Innovation was the theme of the keynote address on the last day of the inaugural Asia Future Energy Forum in Singapore, covering what will be a central point of discussion at the sixth World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi in January 2013.
The crux of the keynote speech from Mr Tsoi Mun Heng, Director for the Energy and Environment Directorate at the National Research Foundation, is that the world must not wait for the true cost of carbon to become apparent before we confront our addiction to “cheap” energy. Mr Heng called for greater innovation in the perception and promotion of sustainable energy, with Asia playing a critical role in bringing about this change of mindsets.
The theme of innovation carried strongly throughout the conferences at the Asia Future Energy Forum and Asia Smart Grid (AFEF/ASG) 2012, which featured over 60 speakers from various backgrounds, including representatives from the Institute of Energy Economics, the International Energy Agency, Masdar and the World Bank.
There was certainly no shortage of innovation on the exhibition floor either, which hosted technology demonstrations and exhibits from nearly 50 exhibitors, including Fong’s Engineering and Manufacturing, which launched its ‘Mistral 150’ wind power generator, and Hann-Ocean Energy, which showcased its ‘Drakoo’ Wave Energy Converter array for small waves, the first of its kind in the world.
“We are very optimistic about the future of renewable energy, especially in the area of wave energy,” said Mr Henry Han, Managing Director of Hann-Ocean Energy Pte. Ltd. “Through our participation at Asia Future Energy Forum, we have met and secured potential distributors and customers who are keen on our technology, and we’ve had the opportunity to show our product to government representatives from all around the region. We are certainly looking forward to the next exhibition”
Mr Ronald van der Vlist, Managing Director of Hofstetter, agreed, “The conference has shown the potential for renewable energy and gas in the local market. The attendees are well-informed with the latest developments in the energy market and we are happy to be able to showcase our product offerings here.”
The Asia Future Energy Forum is a timely prelude to the sixth World Future Energy Summit (WFES), hosted by Masdar, to be held in Abu Dhabi from 15 – 17 January 2013 as a part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.
The three-day Asian show attracted nearly 3000 visitors and 30 distinguished guests and dignitaries, including Ms Grace Fu, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore, Her Royal Highness, Princess Fadzilah Bolkiah of Brunei, Mr Soulivong Davarong, Minister for Energy and Mines in the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos, Mr Jose Maria Figueres, President of the Carbon Cold War Room and former President of Costa Rica, Dr Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General for the International Renewable Energy Agency and Ms Maria van der Hoeven, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency.
Mr Achmat Nadhrain Ibrahim, General Manager of Cypark Resources Berhad, who participated at the investor-matching Innovation Hub, said, “This is a very well-targeted show. We have gained new insights and information, which are valuable for our future projects in Malaysia. The event also gave us the opportunity to meet like-minded market leaders and rekindle our relationships with acquaintances.”
“The exhibition has been an excellent platform for the promotion of energy conservation technologies and networking with the energy business fraternity,” said Mr Patrick Foong, Managing Director of Equation Energy.
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is expected to be the largest sustainability gathering in the history of the region with 30,000 attendees from the energy, water and environment industries and over 140 delegations from official government departments. A highlight is the Government-Business platform which brings government representatives and innovation entrepreneurs together to achieve real solutions to public sector challenges.
The sixth edition of WFES will be co-located with the inaugural International Water Summit, also hosted by Masdar, and is the centrepiece of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week from 13 – 17 January 2013. During this time, WFES 2013 will also be the host venue for biennial International Renewable Energy Conference in Abu Dhabi (ADIREC) and coincides with the third annual session of the Assembly of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
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