All Things Renewable explores the latest trends in the global shift towards sustainable energy. In the interviews with experts, guided by insights from IRENA's research and activities, we break down how renewables are transforming economies, powering communities, and driving sustainable development.

Each episode focuses on key topics around renewable energy financing, costs, policies, technological innovations, and the socio-economic impacts of the energy transition.

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Driving the Energy Transition: Patent Trends in Heavy-Duty Road Transport

Trucks and buses keep the global economy moving, yet 94% still run on fossil fuels and the sector accounts for around 40% of road transport emissions. In this episode, Dr Lakshmi Supriya, Patent Analytics Officer at WIPO, and Jaidev Dhavle, Associate Programme Officer at IRENA, draw on the new joint WIPO–IRENA Patent Landscape Report: Decarbonizing Heavy-Duty Road Transport to examine what patent data reveals about innovation in the sector. They unpack why patents matter for the energy transition, the rise of battery-electric and hydrogen technologies, where innovation is concentrated, and the policy and investment shifts needed to turn this momentum into real impact.

Investing in People: Education and Skills for the Energy Transition

The energy transition cannot succeed without the people to deliver it. Yet as deployment accelerates, a growing skills gap threatens to slow progress. With 40% of the world's population under 25, the opportunity to build that workforce has never been greater. In this episode, Samah Elsayed, Programme Officer leading IRENA's work on education, discusses the skills the transition demands and how IRENA is shaping energy education globally, from training educators to building local and digital capacities. She also examines the qualification gaps that still hold progress back, and why inclusion is as important as investment. For more on IRENA’s Education initiatives, click here.

From Energy Crisis to Energy Security: Why Supply Chains Matter?

The Middle East conflict has severely disrupted the global economy and exposed the fragility of fossil fuel supply chains. From fuel shortages to supply chain shocks, energy security is being redefined. Countries that invested early in renewables are proving more resilient, showing that security is less about securing fuels and more about ensuring access to technologies, materials and industrial know-how. In this episode, Ann-Kathrin Lipponer, Associate Programme Officer for Innovation and Supply Chains at IRENA, discusses what countries should do to secure a sustainable energy future, the new risks they may face, and why international partnerships are key to success.

How Can Clean Cooking Transform the Lives of 2.1 billion people?

The energy transition is incomplete without addressing how people cook their meals. For over 2.1 billion people worldwide, that still means relying on polluting fuels such as wood, charcoal, and kerosene, which pose serious health risks, particularly for women and children. Yet access to cleaner solutions is one of the most immediate and transformative steps available. Caroline Ochieng, Programme Officer for Energy Access Policy at IRENA, explores how clean cooking can improve health, empower women and youth, protect the environment, support sustainable development, and why it must be central to the energy transition.

Beyond the Price: How Well-Designed Renewable Energy Auctions Drive Positive Impacts

Renewable energy auctions have become one of the most widely used policy mechanisms for procuring renewable electricity worldwide. In this episode, Diala Hawila, Team Lead on Renewable Energy Policy and Finance, and Hannah Sofia Guinto, Associate Programme Officer at IRENA, explore how auction design has shifted beyond achieving the lowest possible price to support grid integration, sustainable development and a just energy transition. They examine key design challenges, the objectives governments are embedding into auction frameworks and what countries and communities stand to gain from well-designed auctions.

Fuelling Aviation: How to Unlock Investment to Scale Up SAF

Aviation accounts for 2.5% of global emissions and remains one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are widely seen as its most immediate solution, yet production sits below 1% of global jet fuel use. In this episode, Haliru Audu, Programme Officer for Project Financing at IRENA, explores what is holding SAF back from scale, what it takes to attract serious investment, and how financial instruments and risk-sharing mechanisms such as ⁠FinInvest@ETAF⁠ can help bridge the gap between pilot projects and industrial-scale deployment.

How Can Energy Planning Close the Gap Between Plans and Projects?

As the global energy transition accelerates, countries face growing pressure to turn renewable energy targets into bankable project pipelines. In this episode, Juan Jose Garcia Mendez, Programme Officer for Clean Energy Transition Scenarios at IRENA, discusses how energy planning is evolving into a dynamic tool for coordinating investment, managing risk and aligning energy systems with development priorities. The conversation also explores inclusive stakeholder engagement and how initiatives such as the LTES network and the Global Coalition for Energy Planning (GCEP) are helping bridge the gap between national plans and financing.

Renewable Energy Jobs: Progress, Trends and Future Outlook

Despite record renewable energy deployment in 2024, job creation in the sector grew by just 2.3%, the smallest increase in years. In this episode, Michael Renner, Head of Socioeconomics and Policy at IRENA, and Olga Strietska-Ilina, Head of Future Skills Unit at the International Labour Organizatition (ILO), unpack the findings of the latest IRENA-ILO report, Renewable energy and jobs: Annual review 2025. The conversation explores the factors shaping employment trends, from automation and geographic shifts to the growing demand for digital and technical skills. The discussion also highlights what policymakers, industry and educational institutions should do to build an inclusive, skilled workforce ready for the energy transition ahead.

Gender Perspective: How to Make the Energy Transition Truly Gender Equitable?

Women make up just 32% of the global renewable energy workforce and hold only 19% of senior leadership positions. In this episode, IRENA's expert explores the barriers behind these figures and what it takes to move beyond token inclusion towards meaningful participation. The discussion highlights the role of indigenous women in advancing socio-economic benefits of decentralised renewables, and outlines the actions needed from all stakeholders to unlock a truly gender-equitable energy transition

Financing the Renewable Future: What do the Latest Trends Reveal About Progress, Gaps and Opportunities in Energy Transition Investment?

Global investment in the energy transition reached a record $2.4 trillion in 2024, more than double the 2019 levels, with one-third going to renewable technologies. Yet, the pace of growth is slowing and regional disparities persist. In this episode, Faran Rana, Renewable Energy Finance and Policy expert at IRENA, explores what is driving record investments in solar and batteries, the challenges behind slowing deployment in key sectors, and how emerging manufacturing hubs are reshaping global supply chains. The discussion highlights why tripling renewable capacity by 2030 requires not just more money, but the right kind of impact-driven investments.

From Commitments to Action: Why NDCs Need Renewable Energy Targets?

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are countries' self-determined climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, with 2025 marking crucial NDC 3.0 submissions ahead of COP30. In this episode, Toyo Kawabata, Programme Officer, NDC Implementation at IRENA, explores why renewable energy targets in NDCs are essential in helping countries to transition away from fossil fuels. He also discusses the barriers to stronger commitments and pathways for transforming pledges into actionable plans.

Harnessing the Winds: How to Unlock Full Potential of Offshore Wind Energy?

Offshore wind is emerging as a critical technology for the energy transition. With only 83GW of installed capacity today, it has vast untapped potential. In this episode, Simon Benmarraze, Head, Energy Planning and Modelling at IRENA, and Rikke Povlsen from the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA) explore the technical and commercial viability of GOWA's ambitious target of 2,000 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2050. They discuss falling costs, innovations in floating offshore wind and the role of public-private partnerships in accelerating the deployment of offshore wind.

What's behind the 93% Drop in Battery Storage Costs?

Battery energy storage is essential for maximising the potential of renewables, and with costs falling 93% since 2010, it has shifted from a costly barrier to a key enabler of the energy transition. In this episode, Deborah Ayres, Renewable Energy Costs team at IRENA explores the drivers behind the cost reductions, policies needed to accelerate deployment and why affordable battery storage is essential for modernising grids, integrating more renewables and achieving the goal of tripling renewable capacity by 2030.

Decarbonising the Shipping and Aviation sectors: What are the best strategies?

Maritime shipping and aviation together represent over 5% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions, making decarbonisation of these sectors essential. While electric vehicles have revolutionised road transport, aviation and shipping face unique decarbonisation challenges from longer asset lifetimes, complex infrastructure needs, and fuel compatibility requirements. In this episode, IRENA's Arno van den Bos, Analyst – Green Hydrogen Energy (Power to X), explores the innovative approaches needed to cut emissions to make global transport cleaner and more sustainable.

From Steel to Shipping: How can we tackle emissions of the heavy industry?

Heavy industries such as shipping, aviation, steel and aluminium account for over a quarter of global carbon emissions, yet remain among the toughest sectors to decarbonise. From the high costs of switching production processes to scaling immature technologies, the challenges are immense. IRENA's Deepti Siddhanti and Karan Kochhar from the Innovation and End-Use team examine the systemic approaches needed to decarbonise heavy industry, explore promising solutions, and share why international collaboration is essential for industrial transformation and a net-zero future.

Driving change: How to accelerate the electrification of road transport?

Road transport accounts for three-quarters of overall global transport emissions, making it a critical sector for decarbonisation. Whilst the ever-increasing amount of electric vehicles is a positive trend, the rising global demand for road transport services, especially in the developing economies, still translates into rising emissions. In this episode, IRENA’s Programme Officer Jinlei Feng talks about the role of electric vehicles, infrastructure needs, and innovative solutions to cut emissions, while making cities cleaner, greener, and more accessible.

What role can green hydrogen play in the energy transition?

Hydrogen has the potential to decarbonise heavy industry, aviation, and steel production, but significant hurdles remain. From the "chicken and egg" dilemma affecting investment decisions to bridging the cost gap with fossil-derived alternatives, the path to scale isn't simple. IRENA's James Walker, Team Lead - Renewable Gases and Francisco Gaffaro, Team Lead - Power Sector Transformation at IRENA examine the factors needed to advance green hydrogen, explore what makes hydrogen more than just a fuel and share the technological developments that have them most excited.

AI data centers and renewable energy: Can we power the digital surge sustainably?

Artificial intelligence is driving unprecedented data center expansion, with electricity demand projected to double by 2030. Can we meet this surging energy demand while maintaining the energy transition? In this episode, Adrian Gonzalez, Programme Officer - Innovation and End-use Sectors at IRENA, explores how a diversified renewable portfolio and smart grid solutions can power our AI-driven digital future sustainably.

Costs of power generation: Do renewables make business sense?

From solar and wind to geothermal and bioenergy, the costs of renewable technologies have dropped dramatically over the past decade, with solar leading the surge. In 2024 the costs of renewables have stabilised. Do renewables still make business sense? In this episode, Saied Dardour, IRENA's energy cost expert, breaks down the latest findings from IRENA’s Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2024 report.

Power for all: Is the world on track for universal energy access by 2030?

In this episode, we take a closer look at the global progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7): ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030. Today, 666 million people, mostly in the Global South, still remain without access to electricity. Ute Collier, Acting Director of Knowledge, Policy and Finance division at IRENA presents the latest data and tells us what it reveals about the world’s journey toward universal energy access.

The renewable energy boom: What is the story behind data?

2024 set a new record with 582 GW of renewables added. But is it enough—and who’s being left behind? IRENA’s data experts, Nazik Elhassan and Dennis Akande, unpack the global trends shaping our clean energy future and walk us through the numbers, the methodology, and the stories hidden in the data.

Small scale, big impact: How can decentralized renewables transform lives and livelihoods?

 In this episode, host Daria Gazzola is joined by Kavita Rai, Senior Programme Officer for Energy Access at IRENA, to explore how decentralized renewable energy is reshaping lives: from powering agriculture or healthcare to empowering women and youth.

How can innovation in renewables drive sustainable development?

In this episode, Arina Anisie, IRENA innovation expert, talks to the host Daria Gazzola about how innovation in renewable energy goes beyond technological advancements, driving sustainable growth and development globally.

Is energy transition possible without energy utilities advancing renewables and power grids?

In this episode, IRENA’s Programme Officer - Partnerships, Zafar Samadov, shares insights on why utilities are uniquely positioned to drive the shift to renewables, pinpointing the challenges they face, and explains how public-private cooperation is crucial to accelerating progress.

How do we empower youth to shape a renewable energy future?

The youth of today are not just passive bystanders, they are changemakers. The voices of young generations have never been heard as clearly as they are today. In this episode, Riccardo Toxiri from IRENA joins host Daria Gazzola to discuss how youth bring urgency, innovation and bold ideas to the table, shaping energy policies, spearheading impactful initiatives, and gaining recognition on the international stage.

Small but Resilient: How the Energy Transition Benefits Island Communities

In this conversation with Arieta Gonelevu Rakai, IRENA expert on SIDS and Head of Partnerships, we delve into the pressing issues facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the wake of climate change and ways in which energy transition will positively benefit the island communities. With rising sea levels and increasing natural disasters, SIDS, which contribute less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, are among the most vulnerable regions on the planet. Small island countries lead by example and show true resilience, yet they still need support. What is being done to help them in their energy transition and what more can we do?

What is the role of policy in driving investment for a just energy transition?

Public funds alone cannot fund the energy transition, but they play a critical role in catalyzing private investment. In this episode, host Daria Gazzola speaks with Diala Hawila, Programme Officer, Policy Advice from IRENA about why only a fraction of global energy transition investment reaches developing economies

Financing renewable energy projects: Why bankability matters?

Many developing economies cannot fund their energy transitions without significant international investment. Yet, to obtain funding, projects need to be bankable. In this episode, Erick Ruiz Araya, Deputy Director, Project Facilitation and Support at IRENA, explains why climate finance is critical for powering the energy transition in developing countries and why bankability matters.

How can African countries drive the energy transition?

In this episode, we explore the key challenges and opportunities in Africa's energy transition, with a focus on the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA). How can partnerships like APRA unlock investment, drive implementation, and deliver local value? Safiatou Alzouma, IRENA’s Special Advisor on Energy Transition, Climate and Green Industrialisation, joins host Daria Gazzola to discuss what is needed to translate ambition into tangible impact on the ground.