Bird's eyw view of bridge with lights

Singapore: Cleaner Energy Moves Asia

Powering Progress Asia 2017’s inaugural launch in  Singapore brought together a wide range of stakeholders across all sectors to discuss, debate and catalyse cross-border collaborations to tackle future energy challenges.

Shell’s Downstream Director John Abbott standing on a podium and speaking over the mic
Shell’s Downstream Director John Abbott stressed the importance of collaboration when attempting to meet the world’s energy challenges

A hundred energy experts gathered to discuss Asia’s energy challenges at Shell’s first Powering Progress Together (PPT) Forum in Singapore.

Shell Downstream Director John Abbott opened the event with a speech outlining how changes in energy use would need to happen in virtually every part of society. “Governments, academics, consumers and companies like Shell will need to work together to meet this enormous challenge,” he said. “With its willingness to collaborate and its track record for forward-thinking, Singapore sets a great example in this field.”

His address was followed by a panel discussion called “Asia’s Cleaner Energy Dilemma”. It discussed how economies could balance the social and economic demands for a better life with those of a healthy planet.

It was moderated by Marc Carrel-Billiard, global senior MD of Accenture Labs, the innovation arm of the global consultancy. The panelists are experts from various energy sectors: Alvin Yeo, Industry Development Director at Singapore’s Energy Market Authority; Visal Leng, President of GE Oil & Gas, Asia Pacific; Koh Kong Meng, HP’s General Manager and Managing Director, Southeast Asia and Korea, and Mark Gainsborough, Shell’s Executive Vice President of New Energies.

Experts from around the region discuss how Asia can balance its increasingly heavy energy needs with lower emissions, while maintaining a reliable energy system.
Panelists of energy experts discussed how economies could balance the social and economic demands for a better life with those of a healthy planet

The panel addressed the dilemma of how to provide clean energy as Asian economies grow and their demand for energy increases. Among the points raised was the need to ensure that energy remains affordable, secure as well as accessible.

Mr Koh highlighted how technological innovations like 3D printing could play a part in a low-carbon future. “Instead of ordering products and parts, you could just print them out at home. This would use less energy as you would not need to transport or manufacture goods.”

However, he added that it might take another two decades for 3D printing to be established. By that time, the technology would be affordable and accessible to everyone.

Gainsborough said there was no silver bullet that could resolve Asia’s energy challenge. “We need to deploy everything in the kit bag,” he said. “If you rely only on battery-operated electric vehicles, for example, you will have to wait a long time. What is needed is as many solutions as possible, working together, whether they be biofuels or hydrogen or carbon capture and storage.”

Carell-Billiard closed the debate by highlighting the importance of education and the need to get young people excited about exploring alternative energy solutions. “They have a strong curiosity and a desire to change and through that, they can rally people and ideas together,” he said.

Delegates experienced The Container of Possibilities, Shell’s effort to imagine what an urban home in Asia could look like in 2050.

Your smart new home in 2050

Container of Possibilities

The Container of Possibilities is a combination of Shell’s imagination and innovation at work, representing what an urban home in Asia could look like in the future.

Inspired by the scenarios created by the Asian student teams in the Imagine the Future contest, Shell worked with partners to transform the inside of a shipping container to demonstrate an urban Asian home of 2050.

This smart home has windows that automatically adjust throughout the day, eliminating the need for blinds or curtains. This feature significantly reduces energy consumption and air-conditioning costs.

All devices and appliances are remotely connected and can be controlled by smartphone, allowing residents to monitor and operate their appliances even while outside their home.

The Container of Possibilities was on show during the 2017 Make the Future Singapore Festival.  It went on tour to Indonesia for the Shell Campus Week Bandung in October 2017, in Singapore during the International Energy Week in October 2017, and in Thailand for Make the Future in January 2018.

Powering Progress Together Asia 2017

Team Amber, winner of the Scenarios Competition.

Winning team of Shell Imagine the Future Scenario-making competition: (L-R) Amber Tan, Tiah Cherng Yew, Danny Soo, Zhao Xin Ting and Acer Liow, students from the Nanyang Technological University Renaissance Engineering Programme shared their scenario of Asian Urban Home 2050 with the audience.

Theatre performers.

An interactive playback theatre experience based on stories from the audience.

Panel discussion on Asia's Cleaner Energy Dilemma

Panel discussion on Asia's Cleaner Energy Dilemma by (L-R) Mark Gainsborough, Dr Alvin Yeo, Director, Industry Development of Energy Market Authority, Visal Leng, President, GM Asia Pacific at GE Oil & Gas, Koh Meng Kong VP, HP, South East Asia and Korea and Marc Carrell-Billiard, Senior MD, Accenture Labs.

Future hoe 2050

A guest penning his thoughts on his dream Future Home in 2050

Participants touring the Container of Possibilities.

Participants touring the Container of Possibilities.

In closing Powering Progress Together Asia 2017, Shell Singapore Country Chair, Goh Swee Chen, said: “Shell has long recognised the need to reduce carbon emissions and to stem the problem of air pollution in many parts of Asia. But we also know that more energy is needed to provide a decent quality of life for people, not only in Asia, but across the world.

“That is why we have created platforms like the Powering Progress Together forum and the Make the Future Festivals. We are here to challenge existing assumptions and to find innovative ways to solve problems.”

Powering Progress Together Asia 2018 will be held on March 8 and is part of Make the Future Singapore 2018. This year’s four-day event, from March 8 to 11, features a range of energy ideas that address the global energy challenge: how to meet the energy demands of the future, while producing less carbon dioxide emissions.

Powering Progress Together Asia 2017

Title:  Shell Powering Progress Together

Duration: 4:46 minutes

Description:

Highlights of the Powering Progress Together forum from Make the Future Asia 2017

Shell Powering Progress Together Transcript

[Background music plays]

Shell music

[Text displays]

Make The Future

Singapore 2017

           

[Video footage]

Make the future event footage

[Dialogue: Mark Gainsborough]

The world needs significantly more energy  

[Video footage]

SOT of Mark Gainsborough

[Dialogue: Mark Gainsborough ]

There are billions of people on the planet that don't yet have access to energy

[Video footage]

Event footage of audience

[Text displays]

16 March 2017

Singapore

           

[Video footage]

Gardens by the bay

[Text displays]

Powering Progress Together

[Video footage]

Interview with Mark Gainsborough

[Dialogue: Mark Gainsborough ]

Powering Progress Together is all about exploring how we can make the future together.

[Video footage]

Timelaspe shot of event space

[Dialogue: Mark Gainsborough ]

We're going to have to do it

by working in partnership

with many many other people. If we're going to make the future successful.

[Video footage]

Event footage of exhibition area

[Video footage]

Smiling faces

[Text displays]

The Forum

[Background music plays]

Music change to a slower piece

[Video footage]

Audience and guests at the PPT presentation

[Text displays]

A cross section of society

Engage and exchange ideas

[Text displays]

More and cleaner energy

change the way we

live, work and play

[Video footage]

Exhibition area

[Dialogue: James Chong]

Consumers globally want to do the right thing.

[Video footage]

Interview with James Chong

[Title]

James Chong

Managing Director

Digital Transformation, Accenture

[Dialogue: James Chong]

And energy consumption is a hot topic because it's depleting some of the natural resources that we care very much about. But at the same time our lifestyle, that require energy.

[Video footage]

Container of Possibilities

[Text displays]

Listen

Learn

Collaborate

[Background music plays]

Music change to a faster, tension piece

[Text displays]

Groundbreaking solutions to

Asia's cleaner energy dilemma

By industry leaders

[Video footage]

SOT of Visal Leng

[Dialogue: Visal Leng]

In general, cleaner energy is more expensive than traditional energy. We are working very hard on lowering the costs.

[Title]

Visal Leng

President, Asia Pacific

GE Oil & Gas

[Video footage]

SOT of Koh Kong Meng

[Title]

Koh Kong Meng

General Manager & Managing Director

South East Asia & Korea, HP INC

[Dialogue: Koh Kong Meng]

We look very seriously at the materials we use. The provenance of these materials, where they come from, are they from conflict zones or not. All the way down to how we actually use our energy.

[Text displays]

Imagine

[Video footage]

SOT of Dr. Alvin Yeo

[Title]

Dr. Alvin Yeo

Director, Industry Development

Energy Market Authority

[Dialogue: Dr. Alvin Yeo]

There's an opportunity for us to push a lot more research innovation, energy storage system, solar forecasting.

[Text displays]

Explore

[Video footage]

Interview with Goh Swee Chen

[Title]

Goh Swee Chen

Chairperson

Shell companies in Singapore

[Dialogue: Dr. Alvin Yeo]

The problem is a complex one and we can't do this on our own.

[Text displays]

Together

[Video footage]

Interview with Tiah Cherng Yew

[Title]

Tiah Cherng Yew

Imagine the future competition winner

Nanyang Technological University

 

[Video footage]

Speakers on stage for photo taking.

Guests mingling in the room.

[Dialogue: Tiah Cherng Yew]

If all the countries can come together, we can come up with a more efficient energy generation and energy distribution system. We can harness on the energy that we can get from all the different places.

[Text displays]

Building a cleaner future for our planet

[Background music plays]

Music change

[Video footage]

Interview with Koh Kong Meng

[Dialogue: Koh Kong Meng]

I may not be here in 50 years but definitely my children, my grandchildren will be around. And we need to be able to give them a sustainable environment for them to be able to live in.

[Text displays]

The first-ever

Imagine the future

Scenarios competition

[Background music plays]

Music change to more upbeat, light hearted

[Text displays]

Millennials

Imagine

Asia's energy future

[Video footage]

SOT of Danny

[Dialogue: Danny Soo]

My name is Danny, form a divergent world in 2050.

[Video footage]

SOT of Victoria

[Dialogue: Danny Soo]

I'm Victoria. I am from convergent world in 2050.

[Text displays]

See how

People in Asia

Could

Live

Work

Play

In 2050

[Dialogue: Marc Carrel-Billiard]

In 2050, what's going to be the new world, how they going to live energy. How they going to consume it. That play was done by millenniums

[Video footage]

Interview with Marc Carrel-Billiard

[Text displays]

Living in a self-sustaining divergent world

[Video footage]

SOT of Danny Soo and Amber Tan on stage

[Dialogue: Amber Tan]

I'm curious Danny. How do you travel in 2050?

[Dialogue: Danny Soo]

Nah, travelling is not cool in 2050's divergent world.

[Title]

Danny Soo

Imagine the future competition winner

Nanyang Technological University

[Title]

Amber Tan

Imagine the future competition winner

Nanyang Technological University

[Video footage]

Clips of different virtual reality situations

[Dialogue: Danny Soo]

Absolutely everything can be done in virtual reality. Even dating!

[Dialogue: Danny Soo]

The most interesting concept I had was this idea of the world

[Video footage]

Interview with Mark Gainsborough

[Dialogue: Mark Gainsborough]

where actually most things happen virtually rather than real life.

[Background music plays]

Music change to a light hearted piece

[Video footage]

SOT of Danny Soo

[Video footage]

Danny with drone, simulating online shopping

[Dialogue: Danny Soo]

In the event I need to buy anything for the day I just need to go online. Click my groceries or whatever I need to buy and it'll get delivered instantly.

[Text displays]

Living in a

Collaborative

Convergent world

[Dialogue: Danny Soo]

We can use solar energy to do some really cool stuff such as charge our electrical vehicles.

[Video footage]

Charging of vehicle

[Dialogue: Danny Soo]

Recycle our waste water and turn plastic into 3D printing materials.

[Video footage]

Solar panels

[Dialogue: Danny Soo]

So we are creating these smart communities where you can live in harmony with the environment.

[Text displays]

Smart living

In 2050

[Text displays]

Container of Possibilities

[Dialogue: Amber Tan]

This is what our future homes could look like in 2050.

[Video footage]

Interior of container of possibilities

[Dialogue: Amber Tan]

Everything in your home is smart and is connected. Not only is it more energy efficient, you can also monitor and control it form wherever you are.

[Text displays]

Cleaner energy

Moves Asia

[Video footage]

Interview with Goh Swee Chen

[Dialogue: Goh Swee Chen]

Powering progress together is important because it is a venue for us to bring people with bright ideas together

[Video footage]

PPT speakers on stage

[Dialogue: Goh Swee Chen]

To discuss, debate, engage

[Text displays]

Discuss

Debate

Engage

[Video footage]

Man drawing on the white paper

[Dialogue: Goh Swee Chen]

On an important topic of delivering more energy and cleaner energy.

[Background music plays]

Music change to Shell music

[Video footage]

Event footage of children at exhibition area.

[Video footage]

Interview with Goh Swee Chen

[Dialogue: Goh Swee Chen]

It's the first time we are bringing the festival together.

[Video footage]

PPT skit/play by millennials

[Dialogue: Goh Swee Chen]

There was just so much energy in the room.

[Text displays]

Connect

[Video footage]

Interview with Visal Leng

[Dialogue: Visal Leng]

I look at this event, bringing people from small children all the way to professionals with 20, 30 years of experience.

[Video footage]

Exhibition interaction

[Dialogue: Visal Leng]

The span and the breadth of it is fantastic.

[Text displays]

Collaborate

[Video footage]

Interview with David Chen

[Dialogue: David Chen]

Seeing Shell pushing forward in efforts into cleaner energy gives us a really good feeling about the future.

[Text displays]

Hope

[Video footage]

Interview with James Chong

[Dialogue: James Chong]

I'm very hopeful of the future as it relates to how technology can help us build a sustainable future

[Video footage]

Exhibition cutaways and interaction

[Video footage]

Interview with Amber Tan

[Dialogue: Amber Tan]

I realised that the future is a lot closer than we think it is. We are going to be the ones that are going to determine and bring the future, like make it a reality.

[Text displays]

Reality

[Video footage]

Interview with Koh Kong Meng

[Dialogue: Koh Kong Meng]

I'm a lot more optimistic today than I was even yesterday

[Video footage]

Children having fun at the exhibition area

[Dialogue: Koh Kong Meng]

Thinking about being sustainable and I think this is a wonderful thing.

[Video footage]

Young people shouting to the camera

[Dialogue: Koh Kong Meng]

Make the future Singapore!

[Text displays]

Make The Future

Singapore 2017

[Shell Pecten Logo]

[Text displays]

Get inspired to #makethefuture

#poweringprogress

[Audio]

Shell mnemonic