High-level Expert Meeting
on
Solar Energy in East and South-East Asia
(Ogata-mura Village, Akita, Japan, 24 - 27 July 1996)
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Press Release
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
and the United Nations University (UNU), together with the Japan Solar Energy
Society (JSES) and the Akita Organizing Committee (comprising Akita Prefectural
Government, Ogata-mura Village, Akita University and Mainichi Newspaper),
will organize a High-level Expert Meeting on Solar Energy in East and South-East
Asia at Ogata-mura Village in Akita, Japan during 24-27 July 1996.
The meeting will bring together Japanese, Asian and other international
experts in the field of renewable energy sources research, development,
demonstration and management. Discussions will focus on the current situation
of renewable energies in East and South-East Asia and the Pacific. The meeting
will seek to identify models for renewable energy use which are appropriate
to the region for the 21st century and will provide an opportunity for dialogue
and the exchange of information on perspective and future scenarios, including
specific financing strategies for renewable energies.
The meeting will also help promote the development of action plans for
regional promotional activities in cooperation with universities, industry
and related national, regional and international organizations. Also on
the agenda will be information documents of the World Solar Summit Process
(WSSP) which will provide the basis for discussions on renewable energy
projects concentrating on "renewable energy projects identification"
and "regional cooperation and financing strategies."
Background
One billion people on the earth do not have access to electricity. The
global population is increasing by 90 million per year. This growth, mainly
in rural and remote areas of developing countries will pose a tremendous
challenge to the world energy sector. Since the average annual energy consumption
per capita in developing countries is 0.71 tonnes of oil, a yearly increase
of about 65 million tonnes would be required.
In developing countries, nearly 75 percent of the rural population has
no access to any public energy supply scheme. Hence, they rely mainly on
firewood, dung and other biomass for cooking, on diesel generators for electricity,
and in some cases on rechargeable car batteries for operating lights, radio
and television.
Over the past few decade scientists and environmentalists have improved
their understanding of the impact of conventional energy systems and resources
on the environment.It had formerly been thought that the negative effects
of misuse of energy resources and technologies would be felt locally, by
distinct populations, and these effects would be manageable.
In recent years it has been become clear that environmental pollution caused
by releases into the atmosphere of radioactive dust and/or greenhouse gases
has no regard for national borders, and the phenomena of acid rain, ozone
depletion and atmospheric warming have begun to undermine our confidence
in our ability to control and remedy their effects.
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, UNCED, -known
also as the Earth Summit- which was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 was called
to focus on the most fundamental and important challenges to the preservation
of the natural human environment.At the Earth Summit, it was considered
essential to develop environmentally sound technologies and industrial practices.
In Chapter 9 of the Earth Summit's "Agenda 21", it was agreed
that "Energy is essential to economic and social development and improved
quality of life. Much of the world's energy, however, is currently produced
and consumed in ways that could not be sustained if technology were to remain
constant and if overall quantities were to increase substantially.
The need to control atmospheric emissions of greenhouse and other gases
and substances will increasingly need to be based on efficiency in energy
production, transmission, distribution and consumption, and on growing reliance
on environmentally sound energy systems, particularly new and renewable
sources of energy".
Impressive technical progress in renewable energy technologies has been
made during the past decade.Technologies are available and the majority
have reached the pre-commercialization stage.
The General Conference of UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization) at its 27th session in 1993 approved the World
Solar Summit Process (WSSP).The programme aims at enhancing understanding
of the role of renewable energy, establishing a global information networking
system, promoting co-operation in training and research and at public awareness
in particular through education.Since the sun has always been universally
the symbol of energy and life, the use in the WSSP of "Solar Energy"
actually refers to all forms of renewable energy, including, but not limited
to solar thermal, biomass, geothermal, hydro, ocean thermal, solar electricity
and wind.
Within the framework of the WSSP, UNESCO has been promoting regional high-level
expert meetings in different regions. In fact, in Asia and the Pacific region,
meetings were organized in Jakarta in January, in Beijing in April and in
Islamabad in December 1995. A more policy level meeting was held in Penang
in Malaysia in January 1996. The World Solar Summit of Heads of States and
Governments will be hosted by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe
on 16-17 September 1996 in Harare.
The United Nations University (UNU) focuses on research and advanced training
in environmentally sustainable development, with specific attention paid
to the needs of the developing countries. The University collaborates with
regional centres of excellence in training in renewable energy development.
In a long standing UNU training effort in geothermal energy in Iceland,
already close to 150 professionals from developing countries have been trained
since 1979. UNU also collaborates with Anna University in India in a nine-month
training course on solar energy utilization for top- and middle-level technical
managers. Another eight-month training course on Renewable Energy Systems
is organized at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi.
Japan is one of the most advanced countries in research and application
of renewable energy technologies. It is important that a regional expert
meeting will be organized in Japan with participants from Asia and the Pacific
including Japan in order to discuss regional co-operation and modalities
of development of renewable energy in the region.
Against this background, the High-level Expert Meeting on Solar Energy
in East and South-East Asia is proposed to be held in Ogata-mura Village
in Akita Prefecture on 24-27 July 1996 on the occasion of the " '96
World Solar Car Rallye in Akita". The Meeting will be jointly organized
by UNESCO, UNU, the Japan Solar Energy Society and Akita Organizing Committee
with other Japanese sponsoring governmental and private organizations as
well as renewable energy industry in Japan. The Meeting will be organized
using the funds from UNESCO/UNU Co-operation sponsored by the Japanese Ministry
of Education, Science, Sport and Culture (Monbusho) and will be hosted by
Akita Prefectural Government and Ogata-mura Village.
Objectives
With a view to development and promotion of renewable energies, the Meeting
will invite experts from East and South-East Asia including Japan in order
to exchang information and discuss the following issues;
Recognition and information exchanges on the present status of renewable
energy development in East and South-East Asia and the Pacific
Identification and modelling for the utilization of alternative energies
appropriate for the regional differences for the 21st century.
Action plans for the regional promotional activities in co-operation
with universities, industry and related national, regional and international
organizations
Perspective of alternative energies and future scenario of the utilization
of renewable energy technology, including the financing strategies
Leading Documents of the World Solar Summit Process (WSSP):
Contents
The meeting will consist of plenary meetings and workshops. The meeting
will bring together important Japanese and Asian experts in the field of
renewable energy sources research, development, demonstration and management.
Along with the Leading Documents of the World Solar Summit Process mentioned
above, the discussions will be concerned with renewable energy projects
in the East and South-East Asian countries, concentrating in "Renewable
Energy Projects Identification" and "Regional Co-operation and
Financing Strategies".
The meeting will be convened on the occasion of the " '96 World Solar
Car Rallye in Akita " to be held from 26 to 28 July 1996.
A one day field visit to a geothermal plant of Tohoku Electric Power Co.,
Inc. near Akita is foreseen on 27 July.
Another optional visit to Kyocera Sakura Solar Center in Chiba near Tokyo
is foreseen in the afternoon of 28 July (Sunday).
■Akita Organizing Committee
Honorary Chairperson
Mr. K. Sasaki, Governor of Akita Prefectural Government
Vice-Honorary Chairperson
Mr. S. Miyata, Mayor of Ogata-mura Village
Special Adviser
Professor Y. Hamakawa, Professor Emeritus of Osaka University, Professor
of Ritsumeikan University
Organizing Chairperson
Professor N. Yoshimura, Dean of Mining College, Akita University
Vice-Organizing Chairperson
Mr. H. Kanamori, President of Akita UNESCO Association
Members
Mr. F Noto, President of Akita Prefectural New Energy Department Association
Dr. G. Obinata, Director of Cooperative Research, Akita University
Professor T. Sawata, Mechanical Engineering, Akita University
Mr. Y. Kimura, Excutive Director, Secreatry-General of Convention Bureau,
Akita
Mr. S. Shimada, Deputy General Manager of AD Sales Bureau of Mainichi
Newspapers
Mr Y. Nara, Excutive Managing Director of Sakigake Newspapers
Mr. S. Sugiyama, Senior Officer, General Manager of Akita Branch of Tohoku
Electric Power Co., Inc.
Mr. K. Kishimoto, Director-General of Department of Planning and Coordination,
Akita Prefectural Government
Mr. H. Hukano, Director-General of Department of Commerce, Industry and
Labor, Akita Prefectural Government
Mr. T. Tani, Vice Mayor of Ogata-mura Village
Advisers
Professor H. Tokuda, President of Akita University Mr. T. Horikawa, President
of Akita Bank
Mr. T. Saito, President of Hokuto Bank
Mr. H. Tsuji, Chairman of Convention Bureau, Akita
Accounting Office
Mr. H. Shida, Manager of Kencho Branch of Akita Bank
Mr. I. Hikichi, Director of Negotiations Department for Akita Prefectural
Government of Hokuto Bank
Secretariat
Regional Development Division, Akita Prefectural Government Solar Affairs
Division, Ogata-mura Village Mainichi Newspapers
■International Organizing Committee
Co-Chairpersons
Dr. B. Berkovski, Director of Engineering and Technology Division, UNESCO
Professor Y. Hamakawa, Professor Emeritus of Osaka University, Professor
of Ritsumeikan University
Members
Mr. T. Kosugi, Chairman of GLOBE (Global Legislators Organization for
the Balanced Environment) Japan
Mr. A. Adamantiades, Principal Power Engineer of Industry and Energy Department,
the World Bank
Mr. A. J. Jude, Energy Specialist of Energy Division (EAST), the Asian
Development Bank
Mr. E. de Oliveria Fernandes, President of the International Solar Energy
Society
Professor S. Bhattacharya, Energy Programme, the Asian Institute of Technology,
President of the International Association for Solar Energy Education
Mr. T. Shiraishi, Representative of the E7 Network of Expertise for the
Global Environment
Mr. P. M. Kodzwa, Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Transport of
Zimbabwe
Mr. H. Hamanaka, Director General of Global Environment Department of
the Environment Agency of Japan
Mr. S. Murakami, Executive Director of New Energy and Industrial Technology
Development Organization (NEDO)
Professor T. Horigome, Honorary Executive of Japan Solar Energy Society
Mr. H. Kobayashi, Executive Director of Photovoltaic Power Generation
Technology Research Association (PVTEC)
Mr. K. Inamori, Chairman of Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association
Professor J. Luther, Director of Frauhofer-Institute fur Solare Energiesysteme
Dr. Y. Aoshima, Senior Programme Specialist of Engineering and Technology
Division, UNESCO
Dr. J. Uitto, Academic Officer of Academic Division, the United Nations
University
■Partners
"The High-level Expert Meeting on Solar Energy in East and South-East
Asia" is jointly organized by the following Organizations :
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
The United Nations University (UNU)
The Japan Solar Energy Society (JSES)
Akita Organizing Committee (Akita Prefectural Government, Ogata-muraVillage,
Akita University and Mainichi Newspapers)
Co-sponsored by :
The United Nations (UN)
The Japanese National Commission for UNESCO
The Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, Sport and Culture (Monbusho)
The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry
The Environment Agency of Government of Japan
The Science and Technology Agency of Government of Japan
Akita Prefectural Government
Ogata-mura Village
The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
The Mainichi Newspapers
The Photovoltaic Power Generation Technology Research Association (PVTEC)
Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association
Society of Materials and Engineering for Resources of Japan
Akita UNESCO Association
Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc.
The World Bank
The Asian Development Bank (ADB)
The International Solar Energy Society (ISES)
The Asian Institute of Technolgy (AIT)
■Secretariat
For further information, please contact:
Secretariat of Akita Organizing Committee
Mr. S. P. Shimada, Manager of AD Sales Bureau of the Mainichi Newspapers,
Tokyo Office,
1-1-1 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-51, Japan
Tel. (81.3) 3212-3322, Fax (81.3) 3211-3598
Dr. Y. Aoshima, Engineering and Technology Division, UNESCO,
1, rue Miollis, 75732 Paris Cedex 15, France.
Tel. (33.1) 45.68.41.78, Fax (33.1) 40.65.95.35. E-mail: y.aoshima@unesco.org
Meeting schedule
24 July 1996
08:00〜10:00 Registration of participants
10:00〜11:00 Opening ceremony
Opening address by professor Y. Hamakawa
keynote speech by Mr. K. Miyazawa of the MITI
keynote speech by Mr. K. Suzuki of the Environment Agency
12:30〜14:00 Lunch
14:00〜15:30 Plenary Session
Presentation by Dr. B. Berkovski of:
a) World Solar Commission
b) World Solar Summit of 16-17 September 1996
c) World Solar Programme 1996ｰ2005
15:30〜16:00 Coffee Break/Press conference
16:00〜17:00 Plenary Session
Presentation of WSSP Leading Documents by Dr.B.Berkovski
d) Strategic project of the World Solar Programme
e) World Solar Fund
25 July 1996
09:00〜12:00 Workshop on Project Identification
12:30〜14:00 Lunch
14:00〜15:30 Workshop on Project Identification
15:30〜16:00 Coffee Break 16:00〜17:30 Workshop on Regional Co-operation
and Financing Strategies
26 July 1996
08:00〜09:00 Opening of '96 World Solar-car Rallye in Akita
10:00〜12:00 Workshop on Regional Co-operation and Financing Strategies
12:30〜14:00 Lunch
14:00〜15:30 Plenary Session Adoption of the Akita Declaration
15:30〜16:00 Coffee Break
16:00〜17:00 Closing ceremony
27 July 1996 One day field visit to a geothermal plant of Tohoku
Electric Power Co.,Inc.near Akita
28 July 1996 Optional afternoon visit to Kyocera Sakura Solar Center
in Chiba near Tokyo(at request)
Opening Ogata-mura, Akita prefecture『Sun Rural Ogata』
※ Place of meeting and lodgings from July 24th - 26th.
