17th World Wind Energy Conference: RE-energising the Developing World
The World Wind Energy Association and Renewable Resources Private Limited welcome the presence of those more than 600 participants from 30 countries attending this Conference, from wind and all other renewable energy technologies.
The Conference covered all aspects of wind utilisation, science and technology, related policies, manufacturing, development, operation, integrated solutions, community involvement as well as other economic and social issues.
The Conference appreciates the support of the governments and governmental as well as non-governmental organisations, especially the Government of Pakistan including the Ministry of Energy, the Alternative Energy Development Board, the Province of Sindh including the Ministry of Energy, Pakistan Wind Energy Association, GIZ and USAID, Asian Development Bank, Heinrich Böll Foundation, the International Renewable Energy Alliance, REN21, the Global 100% Renewable Energy Platform, all industry sponsors and exhibitors, and all organisations and individuals enhancing the Conference.
The Conference has tackled the issue of how to re-energise the developing world with renewable energy. The Conference agrees that making direct benefits available to all levels of society is key to substantially accelerate the switch to a renewable energy future.
The Conference welcomes and emphasises that wind and renewable energy are now broadly understood as lowest-cost solutions which have the potential to foster sustainable economic growth, to overcome energy poverty, and to strengthen resilience, autonomy and prosperity of communities.
The Conference requests to create fair market conditions including removing all direct and indirect subsidies from fossil energies.
The Conference recognises the urgency to combat climate change effectively by achieving – as soon as possible and in accordance with the Paris Agreement – an emission free energy supply worldwide, which means 100% renewable energy globally. Accordingly, new investment in the energy sector should only be made in renewable energy. Governments should accordingly declare renewable energy a national priority.
The Conference recognises that there are still manifold barriers in developing countries that hinder the fast deployment of wind power, including unreliable remuneration systems, bureaucratic barriers and shortage in grid capacity to evacuate electricity produced in wind farms. The Conference urges governments to encounter these barriers effectively.
The Conference understands that realising the huge potential of wind and the other renewable energies requires clear, reliable and positive policies. The lack of regulatory and political continuity has a harmful impact on the sector across the supply chain, from manufacturing, planning, construction, operation up to the finance.
The Conference underlines the importance of innovative technological, commercial and regulatory approaches, and sees huge potential in particular in hybridisation of wind energy systems, in combination with other renewable energy technologies.
The Conference gives emphasis to the nexus between water, food & agriculture and the energy sector and the need to use renewable energy in a way that also fosters water supply and sustainable agriculture.
The Conference underlines the importance of training and education in particular in light of the fact that the full benefits of renewable energy are only available when fostering economic activities and creating jobs. As a new industrial sector, wind power requires a skilled workforce. The Conference welcomes the initiative adopted by WWEA to improve international coordination and collaboration of training and education in the wind power sector.
The Conference notes the need to develop national strategies to foster domestic manufacturing capacities and capabilities and underlines that the best and most effective way to reach that goal is a sizable national market for wind power.
The Conference underlines the importance of rural electrification based on renewable energy and decentralised off-grid applications as the only approach that enables energy access for unserved communities and that goes hand in hand with community empowerment.
The Conference applauds the establishment of the permanent WWEA Office Pakistan which will provide information about the status and potential of wind power, including how to create appropriate regulatory frameworks, and will support the domestic wind sector in Pakistan to grow. For this purpose, the WWEA Pakistan chapter will also work closely with international organisations and donor agencies. WWEA Pakistan will also collaborate with the Pakistani offices of the Global 100% Renewable Energy Platform and the International Solar Energy Society, under the development leadership of Air Marshal (Retd.) Shahid Hamid.
The Conference applauds the making of the World Wind Energy Award 2018 to Air Marshal (Retd.) Shahid Hamid for his key role in creating the renewable energy market in Pakistan and for his international contributions to renewable energy.
The Conference encourages all wind energy stakeholders to participate in the next World Wind Energy Conference to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in autumn 2019.
Source
World Wind Energy Association2018 | 17th World Wind Energy Conference WWEC2018
