Education
This webpage, created in response to a request from educators, education managers and operators, provides a rapid, direct and easy access to IRENA key reports, infographics, data and tools. It also hosts IRENA’s Technical Papers Series, individually authored by IRENA staff and other internationally recognised experts.
Key reports
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World Energy Transitions Outlook: 1.5°C Pathway
Interactive versionThis report guides policy makers to stay on the the 1.5°C path to 2050, explores the socio-economic impacts of the transition and suggests ways to speed progress towards universal access to clean energy.
Energy transition, Off-grid for energy access, Targets & NDCs, Policy, Carbon capture, Critical materials English -
Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation: The Hydrogen Factor
Interactive versionThe report provides a comprehensive analysis of the geopolitical drivers and potential consequences of the development of clean hydrogen value chains.
Geopolitics, Hydrogen, Technology, Green hydrogen, Policy English -
Renewable Energy Market Analysis: Africa and its Regions
ViewThe report lays out a pathway to a renewable-based energy system and shows that the transition promises substantial gains in GDP, employment, and human welfare in each region of the African continent.
Macro-economic benefits, Socio-economic impact, Energy & jobs, Socio-economic impact English -
Renewable Energy and Jobs - Annual Review 2021
Interactive versionThis Special Edition of the report on Labour and Policy Perspectives, in collaboration with the ILO, presents the status of employment in 2020 and discusses the policy framework required for a just transition.
Energy & jobs, Socio-economic impact, Macro-economic benefits, Socio-economic impact English
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The Breakthrough Agenda Report 2022
ViewThis report by IRENA, IEA and and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions is focused on supporting stronger international collaboration to drive reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy transition, Targets & NDCs, Policy English -
Scaling Up Renewables in Landlocked Developing Countries
ViewThis joint IRENA-UN-OHRLLS report provides an overview of deployment trends, drivers, barriers and opportunities for energy transition in LLDCs.
Energy transition, Policy English -
Bioenergy for the Transition: Ensuring Sustainability and Overcoming Barriers
ViewThis report provides an overview of the challenges and related policy measures required to scale up the deployment of key bioenergy applications.
Energy transition, Policy English -
China’s Route to Carbon Neutrality: Perspectives and the Role of Renewables
ViewThis report draws on IRENA’s existing, technology-focused studies to offer key insights from global experiences relevant to China’s energy transition.
Energy transition, Targets & NDCs, Policy English
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Low-cost finance for the energy transition
ViewThis report identifies the pressing need for greater private sector engagement in the financing of energy transition projects, as well as closer public-private collaboration to sustain the net zero pathway.
Energy transition, Finance & investment, Costs, Technology English -
The cost of financing for renewable power
ViewBased on a new, unique dataset from a global survey, this IRENA report presents unprecedented insights on the cost of capital for onshore wind, offshore wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) projects.
Finance & investment, Costs, Technology, Solar energy, Wind energy English -
Renewable Energy Outlook for ASEAN: Towards a Regional Energy Transition (2nd Edition)
ViewThis report details a comprehensive pathway for the development of a sustainable and cleaner regional energy system for ASEAN.
Energy transition, Innovation, Technology English -
Renewable Energy for Agriculture: Insights from Southeast Asia
ViewThis report examines the role of renewables in meeting growing energy needs in the agriculture sector in an inclusive and environmentally sustainable manner.
Socio-economic impact, Energy transition, Bioenergy & biofuels, Technology, Buildings & cities English
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Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2022
ViewIRENA’s global renewable power generation costs study shows that the competitiveness of renewables continued to improve despite rising materials and equipment costs in 2022.
Costs, Energy transition, Power Generation Costs English -
Renewable Energy Solutions for Heating Systems in Mongolia: Developing a strategic heating plan
ViewRecommendations under a renewable energy-based strategic heating plan for Ulaanbaatar city leverages the existing district heating network to utilise locally available renewable heat sources including renewable supplies from geothermal, solar and wind.
Energy transition English -
Finding common ground for a just energy transition: Labour and employer perspectives
ViewA just energy transition – in which no one is left behind – is critical to ensure broad social acceptance of the profound changes the transition entails. This report captures the concerns, insights and recommendations of trade unions and energy sector employers on how the energy transition can develop in a just manner for all.
Energy transition, Energy & jobs English -
Firm capacity in Central America: Definitions and implications for variable renewable energy
ViewFirm capacity assesses the contribution of a power plant to meeting demand during critical conditions. This report explores the key factors that affect the estimation of a more equitable firm capacity valuation in Central America that reflects the financial viability of variable renewable energy projects, providing experiences and best practices from regional and international perspectives.
Energy transition English
Technical papers
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Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Rare Earth elements
ViewThe technical paper on Critical Materials for the Energy Transition emphasises that an accelerated energy transition requires a growing supply of critical materials, with Chapter 7 of the IRENA’s World Energy Transition Outlook 2022 further elaborating on these materials. IRENA continues to publish technical papers on groups of critical materials: the first one focuses on lithium and this second paper focuses on rare earth elements.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Lithium
ViewThis paper discusses the global lithium industry structure and major players while reflecting on current costs changes and their further implications, the role of the governments could play to de-risk lithium supply and the opportunities innovation can play in reducing demand growth.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition
ViewThis paper will assess how the growth of renewables will put critical materials at the centre of the energy transformation, with the objective of highlighting the criticalities related to the sector and of identifying how technological developments and innovation can positively reduce geopolitical risks.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Capturing Carbon
ViewThis paper explores the status and potential of carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies and their roles alongside renewables in the deep decarbonisation of energy systems.
Energy transition, Technology, Carbon capture -
Oil companies and the energy transition
ViewThis paper analyses the strategies of seven international oil companies (IOCs) in the context of energy transition.
Energy transition, Technology -
Energy subsidies: Evolution in the global energy transformation to 2050
ViewThe energy sector lacks a standard definition of subsidies. This paper contributes to research on how subsidies are calculated – for fossil-fuels, renewables and the sector as a whole.
Costs, Policy, Technology
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Measuring the socio-economics of transition: Focus on jobs
ViewWell-crafted deployment, integrating and enabling policies could create millions of new jobs. This report outlines the evolving global and regional distribution of energy employment.
Energy transition, Socio-economic impact
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The Renewable Spring: The interplay between finance and policy in the energy transition
ViewThis paper presents a brief overview of technology revolutions and how they interact with financial markets.
Energy transition, Finance & investment
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Renewable energy targets in small island developing states
ViewThis technical paper presents a quantification of SIDS’ renewable energy targets, both in their national energy plans and in their NDCs.
Targets & NDCs English -
Potential Limitations of Marginal Pricing for a Power System Based on Renewables
ViewMarginal pricing wholesale power markets could produce significant barriers for the energy transition, and on their own do not appear to be appropriate organisational structures for renewables-based power systems.
Energy transition, Policy -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Rare Earth elements
ViewThe technical paper on Critical Materials for the Energy Transition emphasises that an accelerated energy transition requires a growing supply of critical materials, with Chapter 7 of the IRENA’s World Energy Transition Outlook 2022 further elaborating on these materials. IRENA continues to publish technical papers on groups of critical materials: the first one focuses on lithium and this second paper focuses on rare earth elements.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Lithium
ViewThis paper discusses the global lithium industry structure and major players while reflecting on current costs changes and their further implications, the role of the governments could play to de-risk lithium supply and the opportunities innovation can play in reducing demand growth.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology
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Renewable energy targets in small island developing states
ViewThis technical paper presents a quantification of SIDS’ renewable energy targets, both in their national energy plans and in their NDCs.
Targets & NDCs English -
Potential Limitations of Marginal Pricing for a Power System Based on Renewables
ViewMarginal pricing wholesale power markets could produce significant barriers for the energy transition, and on their own do not appear to be appropriate organisational structures for renewables-based power systems.
Energy transition, Policy -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Rare Earth elements
ViewThe technical paper on Critical Materials for the Energy Transition emphasises that an accelerated energy transition requires a growing supply of critical materials, with Chapter 7 of the IRENA’s World Energy Transition Outlook 2022 further elaborating on these materials. IRENA continues to publish technical papers on groups of critical materials: the first one focuses on lithium and this second paper focuses on rare earth elements.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition: Lithium
ViewThis paper discusses the global lithium industry structure and major players while reflecting on current costs changes and their further implications, the role of the governments could play to de-risk lithium supply and the opportunities innovation can play in reducing demand growth.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Critical Materials For The Energy Transition
ViewThis paper will assess how the growth of renewables will put critical materials at the centre of the energy transformation, with the objective of highlighting the criticalities related to the sector and of identifying how technological developments and innovation can positively reduce geopolitical risks.
Energy transition, Critical materials, Technology -
Capturing Carbon
ViewThis paper explores the status and potential of carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies and their roles alongside renewables in the deep decarbonisation of energy systems.
Energy transition, Technology, Carbon capture -
The Renewable Spring: The interplay between finance and policy in the energy transition
ViewThis paper presents a brief overview of technology revolutions and how they interact with financial markets.
Energy transition, Finance & investment -
Oil companies and the energy transition
ViewThis paper analyses the strategies of seven international oil companies (IOCs) in the context of energy transition.
Energy transition, Technology -
Measuring the socio-economics of transition: Focus on jobs
ViewWell-crafted deployment, integrating and enabling policies could create millions of new jobs. This report outlines the evolving global and regional distribution of energy employment.
Energy transition, Socio-economic impact -
Energy subsidies: Evolution in the global energy transformation to 2050
ViewThe energy sector lacks a standard definition of subsidies. This paper contributes to research on how subsidies are calculated – for fossil-fuels, renewables and the sector as a whole.
Costs, Policy, Technology
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Potential Limitations of Marginal Pricing for a Power System Based on Renewables
ViewMarginal pricing wholesale power markets could produce significant barriers for the energy transition, and on their own do not appear to be appropriate organisational structures for renewables-based power systems.
Energy transition, Policy -
Energy subsidies: Evolution in the global energy transformation to 2050
ViewThe energy sector lacks a standard definition of subsidies. This paper contributes to research on how subsidies are calculated – for fossil-fuels, renewables and the sector as a whole.
Costs, Policy, Technology