(EnergyAsia, January 27 2012, Friday) — Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, and Reed Exhibitions said they will jointly hold the ‘Asia Future Energy Forum & Exhibition’ (AFEF) in Singapore from October 22 to 25 2012.

AFEF 2012, “Powering Sustainable Innovation in Asia”, will discuss the region’s energy issues, challenges and opportunities. It will be held before the annual Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) event organised by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) of Singapore in early November.

AFEF 2012’s organisers are targeting to make the event into the marketplace for the clean and alternative energy suppliers and buyers in Asia. It will also be an opportunity to showcase Masdar’s multi-faceted approach in developing and implementing renewable energy and clean technologies.

Building on its track record in hosting global platforms such as the World Future Energy Summit, Masdar will support and participate in AFEF to drive debate, promote knowledge sharing and strengthen collaborations.

Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Masdar’s CEO, said:

“Asia has emerged as a major player in the renewable energy sector. This is also signified by the strong Asian presence at the ongoing World Future Energy Summit this year.”

Over the past three years, Masdar has been organising the European Future Energy Forum in Spain, UK and Switzerland. With the emergence of Asia, the organisation has decided to focus on the region in 2012.

Dr Al Jaber said: “The decision to hold the event in Singapore, one of the UAE’s most valued partners in Asia, is a great source of pride.

“We are honoured with these partnerships and will always continue looking for opportunities across Asia, as part of the UAE’s initiative to build bridges and find the energy solutions of tomorrow.”

Chee Hong Tat, EMA’s chief executive, said: “Asia’s energy demand is expected to double over the next 20 years, and renewable energy sources will play a bigger role in the overall energy mix of many Asian countries.”

According to the International Energy Outlook 2011 report, renewable energy use will rise from 10% in 2008 to 15% in 2035. Asia is expected to play a major role in achieving these targets.
Singapore has demonstrated a strong commitment to the renewable energy sector. The Singapore Economic Development Board reported that by 2015, the clean energy industry is expected to contribute US$1.3 billion to Singapore’s gross domestic product and create 7,000 jobs across a broad range of areas, including solar power, fuel cells, wind power, energy efficiency and carbon services.

In 2007, the Singapore government announced a total package of US$271 million for the clean energy industry, designed to intensify innovative research and development, and capability development for this industry.

In addition, the UAE and Singapore have strong partnerships and are already members of the Green Group, a ministerial-level group which focuses on water and energy security along with other like-minded nations such as Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Iceland, New Zealand and Slovenia.

Masdar’s partnerships in Asia extend beyond Singapore. A transformational player in Asia’s clean energy space is China, which recently became the world’s top energy producer, and is expected to use 68% more energy than the US by 2035.

While renewable energy is projected to be the fastest growing source of primary energy over the next 25 years, fossil fuels are expected to maintain their grip as the dominant source of energy.

China has set a target to reduce the carbon intensity of its economy by 17% by 2015 (per unit GDP). Under its 12th Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, the government said China will generate 11.4% of energy from non-fossil fuels by 2015, and 15% by 2020, up from 8.3% in 2010.

To reach this ambitious goal, China has introduced a range of regulatory and financial incentives, including feed-in tariffs, subsidies, China Development Bank loans, and US$200 billion in stimulus funding for cleantech, carbon emission reductions and energy pricing reserves.

China is expected to spend US$473.1 billion on clean energy investments in the next five years and will add 370 GW of renewable energy generation capacity by 2020.

Masdar Capital is involved in the Chinese clean tech market and has already invested $15 million into UPCC, a major Chinese wind developer. About half the panels in Masdar City’s 10MW solar plant are provided by Chinese manufacturer Suntech. 

Another significant player in Asia is Japan, which recently passed a bill to promote investment in solar and other renewable energy sources and is already discussing easing rules on building geothermal, wind and hydraulic power plants to renewable energy use, according to the Nikkei Business Daily.

Japan has the potential to generate nearly 40% of its electricity requirements from solar, wind and geothermal energy, according to estimates prepared for the government’s Energy and Environment Council.

Masdar has forged strong partnerships with Japan, another major player in the renewable energy market. Masdar Institute partnered with Japan’s Cosmo Oil Company and the Tokyo Institute of Technology on the Beam Down Project – a joint pilot project in Masdar City to test the conventional Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) design.

Frederic Theux, President of Reed Exhibitions Middle East, said:

“As one of the leading lights of clean and sustainable development in the Middle East, Masdar has played a significant role in transforming the World Future Energy Summit into one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to the global renewable energy community in less than five years.”

Ms Michelle Lim, managing director of Reed Exhibitions in Singapore, said:

“Asia’s growing economies will continue to face increasing demands for energy. It is widely regarded that only relying on traditional fossil energy to fuel economic development is highly unsustainable. There is therefore a compelling need for an event like AFEF as a marketplace for alternative, clean energy solutions.”