Many =
countries=20
in Asia=20
and the Pacific are=20
well-suited to solar power initiatives, and incentives =
and=20
low-cost financing mechanisms should be made available =
to help=20
the region make the transition possible, Asian =
Development=20
Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda said.
=E2=80=9CThe Asia and=20
Pacific region has the right combination of elements =
=E2=80=93 demand=20
for energy, access to sunlight and arid land, =
technological=20
maturity, and a sound investment climate,=E2=80=9D Mr. =
Kuroda said at=20
the First Asia Solar Energy Forum in Manila. =
However,=20
Kuroda said that obstacles such as high up-front =
capital costs=20
of investing in solar energy and a high-risk =
perception had to=20
date been keeping many solar energy investors on the=20
sidelines.
=E2=80=9CAs a result,=20
there is a risk of =E2=80=98Solar Divide=E2=80=99 =
where developing countries=20
cannot receive the benefit of environmental technology =
despite=20
its large potential,=E2=80=9D Kuroda said. =
=E2=80=9CThe role of multilateral=20
development institutions, such as ADB and its =
partners, should=20
be to play a catalytic role to overcome these =
institutional=20
capacity, policy, technology, and financing=20
barriers.=E2=80=9D
The =
two-day=20
forum, a part of the Asian Solar Energy Initiative =
(ASEI)=20
announced by ADB earlier this year, brought together =
some 200=20
policy makers and solar energy-related professionals =
from 34=20
ADB member countries.
The =
event was=20
hosted by ADB in partnership with the International =
Energy=20
Agency (IEA), the United Nations Industrial =
Development=20
Organization (UNIDO), and the Renewable Energy and =
Energy=20
Efficiency Partnership (REEEP).
Under ASEI,=20
ADB targets to catalyze projects for about 3,000 =
megawatts in=20
solar power by 2013. The ASEI also includes the =
establishment=20
of a knowledge platform named the Asia Solar Energy =
Forum,=20
support for project preparation, and direct financing =
of solar=20
energy projects.
It =
will also=20
help raise concessional funds from donor countries to =
partly=20
mitigate risks of the high up-front capital costs of =
investing=20
in solar energy, and design other innovative ways to =
attract=20
private-sector investment.
In =
her closing=20
remarks at the Manila event on Tuesday, Vice-President =
for=20
Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development =
Ursula=20
Schaefer-Preuss said the forum represented a step =
towards a=20
solar energy revolution in the Asia and Pacific=20
region.
=E2=80=9CSolar power=20
has the potential to promote low-carbon growth, ensure =
energy=20
security, increase access to energy for all and =
achieve ADB=E2=80=99s=20
overall objective of poverty reduction,=E2=80=9D she =
said. Ms.=20
Schaefer-Preuss also announced that the second meeting =
of the=20
forum will take place in Tokyo in December.