A new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) finds that while there is no single solution for all energy systems, systemic innovation has the potential to transform the future of energy. Released during a Ministerial Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence at IRENA’s Assembly, the report titled Innovation Landscape for Sustainable Development Powered by Renewables emphasizes that transformation occurs when technological innovation is combined with innovation in policy, regulation, market design, system operations, and business models.
The report highlights 40 innovations, ranging from AI and digital applications to modernizing grids through smarter planning, off-grid solutions, and new business models. It concludes that only a systemic, integrated approach can create resilient power systems, broaden energy access, ensure affordability, and fully realize the potential of the energy transition. This is the third report in IRENA’s Innovation Landscape series, which showcases emerging solutions that enhance the impact of renewables across energy systems and economies worldwide.
Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, said, “The question is not whether we can transform our energy systems, but whether we will take the opportunity to do so in a holistic way that leaves no one behind. The energy transition is not only about technology availability but also about solutions that ensure social justice. Today’s report calls for a systemic innovation approach and provides policymakers with a toolkit to design tailored solutions.”
The report notes that renewable energy technologies have become the cheapest source of electricity in most regions. Combined with the decentralized nature of many innovations, this makes universal access to electricity and resilient power systems achievable, supporting a just transition and economic development, particularly in emerging and developing economies. Implementing these innovations successfully requires attention to system-specific attributes, including technical and economic factors of national power systems, grid integration, end-use sectors, resource availability, and social and cultural considerations.
The report provides examples of innovations already being tested globally. In Tanzania, Kenya, Colombia, and Malaysia, energy communities collectively own and benefit from local renewable projects. Regional power pools in West Africa allow 15 countries to share renewable resources across borders. Dynamic line rating in Malaysia increases transmission capacity by 10–50% using real-time weather monitoring. Battery swapping stations in Uganda and Rwanda enhance access to electric mobility, and pay-as-you-go business models have brought affordable electricity to over 500,000 people in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
To make these 40 innovations actionable, the report organizes them into four strategic toolkits for policymakers: grid modernization, decentralized solutions, inclusive local development, and energy access. IRENA emphasizes that action is needed at all levels from multilateral institutions and regional forums to national governments and local communities. By providing a cohesive framework, the agency aims to guide the design of tailored solutions that reflect the unique technical, economic, and socio-cultural needs of different countries, regions, and communities.
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