Dr. Deepak L. Waikar, Founder and Managing Partner of EduEnergy Singapore, has been involved in education, training, research, and management fields for more than three decades. He started his professional career as an Assistant Director at the National Power Engineers Training Institute in India after his post-graduation from the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University in India. He has been associated with the premier institutions, polytechnics, colleges, and academies in India and Singapore as well as with British and Australian Universities offering courses in Singapore. He has authored/co-authored books, book chapters, research articles, and policy papers on power, energy, management, sustainable development, leadership, and education-related topics. He has served on various committees in professional bodies such as Chair of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE), Power & Energy Society (PES) Chapter, Singapore, and Chair of the IEEE Education Society Chapter Singapore. He is a recipient of the IEEE-PES Outstanding Power Engineers' Award 2003 and SP Green Buddy Award 2004. Dr. Waikar has been associated with Singapore Certified Energy Manager’s programme for more than a decade. He has also been an advisory committee member of the Indo-Universal Centre for Engineering Education (IUCEE). He has served as Editors and Reviewers for the conferences and journals. He has also been invited as an external examiner for assessing Master and Doctoral Thesis. He has delivered hundreds of invited keynotes, plenary, panel session presentations on power, sustainable and clean energy, education, management, sustainable development, and leadership related topics at the international conferences, seminars and forums in North & South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. He has also been invited to give captivating & impactful inaugural, valedictory, and guest speeches for conferences, seminars, graduation ceremonies, and similar events of colleges, institutions, and universities. He founded EduEnergy, Singapore in January 2014 for providing a range of advisory, training, coaching, mentoring, and consultancy services for colleges, institutes, organisations, and individuals. Dr. Waikar has conducted hundreds of students, faculty, and management development programmes (Face-to-face, Online, & Hybrid Modes) on various topics such as Sustainable & Clean Energy, Synergising Problem & Project Based Learning & Design Thinking for Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, Nurturing Resilient Researcher-pro Mindset in Self, Transition to Net Zero, Strategies for Infusing Blended Learning, Designing Smart Career Portfolio, Trainopreneurship, and Transforming Higher Education. Dr. Waikar has coached and mentored hundreds of students & faculty members on career profiling & planning. He has voluntarily conducted several guest lectures for rural schools and colleges. He is a Senior Member of IEEE USA, a Life Member of the Institution of Engineers, India, and a Mentor for Teaching & Education Research Association (TERA) Fellowship Program with Ph.D. from the National University of Singapore, M.S. from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, M.Tech. from the Banaras Hindu University, India, and PD Certificate in University Teaching from the University of Newcastle, Australia. He obtained PG-DBM and B.E. degrees from the Nagpur University, and the Government Engineering College Aurangabad in India, respectively. His research interests include Sustainable Energy Development, Reinventing & Transforming Tertiary Education, & Smart Education.

 

The United Nations has reported setbacks for the various targets pledged to reduce emissions, globally. As such Net-Zero Emissions have also been promised by many nations but they are predominantly beyond the year 2050. Meanwhile, the energy demand and greenhouse gases are projected to rise. Energy prices and inflation have also been rising due to the actions of suppliers, supply disruptions, and global conflicts. The dominance of fossilized energy continues in tandem with supply-side constraints. Nuclear energy and green hydrogen technologies are being revived in view of almost negligible greenhouse gas emissions and energy security issues. As a result, the focus is shifting to sustainable & clean energy technologies in the entire Energy Supply Chain. However, they are constrained by low reliability, storage, higher cost, and transfer of technology hurdles. The International Energy Management (EnMs) Standard ISO 50001 series has been in practice since 2011 and their penetration is, albeit, at a snail’s pace. Sustainable investment and funding are crucial for the rapid transition to a low carbon economy and Net Zero Emissions. Research institutions and industries have to play a pivotal role in the deployment of Smart grids, microgrids, smart meters, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital twins in sustainable & clean energy sector. What innovative technologies, policies, and practices in sustainable & clean energy can, therefore, be pragmatically adopted for Net-Zero Vision is the theme of this keynote.