the world.
The eco-city will also be home to the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Mist), the region's first postgraduate-level, research-driven scientific institution focused entirely on education in renewable energy and sustainability. By linking the experts and academics of Mist and Irena, Abu Dhabi will foster a living laboratory for renewables brainstorming, the fruits of which can then be tested in Masdar City: with Irena as its heart it becomes a one-stop shop for renewables innovation and policy.
At the same time, having Irena in Abu Dhabi will create a bridge to other emerging countries in the developing world who are seeking alternative energy solutions to help to fuel their growth. Having Irena headquartered in the developing world will give it great conviction and importance as it reaches out to countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Germany and Austria agreed to withdraw moments before a vote was to take place after reaching a compromise in which they would each house a satellite centre for the agency.
IRENA will serve as a lobbying force and information centre for renewable energy policy worldwide, and its establishment in Abu Dhabi will represent the first time an international organisation headquarters is based in a developing country.
Details on the satellite agencies in Bonn, Germany and Vienna, Austria remained sketchy in the moments after the announcement. Germany said it would commit €4 million to establish the centre and supply €2-3 million annually for its operations. Austria also pledged to support for the development of a centre in its capital, but did not offer a firm financial commitment.
As part of its commitment to IRENA, the UAE offered to support the agency with a grant of US $136 million over a six year period, while also covering all operational costs in perpetuity. Moreover, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development created a special endowment of up to $50 million annually to be used for loans in support of renewable energy projects in the developing world.
Moments after the decision was announced, the UAE delegation of 55 members leapt to their feet with cheers and embraces. The win culminates a lengthy and aggressive diplomatic campaign by the UAE government to bring the headquarters to Abu Dhabi.
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