Brussels, 23 June 2009

Support of leading renewable energy industry, trade & research associations for the nomination of Prof. Arthouros Zervos as Director-General of IRENA
In view of the upcoming second meeting of the Preparatory Commission in Egypt on 29-30 June 2009, the leading renewable energy industry, trade and research associations declare their support for the creation of IRENA and in particular the nomination of Prof. Arthouros Zervos as Director-General of IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency.
The fact that the idea of IRENA, launched more than 20 years ago by Dr. Hermann Scheer, has now received the support of more than 100 governments from all over the world, demonstrates that renewable energy is nowadays at the centre of political attention as THE answer to concerns over energy security, climate change, air pollution and sustainable industry policy.
IRENA needs to be established as a strong body from the outset in order to fulfill its mission as global voice for renewable energy. Therefore, the choice of its Director-General is of key importance. The Director-General of IRENA needs to have a long-term track-record of policy & technology development in the field of renewable energy sources as well as a sound knowledge of the renewable energy industry.
AEBIOM, EBB, eBIO, EGEC, EPIA, EREF, ESHA, ESTIF, EUBIA, EU-OEA, EUREC Agency, EWEA and GWEC, are convinced that IRENA and the world would benefit substantially from the vision and skills of Prof. Arthouros Zervos by appointing him as Director-General of IRENA. President of EREC (European Renewable Energy Council) for the last nine years since EREC’s creation, Chairman of GWEC (Global Wind Energy Council) and President of EWEA (European Wind Energy Association), Arthouros Zervos is the ideal candidate for the post of Director-General of IRENA.
Prof. Arthouros Zervos has acted as bridge-builder between industry, research & policy in the field of renewable energy for the last 25 years.
He guided EREC and its members from the first steps in formulating a common message for all renewable energy sectors which has now developed into a strong voice for a major industrial sector, which today in Europe alone employs more than 450.000 people and has an annual turnover of 45 billion EUR.
Prof. Zervos provided technical & political expertise as a basis for the EU White Paper on renewable energy sources, Europe’s first legislation on renewables in 1997, which forms the basis for the recently adopted EU Renewable Energy Directive (20 % RES by 2020), the most ambitious piece of renewables legislation in the world.
In addition to this and his researching and teaching experience as professor at the National Technical University of Athens, Prof. Zervos has an extensive network of contacts and working experience with key-stakeholders on all continents covering the broad spectrum of renewable energy technologies from wind, bioenergy, solar, geothermal and hydro to ocean & marine power.
Prof. Zervos has demonstrated his vision and knowledge about renewable energy in his functions, amongst others, as a Steering Committee Member of both the landmark Renewables 2004 Conference and its offspring REN21, the Renewable Energy Network for the 21st century, and as a lead author of the IPCCC report on renewable energy which is currently in preparation.
Guiding an ever-growing team of currently more than 120 people within the EREC, Prof. Zervos brings the vision, diplomatic as well as analytical skills necessary to lead IRENA, ensuring that renewable energy plays the central role that it must for a sustainable energy future.
Dr. Heinz Kopetz Mr. Raffaello Garofalo Mr. Rob Vierhout Dr. Burkhard Sanner
President, AEBIOM Secretary General, EBB Secretary General, eBIO President, EGEC
Dr. Winfried Hoffmann Dr. Dörte Fouquet Prof. Bernhard Pelikan Mr. Olivier Drücke
President, EPIA Director, EREF President, ESHA President, ESTIF
Dr. Giuliano Grassi Mrs. Alla Weinstein Dr. Keith Melton
Secretary General, EUBIA President, EU-OEA President, EUREC Agency
Mr. Christian Kjaer Mr. Steve Sawyer
CEO, EWEA Secretary General, GWEC