Diving Deep: Choosing between Deep Dive Options at ACEF

(Part 2 of 3)

One of the complaints I commonly hear at ACEF is that there is too much going on, and people find it hard to make a decision on which session to attend. My usual, tongue-in-cheek, response is that this is a good problem to have. But while this glosses over the problem, it is not a very helpful response. So we were talking among ourselves (by the ACEF water cooler), and thought it might be helpful to provide a brief guide to help navigate among, and select, Deep Dive Workshops at this year’s ACEF. This is Part 2 and covers the Deep Dives Workshops (DDWs) on Wednesday morning of ACEF Week (19 June). Part 1 covered the DDWs held on Monday (17 June); and Part 3 will cover the DDWs held on Friday (all day, 21 June).

Wednesday Deep Dives (19 June)

There will be a total of seven (7) Deep Dive Workshops, or DDWs, on Wednesday. They will all be held in the morning, from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. They will be held in two locations – the 4 Main Auditoriums (A to D) and in the 3 Multi-Function Halls, which are located in the new wing. Below is an easy-to-scan summary of each of the DDWs.
The Wednesday DDWs will provide a very diverse set of options covering topics related to city energy design, community energy systems, gender equality and inclusion, the food-water-energy nexus, integrative energy design for radical efficiency, and renewable energy grid integration

City Focus: Integration Urban Solutions

Title: Integrated Solutions for Livable Cities in Asia Pacific: Multi-Energy Systems and Sustainable Buildings
Time: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Auditorium A
Organizers: APUEA, UK BEIS, DECI. UN Environment, and Wuppertal Institute

Cities in emerging economies, where 95 percent of population growth to 2030 and beyond will occur, will account for the majority (70 percent) of global growth in energy use through 2030. For instance, according to 2018 Global Status Report, the energy needed for cooling buildings will triple by 2050 – a growth equivalent to the current electricity demand in the USA and Germany combined. Participants will gain insights into the potential of sustainable energy concepts across Asia Pacific; the technical, financial and institutional challenges and opportunities; and the regional diversity of the energy sector. The DDW will also be an excellent networking opportunity and provide linkages with the hosting organizations, contributing organizations and other participating organizations and individuals.

People’s Power: Sustainable Business Models for Distributed Energy

Title: Community Energy Systems: Realizing the Potential of People’s Partnership in Achieving Energy Access
Time: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Auditorium B
Organizers: ADB, Energy for All

In the light of the growing interest to expand mini-grid solutions across Asia and the Pacific, this DDW will share knowledge and good practices on mini-grid and related types of localized energy systems that are owned and/or operated by community-based entities. The DDW will showcase the people’s initiatives in establishing localized energy systems such as mini-grids based on renewable energy (RE) and in some cases hybrid solutions with energy Participants will learn about successful case studies of CESs and their socio-economic impacts; hear about the challenges and lessons learned from the experiences of CES proponents and ways to deploy these types of energy access solutions in a systematic and scalable manner; learn about how CESs can be used as a viable business model to increase energy access, eradicate energy poverty and promote inclusive growth in remote communities

Smarter Development: Taking Stock of Experience in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion

Title: Women Power—Smarter, Inclusive Energy Solutions
Time: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Auditorium C
Organizers: ADB, University of Melbourne, SSIT, and WePOWER

Asia is a region where extreme gender disparities persist, with disproportionate levels of poverty among women, and some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. While there is no technological fix to the social and gender equity challenges, the low-carbon transition taking place in the energy and power sector in Asia, driven by technology innovation, provides women an opportunity to get on board at the early phase of these changes and influence and even transform their societies and lives. This DDW will draw on lessons from the Asia-Pacific region, both within the ADB and among ADB partners and external networks. It will be structured as a lateral learning exercise to assess the work done and to gain insights on how to build on current practice and further develop this work. It will also provide an excellent venue for pursuing and deepening collaborations and partnerships.

Why is Integrative Design Seen as Radical? It Should be Standard Practice!

Title: Integrative Design for Radical Energy Efficiency
Time: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Auditorium D
Organizers: Rocky Mountain Institute

Integrative design has been most widely applied in passive, net-zero, and net-positive buildings (those that over a year produce more energy than they use). However, similar opportunities have been demonstrated in mobility and energy too. This DDW will present practical evidence from diverse sectors, end-uses, climates, and geographies showing how integrative design can radically increase energy-efficiency opportunities, decrease their cost, and expand their scope and benefits. Participants will be invited to share relevant experience, concerns, questions, and suggestions. The main benefits of applying integrative design include profitable protection of climate, health, and environment, lower societal costs of energy services, improved resilience and energy security, greater economic competitive advantage, and more-effective reallocation of capital currently misallocated to unnecessary energy supply.

Urban Microgrids: Increasing Power System and City Resilience

Title: Urban Microgrids
Time: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Multifunction Hall 1 (in new wing)
Organizers: ADB, IRENA

Urban microgrids consisting of decentralized power generation, highly responsive loads, energy storage, and smart energy management systems, may offer a reliable and sustainable solution. With the increasing integration of local renewables in the urban environments, this option becomes more relevant and promising than ever for addressing the emerging energy challenges in cities. However, how could the microgrids powered largely by variable renewable energy sources be best deployed and integrated in the urban power systems? What roles the advanced energy management systems enabled by digitalized energy infrastructure, other innovative technologies for smart cities can play in facilitating the configuration and operation of a smart urban microgrid? What kinds of legal and regulatory frameworks should be put in place to enable the scale up of such microgrids in cities? Come to this DDW to learn, discuss, and debate the answers to these questions!

Taking a Broader Approach to How We Work in Energy: the Food-Water-Energy Nexus

Title: The Food-Water-Energy Nexus: Transforming Science for Sustainable Societies
Time: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Multifunction Hall 2 (in new wing)
Organizers: USAID, RTI International

By quantifying water resource availability and competing demands, including agriculture, energy, industry, and municipalities, hydro economic modeling can simulate and explore future conditions under alternative policy, growth, and climate scenarios. Participants in this DDW will learn about the complex interactions between energy production, food production and urban water supply—interactions that are critical for effective decision-making. Discussions will cover science-based frameworks for navigating the water, energy and food nexus from technical and policy perspectives, including case studies from around the globe. Participants will also be able to explore a hydro-economic framework toolkit, which simulates economic trade-offs and provide options given alternative scenarios.

Integrating RE Into the Grid: Just Do It!

Title: Grid Integration and System Flexibility: Status and Emerging Trends in Asia
Time: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Multifunction Hall 2 (in new wing)
Organisers: USAID, GIZ, and NREL
An increasing number of countries in Asia have shifted from the planning for the integration of RE to actually implementing changes. This DDW is a continuation of a multi-year deep-dive series on grid integration. The DDW will together bring experts and practitioners to share the latest best practices and regional examples of policies, regulations, and programs for cost-effective renewable energy integration. Participants will learn about new approaches and state-of-the art analysis, policies, processes, and technologies that are now being deployed in systems achieving high variable RE penetration.