Renewable Energy Institute has the pleasure to announce that the Awards Committee of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) has awarded the 2017 ISES Global Leadership Award in Advancing Solar Energy Policy - in honor of Hermann Scheer to Renewable Energy Institute’s Director, Mika Ohbayashi. This award is presented biennially to a person who has made significant contributions to the advancement of solar energy policy. It will be presented on the occasion of the ISES Solar World Congress 2017 which will take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on 1 November 2017.　The Committee has chosen Mika Obayashi in recognition of her continuous commitments, both domestically and internationally, throughout her career to improve sustainable energy policies in society.
ISES Awards winners for 2017

Recipient’s Comment

It is a true surprise, and it really is an honor for me to be chosen for this award which bears the name of Dr. Hermann Scheer. I believe this award should go to all my friends who in the past 25 years have extensively put their efforts to deploy renewables in Japan, despite the various challenges and barriers that have stood in the way. I am only a small part of that attempt. More than 15 years ago, when I met Hermann, he had already predicted that the future will shift to 100% renewables. If I were in any way qualified to receive this award, I guess the bottom-line message for me is; try harder and keep moving forward in the quest for a 100% renewables future for Japan and Asia. Together with everyone, I will continue to put my heart in pursuit of a "Solar Century."

About the ISES Global Leadership Award in Advancing Solar Energy Policy

In recognition of the late Dr. Hermann Scheer (1944-2010), this award was introduced by ISES and presented for the first time in 2011 to pay tribute to the solar hero whose enormous contribution and vocal political commitment to solar energy was so effective in bringing about the significant growth of solar energy globally.

Past Recipients of the Award:

2015　　Prof. Shi Dinghuan
Former Energy Counselor to the State Council / Chairman of the Chinese Renewable Energy Society /
Former Secretary General of China's Ministry of Science & Technology
2013　　Michael Eckhart
Managing Director and Global Head of Environmental Finance and Sustainability, Citigroup /
Founding President, The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) until 2011
2011　　Dr. Wolfgang Palz
Chairman of the World Council Renewable Energy

Award Ceremony

Date:　　01 November 2017
Place: 　 Jumeriah Hotel at Etihad Towers (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
* On the occasion of the ISES Solar World Congress 2017

Profile

Mika Ohbayashi Director, Renewable Energy Institute Mika Ohbayashi is a founding member and Director at Renewable Energy Institute since August 2011. Before joining the Institute, Ohbayashi worked for International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi as Policy and Project Regional Manager for Asia Oceania. She served as Deputy Director at Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies for 8 years since its establishment in 2000. She also worked for UKFCO at the British Embassy to Japan, as Advisor for Climate Change Projects and Policies before joining IRENA, and started her carrier in the energy field by joining Citizens' Nuclear Information Center in 1992. She coordinates many scientific study projects, takes leadership to team up various networks including national parliamentarians and local authorities, domestically and internationally to improve sustainable energy society.

Contact:

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