In December 2009, while topnotch government leaders met in Copenhagen at the United Nations Climate Change Conference to discuss on global collective action, 23 Singapore professionals arrived in Tokyo to learn about the latest in energy mitigation, in their bid to apply the knowledge in their work and contribute to the cause for environmental sustainability.

Taking place from 7 to 11 December, the Singapore-Japan New and Renewable Energy Seminar was organised for the second time, with the first run conducted 2 years back. A diverse mix of delegates from energy related agencies across Singapore attended the seminar. Led by Director SEI, Mr Ong Eng Kian, the delegates were well received by the event organiser and their host - the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan.

Singapore has made bold carbon reduction targets in the foreseeable future despite its social and economic expansion. As Mr Ong put it across aptly, the 21st century would be the era of energy innovation, with technology providing us with the key to environmental solutions. Japan has much to showcase to the world in terms of technological and application know-how, which arises from its will to implement alternative energy sources for the betterment of tomorrow.

Indeed to the Singapore delegates, constant learning, innovation and application of energy technologies were fast becoming the main drivers of change in their respective organisations. To many of them it was mystery unveiled, as they understood how photovoltaic technology was ingeniously harnessed for power generation, a critical and yet carbon-intensive process to our daily lives.

Certainly it will not be just environmental benefits for profit-oriented private enterprises. Under the current global recession, the delegates heard from their Japanese counterparts how this crisis per se afforded opportunities to move towards renewable energy, thus leading to energy security and economic recovery in the longer term.

The site visits and onsite lectures that followed added a dimension of visual learning to the delegates’ experience. Japan has progressed well beyond the nascent stage in the development and application of fuel cell technology. As a result the visit to Panasonic Corporation was especially insightful. This is because it provided for an understanding of the highly energy-efficient features that stemmed from advancements in fuel cell technology.

At Tonetsu Corporation, the delegates reinforced their knowledge of the heat utilisation units used in energy-efficient systems through a conducted tour of the hardware available at the company. Visiting the High-Tech Business District of Makuhari New City proved awe-inspiring, as it came with a briefing on how the heating and cooling systems transformed the district into an eco-friendly area amid its daily hustle and bustle of business activities.

As a form of information sharing and exchange, the Singapore delegates actively presented an array of topics that included “Building a Vibrant Energy Ecosystem” (EMA), “The Development of Clean-Tech Park” (JTC Corp) and “Electricity Retailing in Singapore” (PowerSeraya). Apart from IEEJ who was very pleased with the sharing, the delegates felt they learnt so much from one another even though they were from the same country.

After their visit to the Eco-Product 2009 Exhibition on the 5th day, the homebound delegates found the week long learning experience to be most enriching and fulfilling. More significantly, they were impressed by the hospitality shown by their Japanese counterparts that had made them feel welcomed, energised and renewed for the challenges that lay ahead in their work endeavours.

Last updated on 8 Jun 10