Founding Conference of the International Renewable Energy Agency

Your Excellency, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

First, let me convey the congratulations from the Norwegian Government to the Government of Germany for having launched the initiative to establish IRENA, and for her strong leadership guiding us through the preparatory process to where we are to-day.

The world faces the twin challenges of securing adequate, affordable, modern and sustainable energy services and supplies, and that of climate change. When we add the new challenges caused by the current global financial crisis, we see that the solutions to them are closely linked. Renewable energy and energy efficiency must be part of the solution. To secure employment and healthy economies, we need security of energy supply. To answer the challenges caused by climate change we need a shift towards climate friendly energy production and use.

IRENA will be an important instrument to increase the deployment of renewable energy technologies. Its function as a Centre of Excellence is much needed. To-day, many institutions and organizations work to increase the use of renewable energy. We feel confident that IRENA will fill the perceived institutional gap and cooperate with other organisations within and outside the United Nations. It is important to Norway that IRENA creates real value added and progress, and to avoid duplication of work. I am pleased to announce that Norway will sign to-day the statute of IRENA. Norway is proud to be able to call herself “co-founder of IRENA”.

Norway is fortunate to be rich in all forms of energy. We are endowed with ample hydro power resources, which have been developed for the benefit of Norwegian society over the past hundred years. Almost all, or 99 per cent, of Norwegian electricity production is renewable. The proportion of energy use accounted for by electricity is considerably higher in Norway than in other countries, mainly due to our large energy-intensive industrial sector. In addition, electricity is used to a much wider extent for heating buildings and water than in other countries. This is why well over 50 per cent of our energy consumption is renewable.

Clean and sustainable production and use of energy is high on the Norwegian Government’s agenda. With our long experience in the management of natural resources and hydro-power development, we recognize the important role Norway can play. Norway offers her expertise and financial support through the Clean Energy Initiative which is part of our cooperation with developing countries. IRENA will become a new vehicle to further our common ambitions for a sustainable future.

Over the past decade or two, the Norwegian Government has increased substantially its efforts to develop new renewable energy sources, and in greater energy efficiency. In 2001 the public agency Enova was established under the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. Enova promotes more efficient energy use and production of new renewable sources of energy. Enova’s activities are financed partly over the State budget, and partly from a levy on the distribution tariff.

This leads me back to the twin, or triple challenges which I mentioned earlier. To-day the Norwegian Government has presented to the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) a package of measures to alleviate the effects of the financial unrest. The Norwegian Government does take this opportunity to boost its investments considerably in areas that contribute to an even greener economy, to the creation of more green jobs and to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. We almost double the resources initially granted over the State budget for 2009 and that are allocated by Enova to renewable energy production including more wind power, to energy efficiency measures in buildings and industry, and to other related projects that can readily be materialized.

We must all make sure that whichever measures we plan now and later take us to a more sustainable future. The measures must contribute to substantially increase the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Not only should we, industrialized countries, invest more in renewable energy at home, but in our development programmes clean and sustainable energy must be given high priority. Combating poverty is not possible without securing sustainable and reliable energy supplies.

IRENA’s tasks are formidable, but achievable. In close and efficient collaboration with other institutions she can contribute to do what the IEA in its recent World Energy Outlook describes that we need to do, if we are to arrive at a supportable and sustainable future. Renewable energy clearly is one of the core elements.

Your Excellency, thanks again to the German Government and its close allies in this work – Denmark and Spain, for having set this train in motion, and for hosting this excellent conference in the beautiful city of Bonn.