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By Elizabeth Ingram
(Renewable Energy World)
Canada has become a member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a global intergovernmental organization dedicated to the widespread adoption of renewable energy
“The growing green economy is among the greatest economic opportunities for Canada in a generation,” said Amarjeet Sohi, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources. “Becoming an IRENA member will accelerate Canada’s efforts to build a clean energy future which will bring new economic growth and thousands of new, well-paying jobs.”
IRENA says that renewable energy accounts for two-thirds of Canada’s power generation and just under 20% of its total final energy supply thanks largely to significant hydropower resources, which make it the second largest producer of hydropower in the world. Renewable power generation in Canada increased from 78 GW in 2009 to 99 GW in 2017. In addition to plentiful hydro resources, Canada also has significant wind, biomass, solar, marine and geothermal energy potential, IRENA says.
“We are delighted to welcome Canada as a new member of the IRENA family,” said IRENA Director-General, Adnan Z. Amin. “We look forward to working with the Canadian government as well as the private sector and research institutions to advance energy transformation.”
IRENA says hydropower still accounts for 70% of the world’s renewable generation capacity.
n addition, the agency is in the midst of a survey to gather quantitative and qualitative insights into the current status of women’s participation in the renewable energy sector.
IRENA’s ninth Assembly is currently under way, where about 1,200 people from 160 countries are expected to discuss the priority of scaling up renewable energy worldwide. The assembly includes a session on the changing role of hydropower in the energy sector transformation.
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