8 June 2016

The ACEF 2016 Opening Plenary starts today at 8:30 am with an Opening Video celebrating ADB’s 50th anniversary and its leadership in developing Asia’s clean energy sector.

Carmela Locsin, Director General, Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, Asian Development Bank, will provide an introduction followed by opening remarks from ADB President Takehiko Nakao and U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg. After an overview of the Forum schedule by ACEF Chair Priyantha Wijayatunga, there will be a keynote address by Rachel Kyte, CEO of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Initiative, who will share her views on the challenges and strategies for designing and implementing effective, sustainable, and equitable clean energy solutions that address the threat of climate change in a rapidly changing world.

Part 2 of the Opening Plenary will feature three keynote speakers who will provide their perspectives on the way ahead after the COP 21 climate agreement. Tae-Young Kim, Vice President of the Korea Energy Agency will give opening remarks, followed by keynote addresses delivered by Makoto Watanabe, Energy Director of the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, Barbara Kreissler, Director of B2G Professional Lighting at Philips Lighting, and Bartosz Wojszczyk, President & CEO, Decision Point Global.

Snapshots from Day 2

Check out the highlights and quotes below from Day 2 of ACEF, which featured nine deep dive workshops (DDWs) and technical seminars and the Sustainable Energy for All Investment Forum.

Yongping Zhai addressed a room full of entrepreneurs and clean-tech startups by calling for a new wave of partnerships and approaches to systemic challenges in clean energy.  He closed the session by sharing a personal goal: “…to direct 1% or 2% of ADB’s 5 billion dollar portfolio towards implementing new ideas, with the intention of making the most successful ones the new ‘mainstream’.

“We’re here to learn from partners about what the new technologies are,” he said. “There are barriers within the ADB system. One of the biggest barriers is that we’re so used to our operating guidelines.  We know how to deliver 1 GW power projects, but 10 MW projects are not so easy. ADB has to adapt to a new world that is seeing much more decentralized energy and distributed systems.

“So, we need to challenge ourselves.  How can we change our mindsets, both as individuals and on an institutional level? ADB is already changing; this event, housing such a diverse collection of participants, is one example.”

“How do we the barriers to start-ups? We invest, we incubate, and we get positive cash flow. Too many people invest in start-ups without verifying the execution capabilities of the firm. Start-ups need to stop being sexy and original: it’s not only about innovation. You have to have the capability to execute. So do well what you do well, and don’t let regulation stop you from innovating–it’s always slowly moving.”

Aurelia Micko of USAID stressed the importance of job creation in the clean energy industry, with 8.1 million people employed globally. “The clean energy sector has been developing rapidly over the past ten years and there are tremendous opportunities for sustainable growth across the region.”

The US government has a variety of mechanisms to support project development and financial closure for clean energy projects, ranging from small to large. These include USTDA, OPIC, US Treasury, and the US Ex-Im Bank.  This DDW is highlighting case studies to show in detail what is needed to close deals and get projects implemented.  One program that USAID has been supporting, the Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN) has helped to mobilize more than $500 million of financing for clean energy projects in the Asia region, and more than $800 million globally."

“People are waiting to get modern energy services, and we need to change the way we are doing our jobs, so that the people out there waiting can have their energy needs met. In the Post COP21 world, the stars are aligned, as governments, businesses, and other institutions are working more closely together. We need to seize this opportunity before time runs out, in order to achieve the sustainable development goals.”

“The motivation for creating this online marketplace is that there are a lot of inefficiencies in the system and opportunities to lower costs. In this online marketplace, a developer can provide a list of projects, sell projects, pursue crowdfunding and secure capital. DigiCollect’s online marketplace can also provide developers with data on renewable energy potential to provide insight for investing in different emerging markets.”

Adam Read, Waste Management Practice Director, Ricardo Energy & Environment at the DDW on Waste to Energy,
Transforming Strategy into Reality

“Countries across the globe have contributed to the COP21 targets, and these agreements cannot just stay at the political level. They need to be turned into action. The nitty gritty work of detailed design and implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) needs to be supported by ADB and other practitioners. Using energy more efficiently should be the first element in any country’s energy strategy. ADB has been a leader in Asia’s EE efforts not only in lending, but in building capacity for scaling up EE in the region.”

Pierre Cazelle, International Copper Association (ICA) at the DDW on The Global Energy Efficiency Accelerator Platform: Making Public-Private Partnerships work for Energy Efficiency in Asia

“ICA is working with ASEAN agencies, the European Union, UNEP, and other partners to develop EE road maps for the region. We have already developed agreement on a common test procedure for air conditioners.  We plan to expand the framework to include a number of other appliances and equipment.  Using this regional approach, we can scale up appliance efficiency and achieve massive energy savings and GHG savings.”
 

“Microgrids are the future, as battery prices are below USD500/kWh and dropping. We have seen mainstream grid companies dying and struggling in the medium to long term, which provides opportunities for microgrids to arise. We have a responsibility to bring electricity to millions of people without access, and microgrids will enable us to achieve this in the future.”

We highly recommend that you download the ACEF 2016 App for smart phones and tablets to help plan your activities at the Forum throughout the week.  You can review and set your schedule, and connect with others in the ACEF community right from your mobile device. It is the quickest way to check on what’s happening in the schedule!

Be sure to Check In as an attendee and start networking with other ACEF 2016 attendees. You can do this by tapping “attendees” on the toolbar on the left side of the App. Then tap “Check in to this guide” at the bottom. Once you have checked in, you can start networking with other by tapping the “Interact” feature on the left toolbar.

For more information and updates on ACEF 2016, go to our website at:
www.asiacleanenergyforum.org