WREC Upcoming Congresses

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Past Congresses

List of all Congresses since 1990 / 2023

World Renewable Energy Congress and Network – WREN

Introduction to Renewable Energy

WREC, WREN Thirtieth Anniversary

Thirty years – Towards a cleaner environment.

The World Renewable Energy Congress (WREC) and Network (WREN) is a non-profit company set up in 1990 to help foster the transfer of renewable energy technology from developed countries to developing countries.

For more than 10 years their Honorary President was The Deputy Director General of UNESCO, Prof Dr Adnan Badran.

WREC is a British Company which organizes conferences and seminars, publishes books, journals and magazines around the world in the field of Renewable Energy.

More than 45 countries have hosted the Congress, among them: UK, Germany, Italy, USA, UAE, Portugal, Bahrain, Australia, Romania, and Sweden.

The Congress participants have been from more than 90 countries.

Regional conferences have been held in: Italy, Canada, Colombia, Algeria, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Zambia, Malawi, India, West Indies, Tunisia, Indonesia, Libya, Taiwan, UAE, Oman, Czech Republic, Germany, Australia, Poland, Netherlands, Thailand, South Korea, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Morocco, Sweden, France, USA, China and the UK.

Among its eminent speakers have been H H Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, President of Iceland, Dr Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy, Rt Hon Dr Stephen Timms MP, Rt Hon John Redwood MP, Rt Hon John Gummer MP, Sir Norman Foster, the Hon Sir Jonathon Porritt, Crown Prince Faisal of Jordan, H E Dr Abdulaziz Bin Othman Altwaijri – Director General of ISESCO, (he is now WREN Honorary Chairman), Rt Hon US Secretary of Energy Hazel R. O’Leary and US Secretary of Energy and Nobel Prize Laureate, Prof Steven Chu, Mrs Monika Ghandi, Minister of Environment, India, Admiral Truly, Dr Charly Gay and Dan Arvisu Directors General of NREL, USA, First Minister of Scotland Rt Hon Alex Salmond, President of Iceland Olafur Ragnar Grimsson and H R H Princess Victoria of Sweden. WREN worked with UN, UNESCO, WEC, UNIDO, UNEP, WMO, WHO, ESCWA, ISES, SER, EU, Common Wealth Science Council, and WB The Chairman of WREC is Professor Ali Sayigh, B Sc. AWP, DIC, PhD, FIE, FIEE, C Eng. Chairman IEI, UK member of WEC, and FRSA.

The first Congress was held in Reading, UK in 1990 and it has been held every second year since then. In 2012 it was held in Denver where more than 3000 participants were present. WREN Created “Ali Sayigh Trophy” to be given to the best country promoting renewable energy every two years. So far received by: Cyprus, Brazil, Italy, USA, Germany, France, Denmark, China and Morocco. The 2020 Congress was held in: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Instituto Superior Técnico – Lisbon, Portugal.

About the World Renewable Energy Congress / Network (WREC/WREN)

WREN is a major non-profit organization registered in the United Kingdom with charitable status and affiliated to UNESCO, the Deputy Director General of which is its honorary President. It has a Governing Council, an Executive Committee and a Director General. It maintains links with many United Nations, governmental and non-governmental organisations.

Established in 1992 during the second World Renewable Energy Congress in Reading, UK, WREN is one of the most effective organizations in supporting and enhancing the utilisation and implementation of renewable energy sources that are both environmentally safe and economically sustainable. This is done through a worldwide network of agencies, laboratories, institutions, companies and individuals, all working together towards the international diffusion of renewable energy technologies and applications. Representing most countries in the world, it aims to promote the communication and technical education of scientists, engineers, technicians and managers in this field and to address itself to the energy needs of both developing and developed countries.

Over two billion dollars have now been allocated to projects dealing with renewable energy and the environment by the World Solar Summit and World Solar Decade along with the World Bank. This shows that at last the important message is being heard. The renewable energy community has exhibited a lot of courage, stamina and willpower, demonstrating renewable energy to be a viable energy provider. We should continue at a faster pace.

Solar World Conference

Purpose of WREC

At no time in modern history has energy played a more crucial role in the development and well being of nations than at present. The source and nature of energy, the security of supply and the equity of distribution, the environmental impact of its supply and utilization, are all crucial matters to be addressed by suppliers, consumers, governments, industry, academia, and financial institutions.

The World Renewable Energy Congress (WREC), a major recognised forum for networking between these sectors, addresses these issues through regular meetings and exhibitions, bringing together representatives of all those involved in the supply, distribution, consumption and development of energy sources which are benign, sustainable, accessible and economically viable. WREC enables policy makers, researchers, manufacturers, economists, financiers, sociologists, environmentalists and others to present their views in Plenary and Technical Sessions and to participate in discussions, both formal and informal, thus facilitating the transfer of knowledge between nations, institutions, disciplines and individuals. The World Renewable Energy Congress VIII in Denver, USA attended by more than a thousand participants, signalled the increasing importance of renewable energy, but much effort is still required to make it a major energy supplier.