Who we are - REN21 Renewable energy for the 21st Century

REN21’S IDENTITY

Made up of a worldwide community of players from governments, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations, industry, science and academia, REN21 is a global network providing high-quality, up-to-date information to shape the energy debate.

REN21 is driven by a deep commitment to a sustainable energy future. Building on knowledge and data, REN21 changes the way we think about renewables, informing decision making and shaping the future.

REN21 was created in 2004 as an outcome of the Bonn2004 International Conference on Renewable Energy. This “coalition of the willing” came together with one objective in mind: to support and accelerate the development of renewable energy.

From the outset, REN21’s mandate has been to collect, consolidate and synthesise a vast body of renewable energy data to provide clear and reliable information on what is happening in real-time.

This mandate still holds today.

How has REN21 evolved since 2004?

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

REN21 Members convene every three years to review the proposed upcoming, three-year work plan and to elect a REN21 Steering Committee. This Steering Committee represents the REN21 community, providing strategic direction to REN21’s work programme.

STEERING COMMITTEE

This is the main governing entity of REN21. Fifty representatives are voted in from among REN21’s members. Collectively, the Steering Committee reflects the various organisational and geographical backgrounds as well as the values of the larger network. Steering Committee members serve a three-year cycle.

Steering Committee members for 2019-2021 are:

Chair

Arthouros Zervos, National Technical University of Athens

Industry Associations

Aaron Leopold, ARE, Vice-President
Rainer Hinrichs-Rahlwes, EREF, Vice-President
Douglas Bruce, Global Solar Council, Co-Chairman
Peters Koen, GOGLA, Executive Director
Steve Sawyer, GWEC, Secretary General
Marit Brommer, IGA, Executive Director
Richard Taylor, IHA, Chief Executive
Vigotti Roberto, RES4Africa Foundation, Secretary General
Remigijus Lapinskas, World Bioenergy Association, President
Stefan Gsänger, WWEA, Secretary General

Inter-governmental Organisations

Yongping Zhai, ADB, Technical Advisor Energy Sector Group
Mahama Kappiah, ECREEE, Executive Director
Paula Abreu Marques, European Commission, Head of Unit, Renewables and CCS Policy, DG ENER

Paolo Frankl, IEA, Head of Renewable Energy Division

Francesco La Camera, IRENA, Director General

Ahmed Badr, RCREEE, Executive Director

Mark Radka, UN Environment, Chief, Energy and Climate Branch

Marcel Alers, UNDP, Principal Technical Adviser

Tareq Emtairah, UNIDO, Director of the Department of Energy

Elisa Portale, World Bank, Senior Energy Specialist

Governments

Thorsten Herdan, BMWi, Director-General
Tania Rödiger-Vorwerk, BMZ, Deputy Director General
João Genésio De Almeida Filho, Brazil – Ministry of External Relations, Director Department of Energy
Maria Nilaus Tarp, Denmark – Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, Head of the International Department
Anand Kumar, India – Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Secretary
Øivind Johansen, Norway – Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Assistant Director General
Leonardo Beltran, SENER (Mexico)
Diego Vázquez Teijeira, Spain – Ministry of Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda, Deputy Director General for International Energy Relations; Secretary of State for Energy
Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UEA – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Head of Directorate of Energy & Climate Change
Griffin Thompson, USA – State Department, Director of the Office of Electricity and Energy Efficiency

NGOs

Rian van Staden, 100% RE, Platform Coordinator
Stephan Singer, CAN, Senior Advisor
Arundabha Ghosh, CEEW, CEO
Irene Giner-Reichl, GWNET, Board Member
Emani Kumar, ICLEI, Executive Director, ICLEI South Asia
Sena Alouka, JVE, Executive Director
Ibrahim Togola, Mali Folkecenter (MFC), Director
Harry Lehmann, WCRE, Executive Chairman
Anna Leidreiter, World Future Council, Director Climate, Energy and Cities
Jennifer Layke, WRI, Global Director, Energy Program

Science & Academia

Nicolás R. Di Sbroiavacca, Fundación Bariloche, President
Nebojsa Nakicenovic, IIASA, Deputy Director/Deputy CEO
David Renné, ISES, President
Doug Arent, NREL, Executive Director of the joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis
Thembakazi Mali, SANEDI, Interim CEO

Members at large

Michael Eckhart, Citigroup, Inc.
Mohamed El-Ashry, United Nations Foundation
David Hales, Second Nature
Kirsty Hamilton, Chatham House
Peter Rae, REN Alliance

BUREAU

The Bureau is made up of the REN21 Chair and Executive Secretary, and seven Steering Committee members. The Bureau is the executive body of REN21 – with members making the operational decisions. Bureau members serve a two-year cycle.

Bureau members for 2017-2019 are: