1 June 2015: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and Atlantic Council Global Energy Center have hosted an event, titled ‘The Renewable Energy Transition: The Impact on Climate Change, Energy Security and Economic Development,’ to discuss IRENA’s ‘REmap 2030: A Renewable Energy Roadmap’ and highlight renewable energy as an important component of US energy policy.

The event, held on 1 June 2015 in Washington, DC, US, brought together policy makers and energy industry leaders who explored the benefits that renewables can bring to domestic and international discussions on climate change, energy security and economic development. The panel also considered ‘REmap 2030: A Renewable Energy Roadmap,’ which outlines renewable energy potential in the US and other countries over the next fifteen years. The full title of the US country report, released in January 2015, is ‘Renewable Energy Prospects: United States of America.’

REmap 2030 assesses how countries can work together to double the share of renewables in the global energy mix by 2030. According to the report, the US has the potential to lead the global transition to renewable energy. While, under current policies, the share of renewables in the US energy mix is projected to only reach 10% by 2030, compared to 7.5% in 2010, the REmap analysis shows that the country could realistically scale up renewables to 27%. The report finds that the required annual investment of US$86 billion could save the US as much as US$140 billion per year by 2030, factoring in the benefits of improved health and lower CO2 emissions.

The second in a series of IRENA REmap 2030 country reports, ‘Renewable Energy Prospects: United States of America’ consists of nine main sections addressing, inter alia: recent trends for renewable energy and the present energy situation; reference case developments to 2030; the current policy framework; renewable potentials and their costs today; REmap options; barriers and opportunities for renewable energy transition; and suggestions for accelerated renewable energy uptake. [Publication: Renewable Energy Prospects: United States of America] [IRENA Press Release] [Atlantic Council Press Release]