CityU hosts symposium on sustainable energy

Christina Wu

18 Oct 2013

131018_Energy-L.jpg 131018_Energy-L.jpg World renowned experts on energy shared their knowledge and insights on different energy choices and their implications and shed light on how energy issues in Hong Kong may be addressed at a symposium conducted by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) on 18 October.

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The meeting, which was titled “Sustainable Energy for the Future–How to Make the Best Choice?”, underlines CityU’s commitment to help combat impending energy problems. It was organised by CityU School of Energy and Environment (SEE) together with the Energy Institute (Hong Kong Branch) and the Hong Kong Association of Energy Engineers.

The symposium was opened by The Hon Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment, HKSAR Government, and Professor Johnny Chan Chung-leung, Dean and Chair Professor of SEE. Dr Christine Loh Kung-wai, Under Secretary for the Environment, HKSAR Government, also attended as one of the panelists for the discussion section.

“Energy related issues such as alternative energy sources, energy security, and environmental sustainability are on the top agenda of every region and country.

It is timely to organise a symposium where researchers, green groups and policy makers can share recent development and insights on those topics, making a contribution to solving the global energy problems,” said Professor Chan.

The speakers at the symposium were:

· Ms Joan MacNaughton, Executive Chair, The World Energy Trilemma for the World Energy Council (WEC)

· Dr John Reilly, Senior Lecturer and Co-Director of the Joint Programme on the Science and Policy of Global Change, Center for Environmental Policy Research, MIT Sloan School of Management

· Mr Neville Henderson, Commissioner of the Australian Energy Market Commission and Chairman of the Reliability Panel in the Australian National Energy Market

· Professor Way Kuo, President and University Distinguished Professor, CityU

In her keynote speech, Ms MacNaughton described the work of the WEC Energy Trilemma, the analysis of the Energy Sustainability Index and recommendations about how the public and private sectors can work together more effectively to deliver on the trilemma goals.

Dr Reilly drew lessons from analyses of global and US energy issues conducted at the MIT Joint Programme on the Science and Policy of Global Change that may be applicable to Hong Kong and other countries and regions.

Having specialist knowledge in the Australian energy market, Mr Henderson discussed some key challenges for the Australian market arising from current demand trends and government policies, and shared some lessons that may be of relevance to other energy markets.

As an expert on nuclear safety and reliability, Professor Kuo stated that nuclear energy has a strong safety record. If the public cannot freely and rationally explore the development of nuclear energy, the issue will be confounded by political rhetoric and populist reactions, and therefore become much more complicated and unreliable.

The symposium was followed by a panel discussion which covered a broad range of subjects in the field of energy.

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