panorama

IRENA and UNWTO team up to promote renewables in the island tourism sector

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United Nations specialized agency for tourism, have joined forces to promote the use of renewable energy on islands.
IRENA and UNWTO team up to promote renewables in the island tourism sector

In a joint statement on Renewable Energy and Tourism in Islands, released at the Third UN Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Samoa, IRENA and UNWTO committed to encourage investment in cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions that reduce the reliance of islands on carbon-emitting fossil fuel.

Islands are burdened by high energy costs due to their reliance on costly imported diesel fuel. In spite of efforts to improve energy efficiency, more than 90 percent of SIDS´ energy consumption is met through oil imports, which represent up to 20 percent of their annual imports.

Many islands have goals to expand the use of renewable energy options and reduce this oil dependency. Since tourism is an economic mainstay for many islands, investment in such options by hotels is key to achieving these goals. Renewable options for water heating, air conditioning and electricity generation can cut hotel operating costs, advance sustainability while making them more appealing for tourists.

The statement also calls for hotels to document the energy savings and cost reductions from these applications and to share the information through the Global Renewable Energy Islands Network (GREIN).

Finally, it recalls that greater investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy is fundamental to build a more sustainable, competitive and resilient tourism sector worldwide, and particularly, in islands.

In signing the statement, IRENA Director-General, Adnan Z. Amin, and UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai paved the way to cooperation with hotels and tourism authorities in pursuit of these aims. 

“Investment by island hotels is vital to demonstrating the business case for renewable energy, which is essential to addressing the burden of costly fossil fuels that inhibits islands’ economic and social development,” Amin said.

Rifai agreed.

“Tourism is a primary economic sector for many SIDS and a dominant force driving inclusive socio-economic growth," he said. "Yet, sustainable tourism development in small islands continues to face many challenges; one of the major ones is their high dependence on fossil fuel. The synergy of tourism and renewable energy represents a powerful force that will pave the way for win-win solutions in driving the sustainable agenda of islands forward.”

In 2013, 41 million international tourists visited the SIDS, generating $61 billion in foreign earnings. Tourism accounts for over 20 percent of the GDP of 16 out of 48 SIDS for which data is available and 9 percent of total SIDS exports.

For additional information:

Global Renewable Energy Islands Network

UNWTO Sustainable Development of Tourism Programme

UNWTO Hotel Energy Solutions

Baterías con premio en la gran feria europea del almacenamiento de energía
El jurado de la feria ees (la gran feria europea de las baterías y los sistemas acumuladores de energía) ya ha seleccionado los productos y soluciones innovadoras que aspiran, como finalistas, al gran premio ees 2021. Independientemente de cuál o cuáles sean las candidaturas ganadoras, la sola inclusión en este exquisito grupo VIP constituye todo un éxito para las empresas. A continuación, los diez finalistas 2021 de los ees Award (ees es una de las cuatro ferias que integran el gran evento anual europeo del sector de la energía, The smarter E).