ABU DHABI // The UAE celebrated a major landmark with Wednesday night’s opening of the International Renewable Energy Agency’s global headquarters, said Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.
“The inauguration of the Irena headquarters today in Masdar City marks an important milestone on the UAE’s successful journey to host the intergovernmental organisation, which began with our bid submission seven years ago,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs said.
“Hosting Irena in Abu Dhabi is a reflection of the UAE’s commitment to expanding access to sustainable clean energy, domestically and internationally.
“We look forward to partnering closely with Irena and countries around the world to support further development of renewable energy and clean technologies.”
Those attending were told of the features that make the headquarters the country’s most sustainable office building.
Reem Al Hashemy, the Minister of State who also attended the launch, said the UAE had become a pioneer in renewables.
“In 2006, when Abu Dhabi launched the Masdar Initiative, the UAE made a bold decision to become the first country in the region to firmly commit to advancing and adopting renewable energy,” Ms Al Hashemy said.
“This commitment provided us with the credibility to make another bold decision in 2008: to bring Irena to our nation’s capital and Masdar City.
“Today, we welcome this uni-que global powerhouse and vital organisation to the rapidly growing renewable energy industry, to its new headquarters.”
Irena director general Adnan Amin told the ceremony: “Now we have a place that can become the nerve centre of what’s happening with renewables around the world.
“It is from here that we can run databases that will inform decision-makers around the world.”
The opening solidifies the relationship between Irena and Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s clean-energy company, and raises the UAE’s profile, the heads of both organisations said.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, special envoy for energy and climate change, and chairman of Masdar, said: “The UAE has firmly established itself as a committed global leader in the deployment of innovative renewable energy solutions worldwide.
“This commitment is reflected in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s sustainable ecosystem, which is the ideal location for Irena to carry out their mission to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy globally.
“It is only fitting that this important intergovernmental organisation’s work is conducted from the most sustainable office building in the UAE.”
Dr Ahmad Belhoul, chief executive of Masdar, said the partnership would be mutually beneficial, raising the profile of the country and assisting the work being done in Masdar City.
“In Masdar, our agenda is aligned with Irena,” Dr Belhoul said. “It’s more recognition that this is the right place because it matches the vision of our organisation.
“Irena today works extremely closely with Masdar Institute to collaborate on research, so besides just hosting them, we contribute to the knowledge and creation of ideas with them.”
The location of the building, which is the first to be ranked at four pearls in the Urban Planning Council’s Estidama efficiency ratings, puts Irena within an arm’s reach of Masdar’s work in technology, education and research.
“Being located here creates an easy system for collaboration,” Dr Belhoul said.
He said Masdar was chosen to create a “greenprint” of an entire city dedicated to renewable energy, and that having new members created a sense of community.
Mr Amin said that in Abu Dhabi he could finally work towards a goal he set when he was appointed director general in 2011.
Back then he said: “My dream is that Irena in five years’ time becomes an organisation that can provide any information needed by anybody by any facet of renewable technology, policy and technology.”
Now, he says, “We’re almost there”.
“In many ways, the kind of facilities you have by being here are as good or better than anywhere in the world,” Mr Amin said. “This will be the meeting place for many very significant people in the world of renewables in the future.”
Renewables as a business model for organisations has become more viable as prices have dropped.
“This is the moment where we are ready to take off, but it is also the moment we need to rethink, how is all of this going to happen?” Mr Amin said. “Now to be in a permanent structure to have all your intellectual capacity here, we are ready to take on that challenge.”
He said that aside from the powerful message sent by having the world’s renewables organisation in an oil-producing country, the location was also practical.
“The cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai have become global hubs.”
nalwasmi@thenational.ae
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Irena:
■ Basing a renewable organisation in Abu Dhabi send a world message
■ The increasing importance and use of renewables - graphic
■ The UAE's greenest building projects
■ Abu Dhabi opens Irena to world
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