Lightsource bp joins new World Economic Forum coalition to accelerate responsible renewable infrastructure deployment 

Lightsource bp has joined industry peers, environmental non-profits and the World Economic Forum (WEF) to launch the Responsible Renewables Infrastructure Coalition. The global alliance is focused on accelerating renewable energy deployment while also creating benefits for communities and ecosystems.

The initiative comes as global leaders aim to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 by speeding up the development of solar and wind farms, plus the required supporting grid infrastructure. Lightsource bp and its peers will be joined in the alliance by non-profit organisations including The Nature Conservancy and Birdlife to set out ambitions and actions covering issues including ecosystem restoration, job creation and better outcomes for local communities that host infrastructure.

Lightsource bp actively engages with local communities near our projects around the world, seeking out ways for our projects to deliver benefits to them. We passionately believe in our role as an environmental steward, targeting net biodiversity enhancement on all the projects where we lead the development.

As governments and industry target an era of greatly accelerated deployment, the Responsible Renewables Infrastructure Coalition provides a valuable platform through which the industry can find ways to retain and improve best practice.

Penny Laurenson, Global Head of Sustainability at Lightsource bp said: “Since its inception in 2020, Lightsource bp has had a proven track record in developing clean energy projects the right way. We look after the safety and wellbeing of our employees; we consult meaningfully with the communities where we develop; and we seek out opportunities to enhance nature. We are committed to driving our projects forward to make a significant contribution to the ambitions of tripling renewable capacity by 2030, in a way that benefits nature and society. The collaborative power of the Responsible Renewables Infrastructure Coalition is crucial to ensuring the energy transition as a whole is one which is nature and people positive.”

“As the global economy transitions to more renewable energy, we must ensure that this shift benefits both people and the planet,” said Kristen Panerali, Head, Clean Power, Grids, and Electrification, World Economic Forum. “Many stakeholders recognise the need to deploy differently. By bringing them together, the Coalition will create alignment on actions and policies which result in better outcomes for people and biodiversity, both on land and in the ocean, while accelerating the energy transition.”

Lightsource bp supports the WEF’s work towards a nature-positive energy transition. A briefing paper summarising that work was released in April 2024 and highlighted the six key enablers to make that a reality.