Session 4.3: Managing for Resilience

June 9th, 2020

Description: Improving management capacity can increase the reliability and resilience of the energy supply in the most economic and efficient manner. In this sense, energy resilience could be achieved by taking proactive measures, introducing emergency plans and working procedures, enhancing coordination and synergy with other public service departments, etc. This session focused on energy management related knowledge/practice sharing between countries, electric utilities, and other energy service enterprises.

Moderator: Priyantha Wijayatunga, Director, SAEN, Asian Development Bank

Scene-Setter Talk: Priyantha Wijayatunga, Director, SAEN, Asian Development Bank

Rethinking Electric Utility Resource Planning in Renewable Rich Environment
Presenter: Sumedh Agarwal, Manager, Tetra Tech

The economics of renewable energy-based generation, coupled with innovative technologies, have been growing more favorable, primarily due to changing market fundamentals. Realizing the opportunities offered by falling renewable energy (RE) prices, power distribution utilities (DISCOMs) can significantly reduce their power purchase costs (which accounts for 60-70% of total cost served to end consumers). Today, DISCOMs have little choice but to rethink the way they have been running their business. The critical step in this rethinking is resource planning, which allows DISCOMs to absorb more renewable energy into their systems, reduce the potential cost of generation fleet, and pass the benefits on to their consumers.

This presentation encouraged DISCOMs, policymakers, and other stakeholders to rethink their current method of resource planning and makes recommendations to improve resource planning at DISCOMs so they can move from a fossil-fuel-based power portfolio to a RE-based portfolio. It also presented real case studies of DISCOMs who have initiated such long-term, power sector planning at high RE and EE scenarios.

Managing the Energy Trilemma in the Philippines
Presenter: Josef Yap, Senior Technical Advisor, Ateneo School of Government

The transition to an energy mix with lower carbon emissions is hampered by the existence of the so-called energy trilemma. The primary consequence is a trade-off between various objectives of energy policy, e.g. equity and sustainability. This paper proposed a framework and methodology to manage the trilemma by applying methods related to multi-criteria decision making to assign weights to the various components of the trilemma. However, an expanded concept of energy security is adopted which translates to a version of the trilemma different from that of the World Energy Council. This study took into account autarky, price, supply, and carbon emissions. The values were generated by a software called PLEXOS and are incorporated in a welfare function. Policy options can be ranked using the values generated by the welfare function. In this manner, trade-offs were measured and the trilemma can be managed even if it is not resolved.

Offshore Wind – UK experience, Asian Opportunity
Presenter: Camilla Fenning, Director, South East Asia Climate and Energy Network and Programme Director, Prosperity Fund ASEAN Low Carbon Energy Programme, UK Government

Solar Powered Water System and  Solar Community
Presenter: Jijiang He, Senior Technical Advisor, Tsinghua University

Solar-powered irrigation systems, as a clean-energy and a low-emission option for irrigation development and modernization, provides a reliable source of energy in remote areas, and contributing to the rural electrification and reduce energy costs for irrigation. Solar Energy provides a practical solution for these issues under the framework of affordability, cleanness, sustainability, and easy availability. Solar communities allow the resident to live with electricity, to equip communities with public service systems powered by solar energy, and to change production methods and lifestyles. Solar energy ensures healthy communities: by virtue of products supported by solar energy to solve public health and sanitation issues. through solar water purification, solar vaccine refrigerator, and solar clinic, there is available clean drinking water, healthcare services, and medical facilities. Solar energy changes agricultural production in a way of energy-saving and eco-friendly.

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