Innovation Week 2025: Renewables and Digitalisation for a Sustainable Energy Future

Kameha Grand, Bonn, Germany
74 days to start

The IRENA Innovation Week aims to bring together a wide range of leaders, experts, industry representatives, academia, youth and policymakers to discuss cutting-edge innovations which can accelerate the global energy transition and promote sustainable development, powered by renewables and digitalisation technologies.

The IRENA Innovation Week 2025 builds upon its previous editions and continues the dialogue on innovations for the energy transition. The 2016 and 2018 editions focused on innovations to decarbonise the power system and integrate high shares of renewables. The 2020 and the most recent 2023 edition, focused on innovative solutions for decarbonise end-use sectors.

The fifth edition, Innovation Week 2025 will explore two pivotal streams:

  • Innovation in Infrastructure for Tripling Renewables: Focusing on closing the infrastructure gaps, leveraging digitalisation, and securing supply chains to scale renewable energy deployment worldwide.
  • Renewable-Based Solutions for Sustainable Development: Showcasing innovations for resilient power systems, productive uses of energy and local value creation, energy communities and bioenergy’s role in sustainable economic growth aligned with country priorities.

Supported by insights from IRENA’s in-depth analyses, informed by the experience of first-hand project experiences and drawing on the expertise of a diverse range of speakers and attendees, the event will explore the latest innovations towards a sustainable energy future. The event offers actionable insights and knowledge to support sustainable development initiatives within organizations and countries. It provides a unique opportunity to engage with a global network of experts, industry leaders, and decision-makers from IRENA’s 170 member countries. Attendees will play a vital role in shaping the dialogue on value creation and sustainable development in alignment with the global pledge to triple renewable energy capacity and the potential of digital technologies in the transition.

The event starts with a site visit day and is followed by three days of interesting sessions and discussions to explore tangible innovative solutions for a sustainable energy future.

Programme Agenda (draft version)

Tuesday, 10 June
Site Visits

2 parallel streams:

Innovation in infrastructure for tripling renewables

Renewable-based solutions for sustainable development
Wednesday, 11 June
9:00 – 10:00

Registrations & Coffee
10:00 – 12:00

Opening session
High level dialogue: Innovation catalyzing the tripling of renewables for sustainable growth
12:00 – 13:30

Lunch
13:30 – 15:00

Planning for the future: Demand side narratives and scenarios

Modernizing power grids for a renewable future in EMDEs
15:00 – 15:30

Coffee & Networking
15:30 – 17:00

Connecting the dots: Bridging infrastructure gaps for renewable powered systems

Bottom-up solutions: Energy communities
17:00 – 17:30

Technology Innovation Showcase
18:30 – 21:00

Networking Dinner
Thursday, 12 June
9:00 – 10:00

Registrations & Coffee
10:00 – 12:00

Plenary session
Digitalisation for the energy transition
12:00 – 13:30

Lunch | 45 min Youth Event
13:30 – 15:00

RESourcing AI

Productive uses of energy: Rethinking perspectives and drivers for innovation
15:00 – 15:30

Coffee & Networking
15:30 – 17:00

Digitalisation for the energy transition: Case studies

Creating value locally: Supply chains and skills
Friday, 13 June
9:00 – 10:30

Enabling next generation trade in renewable energy value chains

Innovative business models for bioenergy in the Global South
10:30 – 11:00

Coffee & Networking
11:00 – 12:30

Infrastructure for sustainable fuels

Project facilitation in fragile countries: Navigating political risks, enabling RE investments
12:30 – 13:30

Lunch
13:30 – 15:30

Closing session
The way forward: Structural change and innovation for sustainable development

Speakers

Keynote Speakers (More speakers coming soon) 

  • Francesco La Camera

    Director-General, IRENA

    Francesco La Camera

    Director-General, IRENA

    Francesco La Camera is the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). He took office on 4 April 2019 and brings more than thirty years of experience in the fields of climate, sustainability, and international cooperation. In his role, Mr. La Camera is responsible for leading the delivery of IRENA’s work programme and strategy in cooperation with the Agency’s Members. At a critical time for climate change and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, Mr. La Camera is tasked with redefining the structure and operations of the Agency in response to the urgent needs of its members. Under his leadership, the Agency has forged a series of new strategic partnerships with UN organisations including UNDP, UNFCCC and Green Climate Fund among others and Financial Institutions. A key priority of his tenure is to implement a more action-oriented approach to the Agency’s work. Previously, Mr. La Camera served as Director-General of Sustainable Development, Environmental Damage, EU and International Affairs at the Italian Ministry of Environment, Land & Sea since 2014. In this capacity, he developed cooperation and partnership agreements with a wide range of countries. As the national coordinator for climate, environment, resource efficiency and circular economy, he led the Italian delegation to UNFCCC’s COP 21 to 24 and the EU Presidency at COP 20. He was also responsible for the preparation and organisation of Italy’s G7 Environment Presidency in 2017.

  • Gauri Singh

    Deputy Director-General, IRENA

    Gauri Singh

    Deputy Director-General, IRENA

    Gauri Singh is the Deputy Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency. Ms. Singh brings more than 30 years of experience in policy, advocacy and project implementation within the field of renewable energy and sustainable development from India and the internationally.
    Prior to joining IRENA, Ms. Singh worked within India’s federal government and at the apex level within provincial government. Federally, she was responsible for leading the development of the National Solar Mission of India policy in 2010, an early policy framework designed to drive solar power development across the country. At the Madhya Pradesh provincial Government, Ms. Singh steered rural development providing strategic planning and implementation guidance across the state for large initiatives. Her work involved poverty reduction and sustainable development within rural communities.
    Previously, Ms. Singh was also Director of Country Support and Partnerships (CSP) at IRENA. She was responsible for regional and country level initiatives and for spearheading partnerships with regional energy and economic organisations.

  • Nawal Al-Hosany

    Permanent Representative of the UAE to IRENA

    Nawal Al-Hosany

    Permanent Representative of the UAE to IRENA

    Her Excellency Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany is a global leader in advancing a net-zero economy, currently serving as the Permanent Representative of the UAE to IRENA, supporting a just and inclusive global energy transition. She serves on several high-level boards and committees, including the COP28 UAE Advisory Committee, the Board of Trustees at the American University of Sharjah, and as Vice Chair of the Global Council on the SDGs. She also contributes to advisory panels for National Geographic, the Payne Institute, and the UNFCCC’s Momentum for Change initiative. Dr. Al-Hosany previously held senior leadership roles at Masdar, the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. Her distinguished career has earned her accolades including the Energy Institute’s President’s Award, the Arab Woman Award, and a Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa from Keele University. She is also one of the first two Emirati women to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, exemplifying her lifelong commitment to public service and climate action.

  • Sheng Li

    Director General, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI)

    Sheng Li

    Director General, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI)

    Dr. Li Sheng, professorship senior engineer, National Master of Electric Power Industry Survey and Design, Recipient of the Special Allowance from the State Council, Director General of China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI). Under the guidance of National Energy Administration (NEA), CREEI is the most renowned research institute on energy transition and renewable energy in China. As the Director General of CREEI, Dr. Li has more than 30 years of working experience in national strategy and planning, policy study and project engineering in the renewable energy sector. His work includes national planning of hydropower and pumped storage of China, studies on key technology of offshore wind, and the formulation of standards and guidelines in varies fields of renewable energy. Commissioned by NEA, he is currently leading technical research and study for the "15th Five-Year" national renewable energy planning. Dr. Li Sheng received his Ph.D degree in engineering from Tsinghua University.

Registration

This event is by invitation only.

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Contact Us

innovationweek@irena.org

+49 228 3917 9090

IRENA Innovation and Technology Center
Willy-Brandt-Allee 20
53113 Bonn
Germany
http://www.irena.org