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The headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is situated at:
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Answer: Option D — Abu Dhabi
Detailed Solution
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has its headquarters in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
About IRENA:
- It was founded on 26 January 2009 at a conference in Bonn, Germany, where its Statute was signed.
- Its Statute came into force on 8 July 2010.
- Abu Dhabi was chosen as its headquarters in 2009; it was the first intergovernmental organisation to be headquartered in the Middle East.
- It has an "IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre" (IITC) in Bonn, Germany, and a liaison office in New York.
It has about 170 members. India is a founding member.
It is an intergovernmental organisation, not a UN agency, but it has observer status at the UN.
Its work:
- It promotes the widespread adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy: solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, bioenergy and ocean energy.
- It provides data, policy advice and analysis to countries.
- It publishes reports such as the "World Energy Transitions Outlook" and "Renewable Capacity Statistics".
- It works with other bodies, such as the International Solar Alliance, to promote clean energy.
- The "International Day of Clean Energy" (26 January) was declared by the UN in 2023, marking IRENA's founding day.
India and renewable energy:
India has the fourth-largest renewable energy installed capacity in the world.
India's target is 500 GW of non-fossil fuel electricity capacity by 2030. In 2025, India's non-fossil fuel capacity crossed 50 per cent of its total installed power capacity, five years ahead of its Paris Agreement target.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) was created in 1992 (as the Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources).
The "National Green Hydrogen Mission" was launched in 2023.
Other energy organisations:
- International Solar Alliance: Gurugram (Gwal Pahari), India (2015).
- International Energy Agency (IEA): Paris (1974).
- OPEC: Vienna.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Bonn is where IRENA was founded and where its technology centre is located.
- ✗Gurugram has the International Solar Alliance.
- ✗Paris has the International Energy Agency.
Quick tip
Remember: IRENA = Abu Dhabi (Masdar City; founded 2009 at Bonn; India a founding member); International Solar Alliance = Gurugram; IEA = Paris; International Day of Clean Energy = 26 January.
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Minerals & Energy Resources — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Minerals & Energy Resources, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's mineral resources (iron ore, manganese, bauxite, copper, mica and others) and energy resources (coal, petroleum, natural gas, nuclear power and renewable energy), with their main producing regions, mines, oil fields and power plants. Questions often ask where a mineral is found, which state is the leading producer, or where an important power plant or oil field is located. For example, Jharia is known for coal, Digboi in Assam is the oldest oil field in India, and Tarapur in Maharashtra is the site of India's first nuclear power plant. Practise the minerals and energy resources questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.