In June 2009, at the second session of the Preparatory Commission, a decision was taken as to the future base for IRENA and the Agency's founding director. Subsequently, work began in stages on establishing the IRENA secretariat.
adelphi was actively involved in that process. Two experts from adelphi were the first international members of staff of IRENA, working on-site in the secretariat. The two members of staff carried out the initial tasks in implementing the 2009 work programme for IRENA and collaborated in establishing the Agency's actual secretariat.
In parallel, other adelphi staff supported IRENA in carrying out specific activities. These included holding an IRENA Stakeholder Workshop on renewable energy worldwide. adelphi also devised a workshop on the subject of knowledge management. adelphi also supported the participating German ministries (the Foreign Ministry, the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Reactor Safety) in fulfilling Germany's role as chair of the administrative committee with regard to all internal and some external communications.