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

REN21: RENEWABLES NOW!

REN21 is the only global renewable energy community of actors from science, governments, NGOs and industry. We provide up-to-date and peer-reviewed facts, figures and analysis of global developments in technology, policies and markets. Our goal: enable decision-makers to make the shift to renewable energy happen – now.

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:

President

Arthouros Zervos, National Technical University of Athens

Industry Associations

Aaron Leopold, ARE, Vice-President
Rainer Hinrichs-Rahlwes, EREF, Vice-President
Bruce Douglas, Global Solar Council, Co-Chairman
Koen Peters, GOGLA, Executive Director
Karin Ohlenforst, GWEC, Director of Market Intelligence
Marit Brommer, IGA, Executive Director
Eddie Rich, IHA, Chief Executive
Roberto Vigotti, 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
Ingolf Dietrich, BMZ, Deputy Director General
Alex Giacomelli, 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)
Hugo Lucas Porta, Spain – Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Chief of Staff, Secretariat for Energy
Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE – 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
Claudio Pedretti, Alliance for Rural Electrification, President
Stephan Singer, CAN, Senior Advisor
Arundabha Ghosh, CEEW, CEO
Irene Giner-Reichl, GWNET, Board Member
Maryke van Staden, ICLEI, Director of Business Development
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 President and Executive Director, 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 2020-2021 are: