Innovation Week 2020. Renewable solutions for transport and industry

The key takeaways and priorities for action from IVIW2020 are summarised and discussed in the IVIW2020 Summary Report here.

The IRENA Innovation Week series has become a landmark biennial event to discuss the latest innovations that will lead to a global energy transition. The 2016 and 2018 editions focused on the energy supply side, exploring zero-carbon power systems based on integrating high-shares of renewables. The third edition of the IRENA Innovation Week (5-8th October 2020) moved into the energy demand side by providing important new insights into challenges, opportunities and emerging solutions for end-use energy sector decarbonisation, informed by IRENA’s recent Reaching Zero with Renewables report.

Innovation Week 2020 provided a forum for in-depth accessible dialogue between policy makers, private sector representatives and the research community. IRENA partnered with World Economic Forum, Electric Power Research Institute, International Transport Forum, Hydrogen Council, FAO’s Global Bioenergy Partnership and others to organise sessions on: smart electrification of end-uses; green hydrogen (electrolysis, ammonia and other e-fuels); growing the bio-economy; renewable solutions for industry and for transforming transport; and a session showcasing young entrepreneurship and innovation. Over 100 expert speakers participated, including Energy Commissioners from the European Commission and the African Union, Energy and Climate Ministers from four continents, panellists and facilitators from over 35 different countries, and an audience of over 1600 from circa 1250 organisations and almost 140 countries. The level and breadth of participation indicate the expanding recognition of the critical importance of decarbonising industry and transport and its significant implications for global economies.