COP23 Transformative Action for Our Future

High-Level Week

^11/16

Thursday

10:30
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12:00

13:00
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14:30

15:00
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16:30

17:00
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18:00

Thursday, November 16

10:30 - 12:00
13:00 - 14:30
15:00 - 16:30
17:00 - 18:00

13:00 - 14:30

Event title	Clean energy technologies: tracking progress and the role of digitalization
Contents	Tracking progress in the development and deployment of clean energy technologies, and understanding the impact of these technologies, is critical for advancing the low carbon energy transition. In this side event, the IEA will share results of Tracking Clean Energy Progress 2017, an annual publication which assesses key clean technologies, including electric vehicles, energy storage, and renewable energies, and whether they are on track to meet long-term emissions goals. These key energy technologies, alongside rapid advances in data, analytics, and connectivity, also underpin the digital transformation of the energy system, the implications of which are explored in the IEA’s latest report Digitalization and Energy, which will also be discussed.
Keywords	energy; tracking progress; technology RD&D; information and communications technology (ICT); digital technologies; IoT; energy efficiency; renewable energy
Speakers Name and Title	Fatih Birol, Executive Director, IEA Peter Janoska, Environment and Climate Change Unit, IEA Wataru Matsumura, Director of Global Environment Partnership Office, Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, Japan Kelly Simms Gallagher, Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy, Tufts University George Kamiya, Environment and Climate Change Unit, IEA Pamela Lee, Covering Director of Policy & Planning – Climate Change, National Climate Change Secretariat, Singapore Simone Mori, Head of European Affairs, Enel
Organiser / Co-organiser	International Energy Agency

Report

Final Programme

Welcome Remarks

Fatih Birol, Executive Director, IEA

Speakers

Peter Janoska and George Kamiya, Energy Environment Division, IEA
Wataru Matsumura, Director, Global Environment Partnership Office, Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, Japan
Kelly Simms Gallagher, Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy, Tufts University
Mariano Morazzo, Head of Climate Change and Renewable Energy Policies, Enel
Pamela Lee, Covering Director of Policy & Planning – Climate Change, National Climate Change Secretariat, Singapore

Session Summary

The IEA Executive Director provided opening remarks, followed by a scene-setting presentation by Peter Janoska and George Kamiya (IEA) on tracking clean energy progress and the enabling potential of digitalization. Wataru Matsumura (METI) discussed Japan’s efforts on clean energy technologies, including international collaboration on digitalization with India. Kelly Simms Gallagher (Tufts) discussed trends in energy RD&D spending and key underlying challenges for the Mission Innovation countries to fulfil their spending targets. Mariano Morazzo (Enel) provided a company perspective on the role of electricity in achieving climate targets, as well as the emerging business opportunities arising from digitalization. Pamela Lee (Singapore) shared real-world examples of deploying clean energy and digital technologies to achieve environmental and social objectives, including innovative business models to accelerate solar PV deployment, smart homes, and connected, automated, and electric mobility.

Key Messages

There are signs of changes in energy trajectories, but progress in clean energy technology development and deployment is too slow. Each country should define its own transition path and scale-up its RD&D and deployment support accordingly. Energy metrics can help unpack what clean energy transition means and how it can be measured.
Digitalization could be a key enabler for clean energy technologies, including integrating greater shares of variable renewables, smart charging of EVs, and accelerating innovation in industrial design.

Name and organisation of the person(s) who prepared the summary

Peter Janoska, George Kamiya, International Energy Agency (IEA)

Event