The Sixteenth Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) was held in Abu Dhabi, marking the first major international energy gathering of 2026. The Assembly took place under the theme Mobilising Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity, with the aim of establishing a common agenda and key priorities for international cooperation, focused on shaping a better energy future around which the global community could unite throughout 2026.
According to IRENA, the Assembly brought together more than 1,000 ministers and senior officials from around 170 Member States, as well as company executives, investors, representatives of international organisations and youth leaders.
Special attention was given to topics related to the regional energy transition, including power grids, energy planning, digital innovation and artificial intelligence. Discussions also addressed how renewable energy can contribute to improving agri-food systems and advancing green industrialisation.
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During the Ministerial Dialogue on the role of artificial intelligence, the report Innovation landscape for sustainable development powered by renewables was presented. The report shows that transformation occurs when technological innovations are combined with innovations in policy, regulation, market design, system operations and business models.
The report highlights 40 innovations, ranging from artificial intelligence and digital applications to solutions for grid modernisation through smarter planning and off-grid solutions. These innovations aim to enhance the resilience of energy systems, expand access to electricity, increase efficiency and enable sustainable local development.
To ensure that the 40 identified innovations are practical and readily accessible to policy makers, they are organised into four strategic toolkits, enabling context-specific solutions: grid modernisation, decentralised solutions, inclusive local development and expanded energy access.
The full report is available here.
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