“Summary” report on the Forum on Global Inter-city Collaboration for SE4All

Shuzo Murakami (Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation)

Dr. Murakami gave a speech on “Energy Savings through Co-Evolution of Load Reduction and Quality Improvement in Buildings” . His speech covered the following three major issues.

Firstly, building sector accounts for 35% of the world energy consumption, and it is essential to promote energy conservation in the sector. Japan also has a high potential to reduce CO₂ in the sector, which requires further energy conservation measures.

Secondly, introduction of ZEBs (Zero Energy Buildings) and PEBs (Positive Energy Buildings) would lead to establish innovative concepts in the energy conservation of buildings. Innovative technologies must be developed to realize ZEBs and PEBs, and they would be effective for not only the realization of energy conservation but also improvement of wellbeing where its values are resistant to obsolescence. It will be beneficial for the society as a whole, yield better returns, and results in improved values of buildings. Similarly, development of zero energy residences may promote better health in addition to energy conservation, through mainly improvement of their heat insulation performance. Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has proposed to develop “Smart Wellness Houses” that contributes to achieving both environmental and social health.

Thirdly, there needs to be collaboration among academia, industry, and government to utilize advanced energy conservation technologies of Japan. “Ene Mane House (Energy Management House) Project” of METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) aims at promoting ZEH or Zero Emission Houses by creating common benefits among academia, industry, and government.

Dr. Murakami concluded by saying that there was no limit to the methods for energy saving and quality improvement and that there should be a global initiative to attain this goal.

Takao Kashiwagi (International Research Center of Advanced Energy Systems for Sustainability, Tokyo Institute of Technology)

Dr. Kashiwagi spoke about the “Future Prospect of the Urban Smart Energy Infrastructure”. Following the great earthquake in 2011, various discussions were made all over Japan. As a result, an energy mix target was set in the middle of 2015. The Basic Energy Plan shows the importance of combined heat and power systems as an alternative to thermal and nuclear power generation.

Further, in response to deregulation in the energy sector, retail sale of electric power to residential sector will be liberalized. Accordingly, surplus of electric power generated in households exceeding self-consumption will be allowed to be sold in the market. Creation of such an electric power market will lead to establishment of a Smart Energy Network. Among the energy sources, combined heat and power systems using natural gas and propane as fuel will be serving a supply adjustment function in response to demand fluctuations.

Renewables with fluctuations in output are used in combination with a highly advanced control system, power storage system, etc. to create smart communities. These are connected to, for example, a Community Energy Management System (CEMS) via a state-of-the-art communication technology so that energy management in a certain area is allowed. A harmonic relationship between a large electric power system and a demand-side system can be attained by demand side revolution or collaboration between the advanced energy management systems. Dr. Kashiwagi also referred to large-scale international energy infrastructure using renewable energy resources such as photovoltaic, mega-solar, and wind power generation.

Mohinder Gulati (UN SE4All)
Mr. Gulati begins by talking about the three interlinked objectives of sustainable energy for all: energy access, energy efficiency facilitation, and renewables, where renewables were becoming more economically and technically feasible.

Further, the energy efficiency facilitation is a critical facilitator in achieving SDG (Sustainable Development Goals). Energy efficiency facilitation is beneficial as it increases productivity, lowers cost, creates jobs, and has huge environmental impacts and benefits. Multiple stakeholders need to come up with technology and policies to unlock this potential. Supporting improvement of energy efficiency facilitation measures has a positive effect both environmentally and socioeconomically.

To this end, an energy improvement facilitating accelerator that promotes the activities must be established, and motivation to commit to the accelerator is critical. For the commitment to the accelerator, national governments and local governments at various levels need to adopt at least one “energy efficiency facilitation” policy, to demonstrate that it is technically feasible and economically viable, in other words, that the energy efficiency facilitation is an attractive investment. International financial partners, including World Bank, would provide funding for policy development and demonstration projects. Such an approach can spread more awareness and acceptability among citizens and businesses, leading to their support toward achievement of the energy efficiency facilitation.

It is also important that various international organizations provide technical tools and database as well as their expertise to support national and local governments. In support of accelerators who are considering participation in the initiative, relevant agencies would design a roadmap in cooperation with administrative bodies at various levels and also give assistance to the follow-up on later. In view of the fact that the projects implemented by ECCJ have been internationally trusted, Mr. Gulati said that he was looking forward to the same level of contribution in the future.

According to him, if the lessons, experiences, expertise, and technologies from those activities are shared among those who are concerned with the SE4All initiatives and utilized for international projects, innovative guidelines, which accelerate the energy efficiency facilitation, would be created.

Overview of the presentations of speakers

To promote energy conservation in building sector and green buildings in cities, it is important to introduce highly efficient equipment and technologies and appropriate city planning practical for implementing the promotion. Further, ensuring thorough cooperation between municipalities and private sectors and involvement of all stakeholders in the planning and implementation is essential. Meanwhile, it is important to ensure that relevant steps are followed, focusing on the process. For further spread of energy conservation and green buildings, improvements in living activities and lifestyles of people who use the buildings is essential, in addition to introduction of excellent policies and technologies/equipment. To this end, raising consciousness and awareness of the public on the energy conservation is necessary. Human resource development, especially education of young people who will bear the future, is important.

Overview of the presentations of speakers

Although there are many public transportation systems, their conditions and situations vary among different areas. Thus, it is essential to build consensus among citizens and people concerned, before introducing new public transportation system. Especially, when forming Compact City or Smart City as a form of sustainable cities, introduction of public transportation system (LRT, BRT, community vehicles, rental vehicles, etc.) under new ways of thinking is effective. However, development of relevant systems is very expensive. The keys to successful achievement of the goal are collaboration between the public administration and private sector, such as a public-private partnership (PPP), and enhancement of cooperation. In addition, strong leadership in public sector would also encourage the project to be implemented. Meanwhile, in local cities with poorly developed public transportation, a long-term strategy involving land utilization while balancing next-generation motor vehicles and public transportation systems is required.

Overview of the presentations of speakers

For promoting a district energy project including electric power and/or thermal energy issues, strong leadership of a local government based on a proper vision is required. In terms of the cost for the project, as a substantial initial cost for installing relevant equipment is expected, an early phase has more significance. Further, both incentives and regulation (“carrot and stick”) are important to involve companies in private sector. Sharing common awareness of the issues with residents including young people is the key to a successful project. Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, securing energy became the largest concern in Japan. Many local governments are trying to establish a practical system for energy accumulation, which is effective both in time of emergency and in normal times. Further, Improvement of self-sustainability and distribution of energy sources as well as sharing of energy among all persons concerned including consumers and suppliers connected by information have been promoted. Efforts among those concerned toward co-creation of the project while sharing such experiences are essential.

It is necessary for every city to design proper policies, depending on what phase it has reached in the roadmap toward the final target in the energy conservation activities. In order for the city to implement the policies, collaboration with the national government, cooperation of manufacturers in providing their state-of-the-art technologies, financial assistant measures, etc. are essential requirements. Every hub under the initiative of the energy efficiency accelerator platform should have a unique function, and collaboration among hubs taking advantage of their different features should be promoted to meet the needs of various cities which are facing challenges. The SE4All initiative will enhance global cooperation, for more effective promotion of energy conservation, among national governments, cities, NGOs, companies in private sector, financial community, academia, research institutions, and citizens.

(1) As a result of inviting excellent speakers from Japan and overseas and holding active discussions on various issues, the Forum could draw some effective conclusions worthy of having held an international convention in Japan. Consequently, the Forum served as an ideal opportunity for Japan to demonstrate its technological capabilities to the world as well as for Japanese participants to get to know various situations in overseas counties.

(2) What are sought by the SE4All initiative could be reaffirmed. According to Mr. Gulati, COO of SE4All, what it expects to its hubs are:

1. providing support for the entity aiming to overcome energy efficiency challenges in identifying its problems and developing a roadmap/action plan toward solving the problems; and
2. providing practical support toward implementation of the roadmap/action plan.

The above two points are substantially in line with the framework of activities for human resource development projects ECCJ have been providing. However, additional efforts toward new themes such as city energy issues and expansion of scope of our activities to include, for example, the energy efficiency accelerator cities for SE4All are needed.

(3) ECCJ was recognized for its performance and significance on the stage of SE4All administered by United Nations and, accordingly, the center has established a firm position as an Energy Efficiency Facilitating Hub for According to Mr. Gulati, ECCJ has proven that, “during the Forum, it has technical expertise in energy conservation at a global level and is able to bring good outcome to other cities and countries through dispatching its specialists”.

(4) It was confirmed that organizations concerning the SE4all Initiative would work on closer cooperation and allocation of roles. ECCJ was given a role of an organization that provides technical and analytical support in the field of energy efficiency improvement for the EE Accelerator Platform.

(1) As a result of the success in the Forum, ECCJ could make the SE4All personnel concerned and the participants from the world understand the ECCJ’s performance in the activities developed mainly in Asian counties. Consequently, the center has built a certain position in the SE4All To take advantage of this asset in the future, the center needs to gain larger presence in the SE4All activities and, accordingly, the way of gaining it must be discussed.

(2) As has been revealed in the Forum, it is necessary to overcome the following challenges to achieve successful energy efficiency projects for cities. What supports would be possibly provided against the challenges must be discussed. With respect to financial assistance measures to implement energy conservation projects, only pointing to the targets to be achieved were heard during the Forum. This should be the agenda for future meetings.

1. Ensuring strong leadership by national and local governments
2. Promotion of cooperation between municipalities and private sectors and ensuring civil participation
3. Sufficient information sharing, on the subject of diversities in various projects, among those concerned in governments, industry, and academia
4. Promotion of human resource development in both public and private sectors, and enhancing understanding of general public, in particular, by taking actions focusing on young people who will bear the future

(3) Specific measures

a. Challenge: “ensuring strong leadership by national and local governments” – Actions to be taken-

• To allow national and local governments to exercise strong leadership, ECCJ will provide support in designing a roadmap toward energy efficiency improvement and follow-up on it, as well as human resource development for achieving the roadmap.
• As a plan for 2016, holding a workshop, with invited specialists on urban issues, in Japan should be discussed. In the workshop, introduction of superior examples of activities in Japan will be made, along with creating a roadmap through small group activities and a site visit, aiming to accomplish more practical achievements. Further, for the purpose of having more advanced discussions, more focused theme will be chosen (for example, “energy conservation of buildings”). Invitation will be sent to mainly Asian countries, and participants from the SE4All accelerator cities will also be considered. Participation by the cities in Japan that backs organizations related to SE4All and smart community initiative will also be requested.

b. Challenge: “promotion of cooperation between municipalities and private sectors and ensuring civil participation” – Actions to be taken

• During the workshop in Japan described above, how the cooperation between municipalities and private sectors should be managed and how citizens should be participating the initiative shall be discussed. To demonstrate the examples in Japan as a reference, specialists from the cities in Japan that backs the smart community initiatives (mainly the cities participated to the Tokyo Forum) should be invited to have them involved in the discussions. Further, to feed the discussions into actual projects, interaction through JASE-World among the invited cities from overseas and private businesses will also be facilitated.

c. Challenge: “information sharing of diversified project information, among those concerned in governments, industry, and academia” – Actions to be taken

• To collect and send the information on various projects in the world, a network of organizations related to the SE4All initiative should be built.
• With the objectives of collecting the above-described information and contribution to global SE4All activities, ECCJ will actively dispatch its specialists to the workshops and forums hosted by organizations and hubs under the SE4All initiatives. (In 2016, dispatching the specialist to 3 events is to be considered.)
• ECCJ itself will hold local workshops (e.g., co-hosted by Indonesia), as an Energy Efficiency Facilitation Hub, aiming to provide energy conservation measures through diagnoses in actual sites and formation of energy conservation projects. In addition, involvement of JASE-World in the formation of the project will also be considered.

d. Challenge: “Promotion of human resource development in both public and private sectors, and enhancing understanding of general public, in particular, by taking actions focusing on young people who will bear the future” – Actions to be taken

• Through the local workshops and those in Japan, ECCJ will work on enhancement of human resource development for mainly policymakers. Meanwhile, the center will provide support in designing a roadmap toward more participation by general public and enhancement of their understanding, as well as follow up on the relevant activities.

• In addition to conventional policies for its activities, ECCJ should work on further enhancement and improvement of conventional activities in the areas of capacity building and awareness raising, in light of the expectations of SE4All, as well as on promoting international development of energy conservation projects, not only in Asia but also in a wider global level.
• Meanwhile, closer cooperation with internal organizations of SE4All, including its hubs (C2E2, ADB, WB, etc.) should be sought to improve the abilities of ECCJ itself.

• EE Accelerator Platform consists of accelerators in 8 fields (i.e., improvement of fuel efficiency for motor vehicles, improvement of light efficiency, improvement of efficiency of electric appliances, district energy system, buildings, industry, power generation, and financing)
• Supporting sectors (financial support, commercialization efforts, planning and coordination, and technical and analytical support) are located around the 8 fields. ECCJ has been designated to take a role in the technical and analytical support, in collaboration with C2E2.
• Taking advantages of the position ECCJ has gained in the SE4All initiative, the center will seek for the maximum effect of its role as a member of the platform, for the benefit of all participants, and prospective customers. In other words, utilizing the synergy or risk reduction effects gained by enhanced cooperation with similar organizations, ECCJ will contribute to more active management and enhanced sustainability of the SE4All initiative.

At the closing of this report, ECCJ intends to work on the future activities under the guidance of METI, as before, and take actions necessary for expansion of the SE4All activities through necessary information exchange with related ministries and agencies.