Session: Realization of energy efficiency and adoption of microgrids together with on-site renewable energy

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In the summary session, the following Key Takeaways from Breakout Session 1 were highlighted

  • Importance of Ambitious Goal Settings, Making Plans and Ordinances/Legislations
    • 100% renewables energy production by 2045 (Maui)
    • Zero Carbon by 2050 (Hamamatsu/Saitama/Kuala Lumpur)
    • Net Zero Carbon LG’s Operation by 2030, CN Community by 2040 (Newcastle)
  • Implementing Available Solutions Thoroughly and Showing Leadership of Local Governments
    • 100% renewables since 2020 (Newcastle), LED Street Lighting (Newcastle, KL)
    • Disclosing Energy and Water Use Performance Data for County Facilities (Maui)
  • Establishing Visible Advanced and Resilient Case Studies by Face-to-Face Partnership
    • Hamamatsu Microgrid Projects (Hamamatsu)
    • Smart Home Community in Urawa Area (Saitama/Looop)
    • Wangsa Maju Carbon Neutral Growth Centre (KL)
  • Transition to Circular Economy from Linear Economy to Achieve CN (Newcastle).
  • Join/Lead Global Commitment: Signatory to “ICLEI’s The Malmo Commitment” (Newcastle)
  • Protect Future Jobs to Achieve Sustainable and Carbon Neutral Communities/Societies

Session: Innovative mobility services for sustainable modes of transport

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After the presentations, there was discussions on:

  • Consensus building toward realization of future vision/targets
    • Communications among various stakeholders, neighbouring municipalities, private businesses,
  • New business models pursuing new services, higher feasibility and sustainability cross sectoral benefits and so on
  • Full consideration of cyber space and real world people facilities.

2 important themes became apparent during the discussion:

  • Although 5 presentations are from different cities, countries, organizations, aiming at different direct goals, started from different issues and with different ideas, plans and tools
    • All have a strong focus toward decarbonized, sustainable and supporting Innovative Transportation System
  • Innovative/Smart Mobility is not only about digital ICT, but also the analog world such as
    • infrastructure development and conversion,
    • consensus and community development,
    • legal/institutional/ecosystem setup

Session: Building a resilient city successfully adapting to climate change

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  • Malmö City, Sweden discussed some of their challenges, including Sea level, heat waves, Energy crisis and discussed how they had been focusing on Public Private initiative (PPI) to help address these and other city problems
  • Pittsburgh City, Pennsylvania, United States – as an old industrial steel town, Pittsburg has had to deal with de-industrialisation and associated population decline. To combat this they have focused on education and healthcare  and have managed to  stabilize the population. Also had a focus on ecological issues, particularly heat waves and have been using gardens, parks – replacing urban blight – also water
  • Kyoto City, Japan has an number of initiatives, 100RC – international community, Kyoto climate change centre, waste management, support citizen activities
  • TOKYO GAS NETWORK has focused on cutting peak demand for gas/electricity and creating smart energy network, to ensure resilience
  • City of Saitama, Japan has a number of initiatives but has focused on resilience as a common theme. So for example, it has been promoting EVs to combat emissions but also considering their use as a source of power during disaster. They also highlighted smart home success case study
  • General Discussion
    • Disaster situation – how to communicate in real time to citizens
    • enhance community reliance through education
    • mitigation required

Session: The nexus of clean energy towards a net-zero-emission future

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Summary

  • to achieve carbon neutrality needs large scale renewable energy – however intermittent nature dictates energy storage
  • large scale carbon neutrality – energy conservation, e.g., combined heat and power – also zero emission electrification generation by 2050
  • hydrogen production – we need a clearer transition plan to hydrogen economy with well-defined milestones
  • electrification of transport
  • transition to micro grids and need for efficiency when we move away from large scale generation plants

Session: Challenge to Zero Emission in mobility

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Summary

  • Challenge to Zero Emission in mobility
    • Comprehensive approach is requisite
      • e-mobility is one of the eco-friendly policies
  • Importance of charging facilities: How and Where?
    • Charging at night: most efficient
    • Varies by car-parking and car-storing situation in each country
      • Japan: Car-storing Act(1962) Every car has its off-street storing space exclusively for that car.
  • Focus on product lifecycle is an opportunity to reduce emissions
  • Move to e-mobility a chance to revisit urban and rural situation and improve across the board