The Chevron Case Challenge required students to research into various alternative energy sources and uses to better understand the energy issues that Singapore faces

Following an intense month of applying their clean technology knowledge and energy policy planning skills, Team Valglobe, comprising Zhang Chi, Chia Jun Yong and Liang Li Fei from National University of Singapore, defeated close to 100 other teams with the 20-year energy plan they devised for fictitious city, Energyville, in the Chevron Case Challenge (CCC).

CCC is organised by Energy Carta, in conjunction with the Asian Youth Energy Summit (AYES) 2009, an affiliated event of the Singapore International Energy Week 2009. While the AYES is in its second-year running, the CCC was conceptualized this year as Energy Carta identified a greater need to encourage students to fully understand and appreciate the real issues facing the energy industry and the country. One of the main goals of CCC is to dispel the notion that the energy industry is only open to engineers and scientists, and to emphasize that there are many ways in which students from different fields can get involved.

The teams participating in CCC were tasked to develop a 20-year sustainable energy plan for a fictitious city, Energyville, and this involved the students understanding the various uses of energy in the city and delving into the costs and benefits of various alternative energy sources at hand. Only five teams eventually made it through to the finals to present their 20-year energy plan for Singapore, where they had 10 minutes to impress a highly qualified judging panel comprising Ms Lorrain Chong, Regional Manager for Chevron Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Asia Pacific, Professor Robert K. Fleming, Adjunct Professor at NUS Business School and Mr Kris Childress, Consultant Advisor at the NUS Enterprise.

Ms Chong of Chevron commented on the entries for the challenge, "The Chevron Case Challenge was an opportunity to address a key issue that affects everyone globally. The high quality of the presentations and reports reaffirm my belief that the youth in Singapore have tremendous talent and the potential to bring about positive changes to the global energy landscape."

"The moment we read the case, we were hooked, as it was at a higher level than just looking at the actions and consequences of one company – we had to look at an entire city. We had always wanted to know more about the energy sector, and through our participation in the Chevron Case Challenge, it has sparked our interest in the field," said Zhang Chi, aged 24.

The competition, a first of its kind here, is a reflection of the emerging global ‘Cleantech’ or clean technology industry and the effort by the Singapore government to kick start the industry locally. The Singapore government recently earmarked S$700 million in five main areas: research and development, manpower capabilities, locally-based enterprises, an international industry brand, and a vibrant industry ecosystem.

Mr Bharath Seshadri, Director of AYES 2009, and committee member of Energy Carta, shared, "I am extremely heartened by the huge turnout. We were expecting participating teams to be from mainly the engineering or science faculties, but the strong showing of students from other faculties clearly reflects the growing interest among youths in Singapore in the energy sector. We are grateful to Chevron who has supported us in our quest to raise the profile of the energy sector among students."

What the Keynote Speakers said at AYES 2009

AYES is a youth conference that brings in guest speakers from across the energy industry to speak on today’s energy and sustainability issues. Youths get the opportunity to listen to and interact with the industry experts, ranging from policy-makers to entrepreneurs’ expert opinion. The theme for this year’s conference was "Opportunities, Solutions, and Policies for CleanTech in Asia Pacific," and it was the first time that the Chevron Case Challenge is incorporated as part of AYES.

Ms Lok Kheng Ling, Singapore Country Chair, Chevron, the opening keynote speaker, emphasised, "The global energy landscape is changing and it is at a unique point in its history where geopolitics; economics and global demand; population growth; and challenged resources have created a new energy equation. There is no single solution to meet the energy needs of the future – issues of dependency, reliability of supply, environmental footprint, conservation and cost apply to all fuels to some degree.  Solutions also need to be market-driven, technology-enabled and allowed time to advance."

The closing keynote summed up the two-day event by looking at the future of energy. "Our long-term energy challenges are real and complex, especially in the areas of security and sustainability for Singapore. I am glad that organisations such as Energy Carta are raising awareness of these energy issues and providing platforms for our youth to exchange views and discuss innovative ideas, not just to tackle our future challenges but also to capture the exciting range of new opportunities in energy," said Mr Lawrence Wong, Chief Executive, Energy Market Authority.

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For media enquiries, please contact the following:

Yet Feng MAK (Ms.)
Mobile: +65 9172 6223
Email: m.yetfeng@energycarta.org

Parita Mulani (Ms.)
Mobile: +65 9662 9056
Email: parita.mulani@ogilvy.com
 
ABOUT THE ASIAN YOUTH ENERGY SUMMIT (AYES) 2009

The Asian Youth Energy Summit (AYES) 2009 is a regional youth conference that seeks to highlight opportunities and challenges in sustainable energy related industries to students and young professionals from across Asia. The goal of the Summit is to illustrate the numerous opportunities available in sustainable development and to allow the audience to gain a broad understanding of the technologies, policies and business processes involved in shaping current and future sustainable energy landscapes. The theme of AYES 2009 is, "Opportunities, Solutions and Policies for CleanTech in Asia Pacific."

Sponsors and partner organisations of the Asian Energy Youth Summit (AYES) 2009 include Chevron, Building and Construction Authority, Economic Development Board, Energy Market Authority, National Environment Agency, Energy Studies Institute, and the NUS Enterprise.

We are also an affiliated event of the Singapore International Energy Week 2009.

The Asian Youth Energy Summit which is a 2-day conference to be held on the 17th and 18th of September 2009 at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House, the National University of Singapore, will consist of three main components:

Conference

Covering a wide range of topics from eco-cities to the rising green collar economy, the keynotes and panels would allow the participants to gain an understanding of the various issues through the experience of our knowledgeable speakers and panelists.

Chevron Case Challenge

The Chevron Case Challenge is a competition that aims to introduce tertiary students to the opportunities in the Clean Energy industry. Participating teams, comprising tertiary students, will be given the chance to analyse and solve a real-life clean energy industry related problem. Participants will also be invited to attend the Asian Youth Energy Summit 2009 (AYES2009) and interact with various industry stakeholders and professionals. The finalist teams will present their solutions on-stage during the AYES2009.

Career Fair

Companies and organizations will use this avenue to recruit talents among the top-notch tertiary students invited for the career fair. Participating organizations include government agencies, institutions, as well as established companies.

More information on the Asian Youth Energy Summit 2009 can be found at www.AYES2009.com.

ABOUT THE SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY WEEK

The annual Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) is a leading energy conference that provides a platform for policymakers, business leaders and academics to exchange ideas, strategies and best practices that will help shape global and industry energy agendas. Jointly organized by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and the Energy Studies Institute (ESI) from 16 to 20 November 2009, SIEW features a comprehensive schedule of clean energy-focused conferences, exhibitions and networking sessions from a diverse cross-section of energy industry leaders. More information about SIEW is available at http://singapore.iew.com.sg/.

ABOUT ENERGY CARTA

Energy Carta is a Singapore Registered non-profit organization (ROS Ref. No. 2081/2008) founded by NUS undergraduates from the NUS Overseas Colleges programme.  While on this year-long programme, they had interned with high-tech startups in leading entrepreneurial hubs in the United States, Sweden, China and India.

Energy Carta is also the Singapore affiliate of Energy Crossroads Global, a global movement that is driven by a passion for clean technology, sustainable development, and the environment.  Energy Crossroads has chapters in Stanford University – United States, Denmark and NUS – Singapore.  Energy Carta focuses on countries in the Asia and comprised university students with diverse talents from different countries and backgrounds.

As young leaders and stakeholders of tomorrow, they are dedicated to bringing in policy makers, investors, technologists and business experts to discuss challenges, share insights, create solutions, and nurture and educate a sustainable energy community in Asia.

More information on Energy Carta can be found at www.energycarta.org.