All Things Renewable

In this episode, we take a closer look at the global progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7): ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030. Today, 666 million people, mostly in the Global South, still remain without access to electricity. Ute Collier, Acting Director of Knowledge, Policy and Finance division at IRENA presents the latest dat...

2024 set a new record with 582 GW of renewables added. But is it enough—and who’s being left behind? IRENA’s data experts, Nazik Elhassan and Dennis Akande, unpack the global trends shaping our clean energy future and walk us through the numbers, the methodology, and the stories hidden in the data. This episode is for anyone who wants to understand the momentum, the gaps, and the global race to tr...

Decentralised renewable energy solutions deliver electricity in remote and rural communities. But energy access is not only about powering homes, it is about empowering lives and livelihoods and unlocking full potential of the remote communities. In this episode, host Daria Gazzola is joined by Kavita Rai, Senior Programme Officer for Energy Access at IRENA, to explore how decentralized renewable...

In this episode, Arina Anisie, IRENA innovation expert, talks to the host Daria Gazzola about how innovation in renewable energy goes beyond technological advancements, driving sustainable growth and development globally. This podcast was recorded on the last day of the IRENA Innovation Week, where participants discussed an array of topics from technology and systemic innovation to insights on how...

Due to owning and operating much of the infrastructure, utilities play a key role in modernising the grid, making it more flexible and resilient to prepare for uptake of large scale solar and wind energy. In this episode, IRENA’s Programme Officer - Partnerships, Zafar Samadov, shares insights on why utilities are uniquely positioned to drive the shift to renewables, pinpointing the challenges the...

The youth of today are not just passive bystanders, they are changemakers. The voices of young generations have never been heard as clearly as they are today. In this episode, Riccardo Toxiri from IRENA joins host Daria Gazzola to discuss how youth bring urgency, innovation and bold ideas to the table, shaping energy policies, spearheading impactful initiatives, and gaining recognition on the inte...

In this conversation with Arieta Gonelevu Rakai, IRENA expert on SIDS and Head of Partnerships, we explore the pressing issues facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the wake of climate change and ways in which energy transition will positively benefit the island communities. With rising sea levels and increasing natural disasters, SIDS, which contribute less than 1% of global greenhouse...

Public funds alone cannot fund the energy transition, but they play a critical role in catalyzing private investment. In this episode, host Daria Gazzola speaks with Diala Hawila, Programme Officer, Policy Advice from IRENA about why only a fraction of global energy transition investment reaches developing economies. They discuss how policy frameworks and public financing mechanisms can catalyze p...

Many developing economies cannot fund their energy transitions without significant international investment. Yet, to obtain funding, projects need to be bankable. In this episode, Erick Ruiz Araya, Deputy Director, Project Facilitation and Support at IRENA, explains why climate finance is critical for powering the energy transition in developing countries and why bankability matters. © IRENA 2025...

In this episode, we explore the key challenges and opportunities in Africa's energy transition, with a focus on the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA).  How can partnerships like APRA unlock investment, drive implementation, and deliver local value? Safiatou Alzouma, IRENA’s Special Advisor on Energy Transition, Climate and Green Industrialisation, joins host Daria Gazzola...

In this conversation with Arieta Gonelevu Rakai, IRENA expert on SIDS and Head of Partnerships, we delve into the pressing issues facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the wake of climate change and ways in which energy transition will positively benefit the island communities. With rising sea levels and increasing natural disasters, SIDS, which contribute less than 1% of global greenhou...