IPT Energy Center (IPTEC) took part of Berytech's webinar on the "Challenges and Opportunities in the Energy/Transport sector" on May 12. as part of Clean Technology Learning Series.
The webinar hosted Aya Issa, from IPTEC and Rani Al Achkar from LCEC (The Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation), as part of Berytech's Clean Technology Learning Series. This webinar series came after the success of the first five webinars, organized by Berytech under the Cleanergy Program and co-funded by The Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Aya Issa, member of IPTEC and Group Projects Coordinator at IPT, started her session by explaining the effective role that IPTEC has played since its inception in 2013 in promoting energy conservation and efficiency, as well as highlighting the need to move towards cleaner, alternative renewable energy solutions. She stated the major milestones achieved by IPTEC, the CSR arm of IPT.
On the topic of the challenges of the energy and transport sector, Aya discussed the new landscape imposed by the global pandemic on the energy transition. The world, and especially Lebanon, is facing unprecedented challenges, from supply chain disruptions, to weaker global investments that aim to reduce emissions, and a shift in priorities of governments that will be working towards an economic recovery.
Lebanon, specifically, might need to readdress this issue of clean energy and keep it on its list of priorities, even more for economic reasons than purely environmental ones. She also highlighted the role that needs to be played in the transport sector as part of Lebanon's pursuit of self-dependency.
Aya confirmed that with all of these upcoming challenges, the key to overcoming is to encourage entrepreneurship, join efforts, innovate and find new approaches. There is a pressing need for collective thinking and resetting priorities, and more importantly, staying invested in Lebanon. The silver lining of every crisis is that there is always room for opportunities. Download Aya's full presentation to know more.
In his turn, Rani Al Achkar, Director, Engineering and Planning at Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC) went over the policy framework in place for clean technologies in Lebanon today. He discussed the efforts and interests of the private and public sector in small and large scale renewable through private sector efforts, and the renewable heat applications. On top of the new challenges we are facing today, Rani highlighted the national existing challenges, ranging from weak infrastructure and grid resiliency, to insufficiency of electricity supply, subsidized tariffs, and the lack of a proper legal and administrative framework. He stresses that is up to us to take these challenges and turn them into opportunities, concrete results, and creative business models. The benefits would result in savings on fuel imports, increased energy security, and secured financing with lower risks.
The webinar was open to interested participants and included panel discussions as well as questions from the listeners.
Through its participation in this discussion, IPTEC's aim is to join the conversation and keep raising the awareness necessary on clean energy.
Click here to watch full video.