Dr. James Walker is Head of Unit – Systemic Innovation at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which works to support 173 member countries to drive the widespread adoption of renewable energies globally. James is based at IRENA’s Innovation and Technology Centre in Bonn, Germany. He is responsible for managing a programme of activities focused on identifying novel and innovative solutions and approaches across the whole renewable energy value chain, and highlighting the measures needed to accelerate their uptake.
Amongst other topics, James and his team are responsible for advancing the Agency’s work on ocean energies. This work involves highlighting the unique opportunity which ocean energy offers in different country contexts, and spotlighting the latest developments in the sector which are enhancing technology readiness and commercial viability.
James has previously worked in a range of roles across academic research, consultancy, and in the civil service, always with a focus on renewable energy and the emerging hydrogen economy. Before joining IRENA he was Head of Hydrogen Strategy at Ofgem, the economic regulator of energy infrastructure and markets in Great Britain. Before that, he also worked for the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney.