REN21 has launched the Renewable Energy Champions Initiative—a bold new effort to fast-track the shift to resilient, renewables-based economies. Announced at the Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum in Miami, the initiative connects national decision makers with a network of former ministers and senior officials from the Global South who have already led successful energy transitions.
These champions know what it takes—and they’re stepping up to help others do the same.
“These champions have lived the transition to renewables. They’ve overcome obstacles, implemented bold policies, and delivered real results,” said Rana Adib, REN21’s Executive Director. “Now they’re stepping forward to help others do the same—through trust-based, peer-to-peer collaboration that supports countries in building resilient, inclusive and renewables-based economies.”
Accelerating the Shift to Renewable Economies
These are leaders who’ve faced tough choices, overcome political and technical barriers, and delivered real change. Through peer-to-peer engagement—bilateral meetings, closed-door sessions and strategic dialogues—they offer direct support to governments navigating the path to renewables. Their approach is grounded in trust, shared experience and a commitment to building strong economies with renewables.
The Champions bring compelling stories, policy insights and practical tools to inspire action. They connect countries with critical networks—spanning finance, industry, civil society and international institutions to help unlock investment, build partnerships and move from ambition to implementation.
In today’s energy security era, they are a strategic asset for any government ready to act.
THE CHAMPIONS
James Fletcher | Former Minister for Public Service, Information, Broadcasting, Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology, Saint Lucia
Modernised Saint Lucia’s entire energy sector by implementing groundbreaking legislation and regulatory policies, establishing international partnerships, attracting major investment, developing renewable energy projects and fostering inclusive stakeholder engagement.
Ramón Méndez Galain | Former Energy Secretary, Uruguay
Transformed Uruguay’s power sector to 98% renewables – of which 50% is a mix of wind, solar PV and biomass, halved generation costs while building resilience against market volatility, created 50,000 jobs (3% of workforce), and secured electricity access for nearly 100% of Uruguayan households.
Seleshi Bekele Awulachew | Former Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Ethiopia
Provided transformational leadership in Ethiopia’s energy sector, overseeing the delivery of 7,270 MW of hydropower capacity, including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)—the largest hydropower project in Africa. Expanded renewable-based grid access by an average of 120,000 households per year over five years, while also advancing off-grid renewable solutions that brought electricity to 12 rural towns. Strengthened regional power interconnections across three East African countries, enabling the substitution of expensive, carbon-intensive generation with renewable electricity and supporting regional energy security and economic integration.
The initiative is expanding to include more champions from across the Global South. Each brings the credibility of experience and the power of example. Together, they’re helping countries go further, faster, and with confidence.
Rosilena Lindo | Former National Secretary of Energy and Former Undersecretary, Panama
A distinguished global energy and climate advisor and a REN21 Senior Fellow. Currently serving on the GWNET International Advisory Board and as President of the Panamanian Chapter of the “Colectiva 50+1,” she is a prominent advocate for gender equality in the energy sector.
As Panama’s former National Secretary of Energy and former Undersecretary, Rosilena authored and edited over 15 national public policy instruments including Panama’s Green Hydrogen Strategy and its first NDC under the Paris Agreement. Her landmark contributions include the National Green Hydrogen Strategy and the Universal Access to Energy plan, all developed through interdisciplinary processes with a rigorous gender lens. Previously, she served as the Executive Adviser to the Minister of Environment and National Climate Change Director, where she spearheaded Panama’s first NDC under the Paris Agreement. Her technical foundations are equally robust, having served as a Quality Assurance Engineer for the Panama Canal Expansion.
She is an expert in Sustainable Energy Policy and Wholesale Electricity Markets with over a decade of leadership at the intersection of climate and energy. Her career is marked by the design of viable financial instruments for Panama’s National Carbon Market and her role as a Senior Regional Expert for the UN Environment Programme, where she developed the solar water heating market in LAC. Her academic background includes a Civil Engineering degree from Panama’s Technological University and two M.Sc.
degrees from UASLP (Mexico) and the Cologne University of Applied Sciences (Germany). She has received prestigious scholarships from CONACYT and DAAD and completed advanced coursework in Energy Transition at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. A Civil Engineer A REN21 Senior Fellow and President of the Colectiva 50+1 (Panama Chapter), she is a renowned speaker and advocate for gender-inclusive energy transitions. In 2024, she was named Green Hydrogen Industry Regional Leader for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Beyond policy, Rosilena is an expert in ISO 14001 and OSHAS 18001 certifications. Her leadership has been recognized internationally; in 2022, she received the Mexican Energy Debate award for “Breaking Glass Ceilings,” and in 2024, she was honored by the Panamanian Chinese community for her dedication to energy education. She is A prolific communicator, she has spoken at over 450 international conferences and was recognized in 2024 as a Green Hydrogen Industry Regional Leader for LAC. Rosilena is fluent in Spanish, English, and German.
Yeo Bee Yin | Member of Parliament for Puchong, Malaysia, and former Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change
Yeo Bee Yin is the Member of Parliament for Puchong, Malaysia, and former Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, a position she held from 2018 to 2020. An engineer by training, she has been a prominent advocate for renewable energy and stronger public participation in Malaysia’s energy transition.
During her ministerial tenure, she advanced reforms to expand distributed and rooftop solar, including significant improvements to Malaysia’s Net Energy Metering scheme, which strengthened incentives for households, businesses and other electricity users to invest in solar generation. Her work also supported wider engagement in renewable energy programmes and initiatives extending the benefits of renewable energy to rural communities.
Yeo has served in Malaysia’s Parliament since 2018 and currently represents Puchong. She is also Deputy Women Chief of the Democratic Action Party (DAP).
ABOUT THE INITIATIVE
This first of its kind initiative comes at a crucial moment where greater regional and international cooperation is urgently needed to overcome rising fragmentation and build energy security. At the first Summit on the Future of Energy Security, held in the UK in April 2025, more than 60 countries reaffirmed the need to strengthen collaboration on supply chains, technologies, energy generation, and grid infrastructure, to accelerate the energy transition and to ensure energy security and economic development. The Renewable Energy Champions Initiative can enhance cooperation by connecting countries and stakeholders to reach shared solutions to shared challenges.
In today’s energy security era, more countries are turning to locally available renewables to safeguard and build their economies and reduce dependence on external sources. More than 77 countries now get over 10% of the total energy they use from renewables, and over 104 countries exceed 5%. At least 35 countries have already surpassed 30%—and these numbers are likely even higher, as many countries lack complete data. Former ministers and senior officials of the Renewable Energy Champions Initiative—who have achieved energy security and economic resilience through renewables in their own countries—are uniquely positioned to inspire and support their peers, helping other governments go further, faster, and with greater confidence.
