Fifty-five governments have said they will commit themselves to full membership of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), at its founding conference in Bonn . A total of 116 countries will take part.

IRENA aims to develop comprehensive solutions, promote all types of renewable energy, and consider various renewable energy policies on the local, regional, and national level. It will involve stakeholders from the energy industry, academia, institutions and civil society.

IRENA will aim to improve globally the gap between the potential for renewables and the market share in energy consumption.

German federal development minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul said: "IRENA gives renewables an international voice and political impetus. The Agency will be the global platform for renewable energies."

So far 75 countries have signed the statute. But the UK Government has yet to sign. It has said it is prepared to join if IRENA had the “right focus.” A DECC official was quoted by the Guardian as saying he felt the agency should pay more attention to the deployment of renewables, and it should have a wider membership with an indication that the US and Asian countries such as China and Japan would join.

IRENA Website

IRENA Press Release

Read the full Guardian report: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/26/irena-renewable-energy-summit