Energy giant, General Electric (GE), has signed a framework agreement with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to collaborate on a plan which will support both climate change and energy security.
The agreement was signed by the director-general of IRENA, Francesco La Camera, and chief sustainability officer of GE, Roger Martella, at the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27) in Egypt.
Through this collaboration, GE and IRENA have agreed to cooperate across several specific pillars, including decarbonisation, thought leadership, adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy. COP27 provides the right context and platform for the agreement to move forward.
Director-general of IRENA, Francesco La Camera said, “Any near-term shortfall in action will further reduce the chance of keeping 1.5°C within reach. We are acutely aware that scaling up renewable energy investments and decarbonisation technologies is more important today than ever.
“Our collaboration with GE underlines how partnerships within the industry can – and must – serve our mission of supporting countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future. Together with forward-looking multinationals such as GE, we hope to accelerate progress and fuel global ambitions to achieve net zero.”
“GE knows that partnership is critical to solving climate change and energy security. We are thus honored to partner with IRENA as a key stakeholder to achieve the shared goal of a just and ambitious energy transition,” said chief sustainability officer, GE, Roger Martella.
The US Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources Assistant Secretary, Geoffrey R. Pyatt stated that, “the United States strongly supports private sector-led industrial decarbonisation efforts, and we look forward to working closely with GE and other cutting edge industry players to advance these initiatives.”
Speaking on the agreement, president, GE Nigeria, Mohammed Mijindadi said, “This agreement is a welcome development for Nigeria with its ambition to diversify the nation’s energy mix. GE’s Renewable Energy business is providing technology and services that can help enhance the country’s renewable energy generating capacity, improve and optimise the grid infrastructure, as well as leverage its advanced digital service offerings for cutting edge transformation.”
