KEY POINTS
- IRENA identifies 40 innovations for resilient energy systems.
- Renewables now offer the lowest-cost electricity in most regions.
- Many solutions are already operating across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The International Renewable Energy Agency has mapped out 40 innovations it says can strengthen energy systems, expand access and support a more resilient global transition toward renewables.
Innovation reshapes power systems
Released in Abu Dhabi during a ministerial dialogue on artificial intelligence at IRENA’s annual Assembly, the report finds no universal model for transforming energy systems. Instead, it argues that progress depends on systemic innovation that combines technology with changes in policy, regulation, market design, system operation and business models.
Titled Innovation Landscape for Sustainable Development Powered by Renewables, the publication outlines a broad set of solutions. These range from artificial intelligence and digital applications to smarter grid planning, off-grid systems and emerging commercial models. Together, they show how renewable-based systems can adapt to rising demand, climate risks and widening access gaps.
The report concludes that only an integrated and systemic approach can deliver resilient electricity networks, improve affordability and unlock the full potential of the energy transition. It says fragmented efforts limit impact, particularly in countries facing infrastructure constraints and uneven investment flows.
This edition marks the third installment in IRENA’s Innovation Landscape series, which tracks emerging approaches that strengthen the role of renewables across energy systems and national economies. The series focuses on solutions already moving beyond theory into real-world application.
IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera said the central issue was not whether energy systems could change, but whether governments would act in a holistic manner that leaves no communities behind. He added that the transition is not defined by technology alone, but by outcomes that support social equity and inclusive development.
From pilots to practical impact
According to the report, renewable technologies now rank as the cheapest source of electricity in most regions. When combined with decentralized solutions, this cost advantage brings universal electricity access and stronger system resilience closer to reach, especially in emerging markets and developing economies.
IRENA said the best strategies will vary by country. Factors include the technical and economic structure of power systems, grid integration challenges, end-use demand, resource availability and local social conditions.
Many of the highlighted innovations are already under way. The report points to community-owned renewable projects in Tanzania, Kenya, Colombia and Malaysia. It also cites regional power pools that allow 15 West African countries to share renewable resources across borders.
Other examples include dynamic line rating in Malaysia, which has raised transmission capacity by between 10 percent and 50 percent through real-time weather data. Battery swapping stations now support electric mobility in Uganda and Rwanda. Pay-as-you-go models have delivered electricity to more than 500,000 people in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
To support wider adoption, IRENA grouped the 40 innovations into four strategic toolkits. These focus on grid modernization, decentralized solutions, inclusive local development and energy access.
The agency said action is needed across all levels, from multilateral institutions to local communities. The framework aims to help countries design solutions that reflect national priorities while advancing resilient, affordable and low-carbon energy systems worldwide.
