UN declares Jan 26 as International Clean Energy Day - IRENE

During the Energy Transition (ET) Conference 2023 powered by Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) here Monday, La Camera said the chosen date is also as the anniversary of the agency's founding in 2009.

"This is also the date that IRENA has been established," he said during a plenary session titled 'Closing the Renewable Energy Loop: Bridging The Net Zero Transition Through Circular Economy Strategies, here.

In a statement by IRENA on Aug 25, the 193 member states of the UNGA acknowledged the agency's leading role in accelerating the global renewables-based energy transition.

The statement said with the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai approaching, which will be held from Nov 30 to Dec 12, this decision highlights the need for a unified global approach to energy issues.

"In line with IRENA's 1.5 celsius scenario and the COP28 agenda, the UN resolution emphasises the need to increase the share of renewables and clean energy by 2030 for a just and sustainable energy transition.

"IRENA's World Energy Transitions Outlook calls for a tripling of annual renewable power capacity additions from around 300 gigawatts (GW) to 1000 GW on average until 2030 globally," the statement said.

Malaysia has set a target of increasing its renewable energy (RE) capacity mix to 70 per cent by 2050, and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions earliest by 2050.

Its Natural Resources, Energy and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad in his opening speech said achieving this RE capacity mix target will cost RM637 billion up to 2050, including investments for RE generation sources, upgrading grid infrastructure, and energy storage systems integration.

The ET Conference 2023, held in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre is the region's largest meeting place for energy transition, looking ahead to the future amidst an industry-wide transformation to drive progress to net zero.

The two-day conference beginning Monday unites local and international thought leaders, experts, industry players, policymakers, and communities from across the value chain to formulate solutions and strategies, stimulate meaningful changes to accelerate energy transition and form collaborations.