Speakers

Bio

Binita holds a master degree in "Energy and Environmental Management with specialization for Developing Countries” from Europa Universität Flensburg, Germany. With over twelve years of experience in the renewable energy sector, she has been involved in implementation, monitoring and supervision of energy projects. Her expertise extends to providing renewable energy related training and advocacy, conducting research and development to improve energy efficiency, energy access analysis and energy planning.

Bio

Dr. Biraj Singh Thapa is Assistant Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kathmandu University, Nepal. His area of specialization is hydropower and green hydrogen. He believes that a strategic blend of these two energy sectors can change the future of the developing countries of Asia and Pacific, both economically and environmentally. His interest is in cross-disciplinary research in the field of renewable energy technologies for industrial adaptation. At present he is focusing on energy ecosystem for the transition towards a low carbon society in Himalayan region. He is leading several projects to implement hydropower as the means for introducing green hydrogen as an alternative future fuel in Nepal. He is serving as the Team Leader of Green Hydrogen Lab at Kathmandu University. He holds a PhD degree from NTNU, Norway.

Bio

Bishal brings 22 years of global experiences working with a wide range of public and private sector partners across energy, climate, energy efficiency, environment, and sustainability. He brings expertise in designing, developing, and implementing multi-dimensional energy sector projects with governments, development agencies and private sector entities. As an economist by training, his expertise includes financial analysis, quantitative modelling, policy, research and project design, and has also worked extensively with on and off-grid solar solutions. He holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Maryland and an undergraduate degree in economics, mathematics, and political science from Monmouth College.

Bio

Bishal brings 25 years of global experiences working with a wide range of public and private sector partners across energy, climate, energy efficiency, environment, and sustainability. As an economist by training, his expertise includes financial analysis, quantitative modelling, policy, research and project design. He has also worked extensively in the design, implementation, and financing of distributed energy systems, gender equity and social inclusion, and end-user financing of distributed energy solutions. He holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Maryland and an undergraduate degree in economics, mathematics, and political science from Monmouth College.

Bio

Dr. Bjorn Santos is a distinguished Professor, faculty researcher at the National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center, Training Director of the Renewable Energy Executive Competency Training Program and Director for Research at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU). He also serves as the editor-in-chief of MMSU's Science and Technology Journal while being the technical lead for MMSU-DOE's Affiliated Renewable Energy Center (AREC). With a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Engineering from the University of the Philippines – Los Baños (UPLB), he pursued his master's and doctorate degrees in Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Texas A&M University – College Station, specializing in power and machinery and renewable energy. Dr. Santos' research focuses on biomass conversion and biofuels development, resulting in the publication of numerous impactful journal articles. He is a respected member of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), Philippine Society of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineers (PSABE) and a founding officer of the UPLB Alumni Association Texas Chapter. Notably, he achieved the 2nd place topnotcher ranking in the 2004 Agricultural Engineering Licensure Examination and received the distinction of being named an Outstanding Agricultural and Biosystems Engineer in the Academe by the PSABE Board of Directors in 2017.

Bio

Bjørn Jahnsen is ambassador of Norwegian Embassy Manila. Prior to his posting to the Philippines, Ambassador Jahnsen worked on the Colombian Peace Process in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo. His diplomatic assignments abroad include Mexico, London and Madrid. Mr Jahnsen was the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway from 2008 to 2012. The Ambassador has previously worked on ASEM, and had a special assignment related to a consular case in the Philippines (2016 – 2017). Mr Jahnsen was seconded to the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London for two years (2004 -2005), working on the European Union. The Ambassador also has an experience from the private sector, as General Manager for a Norwegian company in the energy and maritime sectors in Mexico for three years (2013 – 2016). He obtained his university degree in anthropology, history and philosophy from the University of Oslo and his Master of มัArts in Latin American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

Bio

Dr. Bo Shen is a research scientist at the International Energy Analysis Department of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy national lab managed by the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Shen pursues research on assessing and developing strategies for decarbonizing current energy systems through promoting energy efficiency and other demand-side solutions and advancing renewable energy, with a special focus on the U.S. and China. His work covers a wide range of topics including energy efficiency policy and governance, techno-economic analysis of efficiency improvement and pollution reduction measures, distributed energy resources, demand response, power market reform, green financing, and emissions trading. Dr. Shen has over 25 years of experience in energy research. He worked as an international consultant for the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, respectively, in a number of their technical assistance projects. He has authored over 50 journal articles and peer-reviewed conference papers.

Bio

I’m Bongraoi Arebaio currently studying, at Griffith University under the Australian Award Scholarship Scheme from Kiribati. I am currently in my third year pursuing a degree in software engineering after completing my diploma in engineering at Griffiths College, where I was awarded the Valedictorian Medal in 2019. As a member of the first team to represent Kiribati at the First Global Robotics competition in New Mexico 2018, I was able to experience firsthand the importance of STEM on issues that were happening globally and impacting on our tiny Pacific countries. It exposed me to global issues and how technology and science play an important part in developing solutions for real world issues. I am also highly interested in issues that will affect my small island country Kiribati which is surrounded by a vast area of ocean because I-Kiribati people rely greatly on the ocean for their livelihood. I hope to become an advocate on issues impacting on Pacific Island countries as well as Kiribati.

Bio

Bio

Bruce is the Director of Safeguards at the Asian Development Bank, leading a team dedicated to ensuring the application of best practice environmental and social standards in ADB development financing. With a background in environmental science and ecology, Bruce has more than 20 years of professional experience in areas such as environmental policy, environmental impact assessment, strategic environmental assessment, climate change and biodiversity conservation.

Bio

Bruce Dunn is the Director for Policy and Technical Services in ADB's Office of Safeguards. He leads a team focused on ADB environmental and social standards, including policy formulation, compliance oversight and building skills and capacity to support project investments. He has more than 25 years of professional experience working in environmental and social impact assessment, climate change and biodiversity conservation.

Bio

Dr Bruce W Robins has a unique combination of experience transitioning from international university R&D to Government renewable energy policy development, energy technology transfer, project development and management culminating in consulting to high technology energy companies, governments, multilateral and bilateral agencies. He brings more than 20 years’ experience and expertise developing major rural electrification projects in developing countries in Southern Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. These projects targeted remote and isolated communities by improving their quality of life through poverty alleviation programs incorporating increased economic opportunities using renewable energy as the enabling technology. He has significant experience in developing strategies in the energy sector and consulting with relevant government agencies in Australia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, PNG, Solomon Islands and Federated States of Micronesia (FSM).