(IRENA) - April 11, 2008

At the invitation of the German Federal Government representatives of 60 countries met today and yesterday (10th and 11th April 2008) in Berlin at the Preparatory Conference for the Foundation of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Over the last few years the World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE) and EUROSOLAR have been the main driving force behind the initiative to establish an International Renewable Energy Agency. Now the German Government has agreed to push the process forward.

The IRENA will constitute an independent driving force behind renewable energy and help to create a level playing field for developing renewable energy. Participants at the conference emphasised that, without an organisation such as IRENA, the world will remain unable to realise the benefits of renewable energy in full.

The conference has been very successful. The German Government aims to invite all interested countries to the Founding Conference in autumn 2008.

Here you find the Chairs' Conclusions and a paper arguing for the establishment of the IRENA.

(We will provide you with additional documents as well as Hermann Scheer's keynote speech within a short time.)

Link "conclusions":

Link "The case for IRENA":

World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE)

c/o EUROSOLAR e.V.

Kaiser-Friedrich-Str. 11

Bonn 53113

Germany

Phone +49 (0)228 / 36 23 - 73 or - 75

Fax: +49 (0)228 / 36 12 - 13 or - 79