On April 15, 2024, at the Annual Strategy Meeting of the IRENA Coalition for Action held at the headquarter of the International Renewable Energy Agency in Abu Dhabi, Dr. Shota Furuya, researcher at Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies, was appointed as one of the co-chairs of the newly formed Empowering People and Communities Working Group.
IRENA Coalition for Action was launched in 2014 as a platform to develop collaboration between IRENA and private sector actors. The coalition has formed an important international network to discuss industry trends, determine actions, share knowledge, and exchange best practices to promote the widespread and rapid deployment of renewable energy. It has grown to include more than 140 key renewable energy stakeholders, including private companies, industry associations, NGOs, research institutions, and intergovernmental organizations.
Together with Stefan Gsänger (World Wind Energy Association) and Krisztina André (Bündnis Bürgerenergie), Dr. Shota Furuya had been co-chairing the Community Energy Working Group since 2018, and he contributed following three reports on community energy.
On the occasion of its 10th anniversary, the coalition has formed three working groups. Under the new structure, Furuya, along with Stefan Gsänger and Brian Kawuma (Power for All), assumed the co-chair of the Empowering People and Communities Working Group.
- Renewable Energy Market and Finance Working Group
- Sonia Dunlop, CEO, Global Solar Council
- Emerson Clarke, Director, Advocacy, Global Wind Energy Council
- Emmanuel Beau, Founder, President, On.Capital
- Empowering People and Communities Working Group
- Shota Furuya, Researcher, Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies
- Stefan Gsänger, General Secretary, World Wind Energy Association
- Brian Kawuma, Director – Powering Agriculture, Power for All
- Towards 100% Renewable Energy Systems Working Group
- Rainer Hinrichs-Rahlwes, Vice-President, European Renewable Energies Federation
- Dave Renné, Past President, International Solar Energy Society
Empowering People and Communities Working Group focuses on the socioeconomic and environmental benefits of a just and inclusive energy transition. By highlighting the interconnectedness of energy, well-being, and nature, the group seeks solutions that promote local value creation, quality employment, and community ownership. The group will highlight the central role of citizens in the energy transition, as decision-makers and active participants in sustainable business practices.
Through its activities in the IRENA Action Coalition, ISEP will continue to contribute to the consolidation and dissemination of international knowledge and information on community energy.
Contact
Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies
Dr. Shota Furuya, Researcher
Contact form – https://www.isep.or.jp/en/contact/
