Energy Efficiency: Pathway to Sustainability
– Date/Time: October 25, 2021, 16:00 – 17:30 KST (GMT+9)
– Session lead:
- Ms. Christina Cheong, Specialist, Green Cities, GGGI
Energy demands are growing in tandem with the global population and wealth. The biggest growth in energy demand in the coming decades will be in fast-growing urban centers in Asia and Africa. In many of these countries, energy sources are still primarily fossil- based, directly linking energy consumption to global temperature rise. Exacerbating the issue is the widespread use of secondhand appliances and equipment that consume excessive amounts of energy. The transition to renewable energy sources is under stress from the urgency to mitigate global warming and the rapidly growing energy demand.
Energy efficiency is a cost-effective way to rapidly reduce some of the energy demand, without compromising access to modern energy for the most disadvantaged populations. “Energy efficiency represents around 40 percent of the greenhouse gas reduction potential that can be realized at a cost of less than EUR 60 per metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent.” (McKinsey report) Adoption of energy efficiency at scale also generates other co-benefits such as employment creation. Despite the benefits, there are barriers to large-scale implementation of energy efficiency initiatives.
The session provided some entry points to overcoming these barriers. Speakers provided insights from their work in addressing technical, policy and finance barriers to promote energy efficiency in different sectors and geographical contexts.
Agenda Speakers Bio Session PPTs*
* The PPTs are available until 8th January 2022. If you wish to access the PPTs after the date, please contact us at GGGWeek2021@gggi.org.
Key resources:
– GGGI:
- Rapid Building Performance Assessment of Administrative Office Complex, Kigali, Rwanda (link)
- Promotion of sustainable energy practices in the garment sector in Cambodia (link)
– GCF:
- Buildings, cities, industries, and appliances (link)
– ASEAN Centre for Energy:
- (2016-2025) ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) (link)
- Best Practices in Energy Efficiency and Conservation (link)
– World Resources Institute:
- Accelerating Building Decarbonization: Eight Attainable Policy Pathways to Net Zero Carbon Buildings For All (link)
– Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction:
- Decarbonizing the building sector- 10 key measures (link)
Scaling-up Renewable Energy through Innovation and Blended Finance Solutions
– Date/Time: October 25, 2021, 09:00-10:30 GMT+0
– Session lead:
- Mr. Mahamadou Tounkara, Director of ODG Division (Governance, Strategy, Partnerships & Communications)
The session features experiences from government agencies, international organization and private sector to scale-up the renewable energy (RE) solutions in Africa and Europe. Challenges of how to transition from a power system based on fossil fuels to renewables, regulatory and policy matters, as well as state-owned energy companies, are presented. Proven experience in variable renewable energy (VRE), together with the role of the market and various types of flexibility solutions are shared. Crowd-funding platforms to pioneer blended finance solutions to rapidly scale climate finance for emerging markets through ‘public-private partnerships’ and transformational fintech are discussed. Opportunities to increasing accessibility to electricity for Africa through extensive investment in solar solutions and potential to create green jobs are demonstrated. The potential for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) as an alternative climate- smart, cost effective and sustainable technology/approach to generate electricity and high-grade process heat simultaneously is explained.
The session is structured around detailed presentations of the solutions, and panel discussion which allow the audience to share their views, comments and questions with the panelists.
Agenda Speakers Bio Session PPTs*
* The PPTs are available until 8th January 2022. If you wish to access the PPTs after the date, please contact us at GGGWeek2021@gggi.org.
Click the URL link below for interpretations:
Key resources:
– GGGI:
- ET08 Green growth governance – Business Case for Solar PV (Energy) Investment at the Adama Industrial Park (link)
– Danish Energy Agency:
- Denmark’s Energy Islands (link)
- From Black to Green: A Danish sustainable energy growth story – A case study of how an energy utility can transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and the enabling regulatory framework that made it possible (link)
- Development and Role of Flexibility in the Danish Power System – Solutions for integrating 50% wind and solar, and potential, future solutions for the remaining 50%(link)
Waste-2-Energy Potential to scale-up renewable energy access: Examples of Biofuels
– Date/Time: October 26, 2021, 14:00 – 16:00 KST (GMT+9)
– Session lead:
- Mr. Nishant Bhardwaj, Country Representative, India and COP Lead, Asia, GGGI
Waste generated in rural and urban areas generally ends up unmanaged causing serious environmental and health issues due to lack of waste management systems. The circular economy approach provides the opportunity to generate added value from waste including the generation of energy from waste. BioCNG/Biogas (a Waste-2-Energy product) can be produced from organic wastes (including agriculture residues) generated, which can be used for power, transport, and thermal applications. The absence of appropriate policy framework and institutional capacity, lack of appropriate business models, access to affordable finance, and limited awareness and knowledge are the key challenges associated with the large-scale deployment of Waste-2-Energy projects.
In this session, presenters highlighted and shared their experience on various aspects of the Waste-2-Energy sector in India, Indonesia, and Thailand. The session had participation from governments, industries, and the finance sector to discuss the country-specific policies, technologies, business models, and financing facilities for the Waste-2-Energy sector. This session also helped mapping the challenges and opportunities associated at various levels of the value chain. We also captured the recent developments in the sector in the region and opportunities to accelerate and scale up the Waste-2- Energy projects in the target countries.
Agenda Speakers Bio Session PPTs*
* The PPTs are available until 8th January 2022. If you wish to access the PPTs after the date, please contact us at GGGWeek2021@gggi.org.
Key resources:
– GGGI:
- ID19 BioCNG Project (link)
- IN23 BioCNG Programme – India (link)
- Landscape Analysis of BioCNG in India (link)
– Chiang Mai University:
- Introduction of Chiang Mai University’s commitment to Social Responsability and Sustainable Development (link)
– Government of India:
- Launching Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation(SATAT) initiative to promote Compressed Bio-Gas as an alternative, green transport fuel (link)
Scaling-up Renewable Energy Solutions for Ambitious Net- Zero 2050 Targets
– Date/Time: October 27, 2021, 11:00 – 12:00 KST (GMT+9)
– Session lead:
- Mr. Muharrem Kemal Askin, Specialist, Energy, Asia, GGGI
Scaling renewable energy is one of the most significant and impactful solutions to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C given the need to cut emissions in half by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050.
Among others, the energy sector plays a critical role for the achievement of Nationally Determined Contributions and Sustainable Development Goals. The global energy sector accounts for two thirds of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the use of fossil fuels is a major source of local pollution.
Advancements in renewable energy technology holds great potential for achieving a global energy transition that is both inclusive and green. However, the investments required to make the transition are of a scale beyond the capacity of national governments. GGGI is working to improve policy and regulatory environments to support countries in attracting commercial and climate finance and lay foundations for scaling up renewable energy investments. The session will present GGGI’s work on renewable energy to achieve net-zero 2050 targets in Asia and more specifically the work in Mongolia context.This event is organized jointly with RWE Renewables, the RWE Group’s renewables powerhouse for the future. As one of the world leaders in renewables, RWE Renewables has onshore and offshore wind farms, photovoltaic plants and battery storage systems with a capacity of 9 gigawatts in operation and over 30 gigawatts in pipeline, while driving the further expansion of the industrial scale renewables in over 15 countries on four continents. Presenters from RWE Renewables will discuss the private sector contribution to achieve ambitious net-zero 2050 targets, innovations in renewables, as well as the lessons learned in terms of policy and regulatory environment and market fundamentals.
Agenda Speakers Bio Session PPTs*
* The PPTs are available until 8th January 2022. If you wish to access the PPTs after the date, please contact us at GGGWeek2021@gggi.org.
Key resources:
– GGGI:
- VN10 Viet Nam Green Bond Readiness Program(link)
- Investment Teaser 2021 – 600 MW Floating Solar Project at Omkareshwar Dam in Madhya Pradesh, India (link)
– RWE Renewables:
- Introduction of RWE Renewables (link)
Green Hydrogen Economy in GGGI member countries
– Date/Time: October 27, 2021, 14:00 – 16:00 KST (GMT+9)
– Session leads:
- Mr. Kyung Nam Shin, Assistant Director-General, Head of IPSD, Office of Investment and Policy Solutions, GGGI
- Mr. Nishant Bhardwaj, Country Representative, India and COP Lead, Asia, GGGI
The major and emerging economies of the world are looking for transformation in the energy landscape towards clean energy, in order to achieve long-term energy and environmental security. As more and more countries are announcing pledges to achieve net- zero emissions by 2050, the focus is evolving beyond greening/ decarbonizing the electricity sector towards tackling hard-to-abate emissions sources/sectors. Hard-to-abate emissions sources/sectors include iron and steel production, aviation, shipping, chemicals and petrochemicals manufacturing, and heavy freight transport, among others. Green hydrogen is a leading option for reducing the hard-to- abate emissions and technically hydrogen can also be converted into “drop-in” fuels, which is particularly attractive for the hard-to-abate sectors.
The aim of the session is to share briefings about the GGGI’s Global Green Hydrogen program, our initiatives, and support to synergize efforts to bring Green Hydrogen to the forefront of country’s efforts to meet the emission reductions targets. The benefits of this global program will be available to all GGGI member nations. The session had participation from governments, industries, and finance sectors to discuss the country specific policies, technologies, business models, and availability of finance facilities for the green hydrogen sector. This session helped map the challenges and opportunities associated with the various levels of the ecosystem. We also captured the recent developments in the sector globally.
Agenda Speakers Bio Session PPTs*
* The PPTs are available until 8th January 2022. If you wish to access the PPTs after the date, please contact us at GGGWeek2021@gggi.org.
Key resources:
– Korea Gas Coperation:
- Vision 2030 (link)
– National Fuel Cell Research Center at UC Irvine:
- Research Summaries (link)
– Bloom Energy:
- Introduction of Bloom Energy (link)
– Siemens Energy:
- Introduction of Siemens Energy (link)