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Fifth Asian Geothermal Symposium
-Exploration
and Exploitation of Geothermal Resources as Dispersive-type Energy-
Preliminary Report of the Symposium
to Japanese
Version
The Fifth Asian
Geothermal Symposium was held in the Legend Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
during March 25-26, 2003 and it was followed by the field excursion to
Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia during March 27-28, 2003. As had been speculated,
air bombing to Iraq was initiated by the US and British Allied Forces at
AM 11:30 (Japan time), March20, 2003 and then many Japanese organizations
suspeneded employees to visit oversea areas. Five Japanese particpants
had suddenly and unintentionally to cancel to attend this Symposium at March
20 evening. However, some members of the Secretariat have already been
to Malaysia, and the procedure for cancellation was slightly confused.
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Photo-1 Beautiful configuration of Kuala Lumpur City (March 25).
There occured such a
happening, but the Symposium itself was really successful under the beautiful
circumstances in Kuala Lumpur City of which security seemed probably better
than major cities in Japan. The Asian Geothermal Symposium had been sponsored
by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
from the First to Fourth events. The Fifth event was sponsored by the
Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment (GREEN), the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science
and Technology (AIST).
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Photo-2 Opening
speech by Ms. Noriah Ahmad, Undersecretary
of Ministry of Energy, Communications and Multimedia (March 25). Center: Dr. Hassan Ibrahim (Director of MEC) and right:
Dr. Tetsuro Noda (Director of GREEN).
Malaysia Energy Centre (MEC), Ministry of Energy,
Communications and Multimedia kindly took a load of the role of the host
organization for this Symposium. A message from Minister Datuk Amar Leo Moggie was read by Ms. Noriah Ahmad, Undersecretary of Ministry of Energy, Communications
and Multimedia in the opening
celemony. This tells us
enthusiastic wishes of Malaysia for the Symposium.
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Photo-3
Dr. Tetsuro Noda, Director of GREEN, has struck the gong for kick-off
of the Symposium (March 25).
According
to the custom of Malaysia, the Symposium was opened by three times striking
the gong. Malaysian host has requested Dr. Tetsuro Noda, Director of
GREEN, to play this role. GREEN, AIST, invited five invitees from Malaysia,
and one each invitee from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, the Philippines,
Thailand and Vietnam. Thus, 13 invitees from East and Southeast Asia
presented updated information on geothermal research and development
on each country. Asian geothermal development used to be represented
by the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan. However, this Symposium clarified
that other countries were making various efforts in this field. For example,
Korea won the relatively large budget for geothermal explorations that
were informed by Dr. Yoonho Song, Leader of this project in KIGAM. India
has already started geothermal explorations in many fields that were
informed by Dr. P.C. Mandal, Director of the Geological Survey of India.
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Photo-4 Prof. Keyang Zheng explained a famous
map of hot spring distribution in China.
It is stimulating
us that China is also accelerating geothermal development since the
former General Secretary, Jiang Zemin, visited Iceland in the year 2002.
In addition, we could have heard explanation on the famous map of hot
spring distribution in China (scale 1: 6,000,000; Huang et al., 1993)
from one of the co-authors, Prof. Keyang Zheng. Many presentations from Japan contained plenty
of fundamental knowledges on geothermal developments, considering that
most of MEC participants are experts for energy but not for geothermal
energy. MEC has already conducted the policy for expanding of renewable
energy, but has mainly been concerned with biomass and solar photovoltaic
energy. Their costs are still expensive in Malaysia. Through this Symposium,
MEC participants realized that there still remained another option: geothermal
energy that exists in Malaysia and will be involved in their policy. This
could be the largest harvest in this Symposium.
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Photo-5 Group
photograph at Apas-4 hot spring, north of Tawau City.
Excursion to Sabah from
Kuala Lumpur requires a passport check and was almost a feeling to go
to another country. Beacuse of the long way, only short time was allowed
to observe geothermal field itself. This was a point on reflection. However,
Dr. Hassan Ibrahim, a policy maker, attended the excursion and has inspected
a potential geothermal field in Malaysia. The excursion played an important
role. In conclusion, this Symposium was totally successful for assembling
an Asian geothermal family.
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April 11, 2003
Hirofumi
Muraoka
Last Update: April
11, 2003
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