Navigating toward a Carbon-Neutral Future through Clean Energy Solutions
13 –16 June 2023 | ADB Headquarters, Manila
Speakers
ALL SPEAKERS
Ahmed Ali
Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology
Mr. Ali is currently the Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Republic of Maldives. He is also the appointed board member of the SAARC Energy Centre since 2009. With over 20 years of experience in the energy sector, Mr. Ali plays a crucial role in the plann
Read Full BioAhmed Ali
Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology
Bio
Mr. Ali is currently the Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Republic of Maldives. He is also the appointed board member of the SAARC Energy Centre since 2009. With over 20 years of experience in the energy sector, Mr. Ali plays a crucial role in the planning and development of the Maldives energy sector. He was actively involved in formulating the Maldives energy policies and strategies including the Maldives National Energy Policy and Strategy and Maldives Scaling Up Renewable Energy Investment Plan. Mr. Ali completed his undergraduate studies at Islamic University of Technology, Bangladesh. He completed Master of Engineering from Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand and Master of Business Administration from Anglia Ruskin University, UK.
AJAY MATHUR
INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE
Dr Ajay Mathur is the Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). At ISA, his focus is on enhancing solarization of the world, and convincing leaders of the world that solar is the energy supply choice of preference. Towards this end, ISA provides, advocacy; analysis of policy; fi
Read Full BioAJAY MATHUR
INTERNATIONAL SOLAR ALLIANCE
Bio
Dr Ajay Mathur is the Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). At ISA, his focus is on enhancing solarization of the world, and convincing leaders of the world that solar is the energy supply choice of preference. Towards this end, ISA provides, advocacy; analysis of policy; financial capacity strengthening; and solar project preparation in LDCs and SIDs. 103 countries are today members of the ISA. ISA is the only international organization headquartered in India, and was created by PM Modi of India and President François Hollande of France at the Paris Climate Negotiations in 2015. Dr Mathur was earlier in the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, and at The Energy and Resources Institute as its Director General.
Alex Rogers
REV Ocean
Alex is a marine ecologist who is interested in how biodiversity is distributed in the ocean. He is also interested in human impacts on the ocean and how to manage human activities to mitigate or reduce degradation of marine ecosystems. His work has taken him to the Indian and Southern Oceans and to
Read Full BioAlex Rogers
REV Ocean
Bio
Alex is a marine ecologist who is interested in how biodiversity is distributed in the ocean. He is also interested in human impacts on the ocean and how to manage human activities to mitigate or reduce degradation of marine ecosystems. His work has taken him to the Indian and Southern Oceans and to the Caribbean investigating coral reef ecosystems, both in shallow water and the deep sea, seamounts and deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
Alfredo Baño Leal
Asian Development Bank
Alfredo Baño Leal is a Senior Energy Specialist at ADB, developing sustainable energy operations in the East Asia region. Previously, he worked at the Independent Evaluation Department of ADB, where he evaluated energy programs and led ADB’s 2009 Energy Policy Evaluation. He has over 15 years of
Read Full BioAlfredo Baño Leal
Asian Development Bank
Bio
Alfredo Baño Leal is a Senior Energy Specialist at ADB, developing sustainable energy operations in the East Asia region. Previously, he worked at the Independent Evaluation Department of ADB, where he evaluated energy programs and led ADB’s 2009 Energy Policy Evaluation. He has over 15 years of international experience working on energy infrastructure sectors across more than 20 countries in Europe and Asia. Before joining ADB, he worked for the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, he consulted for the World Bank and other international organizations, and worked for an engineering consulting firm in Spain. He is an electromechanical engineer, with majors in electricity generation and power systems, and holds an MBA in Corporate Finance.
Amanda Van den Dool
USAID/RDMA
Amanda J. Van den Dool has led energy and economic growth activities for the U.S. Government for almost 20 years in a variety of domestic and overseas positions. Ms. Van den Dool joined USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia in 2019, previously serving in the Power Africa Coordinator’s of
Read Full BioAmanda Van den Dool
USAID/RDMA
Bio
Amanda J. Van den Dool has led energy and economic growth activities for the U.S. Government for almost 20 years in a variety of domestic and overseas positions. Ms. Van den Dool joined USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia in 2019, previously serving in the Power Africa Coordinator’s office. Ms. Van den Dool has also served in USAID’s Policy Bureau, the Democracy and Governance office, and the Office of Education. In 2010, she was selected to represent the U.S. Government as a Mansfield Fellow, working in Japan after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Prior to federal service, Ms. Van den Dool worked for several years as a community organizer and lobbyist. Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She loves to travel with her husband and two young children.
Ana Amazo
Guidehouse
Ana Amazo is a Managing Consultant at Guidehouse and a member of USAID’ Scaling up Renewable Energy (SURE) project. She is an expert in policy and regulation of renewable energy incl. auctions and market and system integration of renewable energy. Ana has led assignments for governments and intern
Read Full BioAna Amazo
Guidehouse
Bio
Ana Amazo is a Managing Consultant at Guidehouse and a member of USAID’ Scaling up Renewable Energy (SURE) project. She is an expert in policy and regulation of renewable energy incl. auctions and market and system integration of renewable energy. Ana has led assignments for governments and international organizations including Guidehouse’s engagement in the design and implementation of RE auctions for USAID and EBRD in more than 10 countries including India, Bangladesh, Lao PDR, and the Philippines, as well as regional cooperation on renewable energy in ASEAN for the GIZ. Before joining Guidehouse, Ana was an external consultant to the GIZ and a research assistant at the Berlin Social Science Center. She holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Hertie School of Governance and is a Green Energy Finance Specialist from the Renewables Academy (RENAC).
Ananya Basu
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Ms. Ananya Basu is the Director of the Social Sectors and Public Sector Management Division in the Pacific Department of the Asian Development Bank. She has led several policy-based operations and public financial management projects in countries such as the Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea
Read Full BioAnanya Basu
ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
Bio
Ms. Ananya Basu is the Director of the Social Sectors and Public Sector Management Division in the Pacific Department of the Asian Development Bank. She has led several policy-based operations and public financial management projects in countries such as the Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Tonga. In 2020, she has processed a program loan to support state-owned enterprise reforms in Papua New Guinea. She works on the Pacific Economic Monitor, a biannual publication which provides updates of recent economic developments and explores policy issues in the Pacific region. Ms. Basu has also worked on strategy and policy issues in ADB and was the Senior Advisor to ADB’s Managing Director General during 2015–2016. Prior to joining ADB in 2012, she was a Senior Economist at the World Bank, based in the New Delhi Resident Mission, where she processed and implemented several public sector management operations in India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. She has also worked with the World Bank’s economics research department on public finance. Ms. Basu has a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University.
Andrea Watson
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Andrea Watson is the laboratory program manager for Strategy, which is led by the Institutional Planning, Integration, and Development Directorate. In this role, she manages a Laboratory Agenda that embodies the 10-year vision and aligns planning and investment to that vision. Andrea’s expertise l
Read Full BioAndrea Watson
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Bio
Andrea Watson is the laboratory program manager for Strategy, which is led by the Institutional Planning, Integration, and Development Directorate. In this role, she manages a Laboratory Agenda that embodies the 10-year vision and aligns planning and investment to that vision. Andrea’s expertise lies in strategic planning, change strategies, and decision-making support as applied to clean energy projects and programs. She has specific expertise in clean energy solutions for emission mitigation, international climate change strategies, and renewable energy applications applied to the mining industry.
Andrii Gritsevskyi
IAEA
Andrii Gritsevskyi is Unit head in the Planning & Economic Studies Section of International Atomic Energy Agency where his work is focused on developing and providing to Member States analytical tools and information on energy systems issues including nuclear power, sustainable energy development an
Read Full BioAndrii Gritsevskyi
IAEA
Bio
Andrii Gritsevskyi is Unit head in the Planning & Economic Studies Section of International Atomic Energy Agency where his work is focused on developing and providing to Member States analytical tools and information on energy systems issues including nuclear power, sustainable energy development and the role of different energy supply and demand options, with particular emphasis on capacity building in energy-environment planning in developing countries. Dr Gritsevskyi is also responsible for preparation of “Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period up to 2050”, the Agency's annual publication with focus on providing reliable estimates of energy, electricity and nuclear power trends up to the year 2050.
Angela Mae Minas
Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, The University of Manchester
Angela Minas is a social scientist in the field of agriculture and low carbon energy based at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at The University of Manchester. She applies her interdisciplinary expertise to study social innovation and uses participatory methods and social network resea
Read Full BioAngela Mae Minas
Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, The University of Manchester
Bio
Angela Minas is a social scientist in the field of agriculture and low carbon energy based at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at The University of Manchester. She applies her interdisciplinary expertise to study social innovation and uses participatory methods and social network research to identify co-development strategies for climate action and low carbon solutions. She has worked on a number of research and local development projects in Asia and Africa – exploring farmer engagement in bioenergy development, energy access needs in the value chain, social learning in agricultural innovation systems, women and livelihoods, participation in community-based forest management, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Antonio Ver
Energies PH, Inc.
He served as Independent Director in the Philippines Electricity Market Corporation managing the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market up to the June 2015. He was Founder and first-elected President of Asia Pacific Basin for Energy Strategies, a Think tank in Special Consultative Status in UN-ECOSOC. He
Read Full BioAntonio Ver
Energies PH, Inc.
Bio
He served as Independent Director in the Philippines Electricity Market Corporation managing the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market up to the June 2015. He was Founder and first-elected President of Asia Pacific Basin for Energy Strategies, a Think tank in Special Consultative Status in UN-ECOSOC. He was first-grantee of a Tidal Energy Service Contract, and first and only recipient of a Certificate of Declaration of Commerciality from the Energy Department; and achieved financial close of the nearest to Metro Manila 115 MWdc Solar Pv power plant in Baras, Rizal to be completely built in January 2023. Energies PH, Inc. is a start-up with a pipeline of up to 500 MWdc Solar Pv power plants, and launches on June 14, 2022 the “Nationwide Microgrid Program” in off-grid Islands in San Bernardino Strait, bundling Tidal, Solar, Battery Energy Storage and re-charged hydrogen fuels to empower the deepest communities in the hinterlands.
ANVESHA THAKKER
KPMG ADVISORY SERVICES PVT LTD
Anvesha Thakker is the Global Co-Lead Climate Change & Decarbonization: KPMG IMPACT; Partner & Lead, Renewable Energy (RE) and has advised public and private sector clients and multilateral organizations on policy, strategy, financial and commercial related initiatives in the Power sector. She has m
Read Full BioANVESHA THAKKER
KPMG ADVISORY SERVICES PVT LTD
Bio
Anvesha Thakker is the Global Co-Lead Climate Change & Decarbonization: KPMG IMPACT; Partner & Lead, Renewable Energy (RE) and has advised public and private sector clients and multilateral organizations on policy, strategy, financial and commercial related initiatives in the Power sector. She has more than 19 years of extensive domestic and international work experience in areas such as corporate finance, investment advisory, strategic advisory and policy/ regulatory advisory. In her career, she has worked on several marquee projects in the power sector including power sector reforms, renewable energy parks, mini-grids, hybrids and wind in areas of policy and regulatory advocacy, strategy formulation for new business models in emerging clean technologies, investment and financing, undertaking business/market intelligence, retail tariff modelling, RE dispatch studies, risk assessment, commercial advisory, PPP frameworks, transaction advisory, energy access, financing products to promote and enable RE integration etc. Additionally, she has also worked extensively on utility finances, economic analysis, transaction and business advisory. She has been leading RE engagements, for IFIs including ADB, DFID, World Bank, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and USICEF among others