INTERVI EW
OFQ : IRENA and the OPEC Fund have forged a close relationship in recent years based on joint commitments. What has been achieved, what are the next exciting projects and where do you see space for this cooperation to develop even further? FLC: We have been working closely with the OPEC Fund through the ETAF Platform, where you are one of 14 partners. The OPEC Fund joined ETAF at its launch at COP26 in Glasgow and has since been one of the most agile partners, following up commitments with concrete support. Through this collaboration, IRENA has helped develop 10 renewable energy projects to date, including the Bumbuna Hydropower project extension in Sierra Leone, where joint missions were carried out to accelerate progress. This partnership illustrates how ETAF not only mobilizes capital but also strengthens the pipeline of bankable projects in developing countries. Ongoing support from the OPEC Fund will enable IRENA to scale up its project facilitation efforts further. Ultimately, playing a role in renewable energy solutions is not a privilege for the few, but a shared opportunity for all!
absence of supportive policies, the high cost of capital and inadequate grid infrastructure. Such hurdles lock these countries into reliance on older, more volatile energy systems, thereby exacerbating the global energy gap. Addressing these systemic barriers is essential to ensuring a truly inclusive and resilient global energy future. We need to take a hard look at why we are not moving faster and why more countries are not part of the “renewables revolution.” It is clear that we do not have the luxury of time to develop a clean energy system in the way the fossil-based system evolved over the past 150 years. To ensure a successful global energy transition there must be a simultaneous evolution of policy and regulatory frameworks. These must be adapted to account for the current dynamics and strategically guide investments in grid infrastructure and transmission routes, both on land and at sea. New locations for energy production, evolving trade patterns and changing centers of demand must also be considered. This effort must be complemented by a strategic reorientation of institutional capacities, ensuring that skills and capabilities are precisely aligned with the future energy system. OFQ : Will a re-scaling of emission targets undo the progress we have made or will it create space for a more gradual, affordable, equitable and more widely accepted process of energy transition? FLC: Renewables may be abundant, but it is our collective responsibility to make that abundance equitable by directing infrastructure investments, strong policies, technical skills and capacity as well as financing to where they are needed most. Abundance alone is not enough. True success means making renewables inclusive, accessible, affordable and fair for all. This calls on the global community to reimagine how international cooperation works. Initiatives such as the Accelerated
Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA), for which IRENA serves as Secretariat, are already delivering results. The first APRA Investment Forum in Nairobi mobilized projects worth approximately US$2.7 billion across 25 projects with a combined capacity of around 1 GW. It demonstrates how collaborative action can mobilize resources, build trust and turn ambition into project pipelines. Building on this momentum, we co- hosted the second APRA Investment Forum with the Government of Sierra Leone in October 2025, further strengthening regional leadership and collaboration. And we intend to replicate this model in other regions - Central Asia, Southeast Asia and Latin America - so that investment flows not only grow in scale but also reach the places where they matter most. OFQ : What, in your opinion, is the perfect energy mix? FLC: There is no single blueprint for the “perfect” energy mix. Each country must define its own transition pathway based on its national circumstances, resource endowment and development priorities. What is clear, however, is that the backbone of the global energy system will be renewables, complemented by green hydrogen and the sustainable use of biomass. In this way, the energy transition is not about maximizing the share of renewables at any cost, but about shaping a balanced system that keeps the 1.5°C target within reach. IRENA’s 1.5°C Scenario, presented at the World Energy Transitions Outlook 2024, shows that by 2050 renewables are set to provide 77 percent of global primary energy supply, with electricity accounting for over half of the total final energy use. Clean hydrogen and its derivatives are on course to cover some 14 percent of the energy mix, largely serving hard-to-abate sectors, while modern biomass is likely to contribute about 8 percent. Together, these elements underpin a climate-safe, affordable and resilient energy system.
“There is no single blueprint for the ‘perfect’ energy mix. Each country must define its own transition pathway based on its national circumstances.”
Francesco La Camera, Director-General, IRENA
17
Powered by FlippingBook