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Clean technology Learning Series 2020

Berytech gathered key experts alongside successful entrepreneurs in recurring weekly webinars to discuss the challenges in the Cleantech sector and how to innovate solutions.

The Learning Series in Brief

Our country has suffered during the last decade from high deterioration in the infrastructure and hygiene sectors in addition to the high cost of operating and consuming energy and water.

The aim today is to create a community of entrepreneurs and an orbit of experts and supporters, leading to the creation of startups that would serve the local, regional and international needs.

The educational series is showcasing a number of key experts alongside successful entrepreneurs in each of the following sectors, in recurring weekly webinars.

The Cleantech Learning Series is organized by Berytech under the Cleanergy Program, co-funded by The Kingdom of the Netherlands.

solid waste management

water & wastewater management

Renewable energy

Cleantech Learning Series - Webinar 1 Summary

Ziad Abi Chaker, CEO at Cedar Environmental L.L.C, intervened as a guest speaker and entrepreneur in the Waste Management session, talking about the role of the private sector and entrepreneurs after the coronavirus pandemic in developing a roadmap to avoid another health crisis.

During the second session on Water and Wastewater management, Salah Saliba, Private Sector Engagement Team Lead on the USAID-funded Lebanon Water Project (LWP) at DAI, shared the business opportunities to attract the participation of the private sector in water sector performance improvement. He was joined by Marc Aoun, founder and CEO of CubeX SAL, a home scale wastewater and solid waste treatment system, who shared his entrepreneurial journey as a startup in the water sector.

The last session of the webinar tackled Renewable Energy. Hassan Hrajli, Project Manager of the UNDP-CEDRO project, talked about expending localized energy opportunities – disconnect to connect. He was joined by Antoine Skeyem, CEO at FREE energy, a firm specialized in customizing renewable and energy efficiency solutions.

Cleantech Learning Series - Webinar 2 Summary

Dr. Dominique Salameh, Head of Continuous Learning and Training Department and Doctoral Programs at the Faculty of Sciences of Saint Joseph University, intervened as a guest speaker in the Waste Management session, talking about opportunities and challenges in satisfying industrial value chain gaps through entrepreneurship and niche sectors strategies. He was joined by Khoder Eid, founder of Green Track, who discussed sorting at source as a duty and a right that should be affordable to all.

During the second session on Water and Wastewater management, Hussam Hawwa, founder and CEO of Difaf, spoke about considering circular economy principles for wastewater treatment and reuse potential in Lebanon. He was joined by Jules Hatem, founder and Managing Director of Triple E, who focused on the decentralized innovative solutions for wastewater treatment in Lebanon.

The last session of the webinar tackled Renewable Energy. Jessica Obeid, Energy Consultant and Academy Associate at Chatham House, talked about cleantech in economic activities. She was joined by Jad Bsaibes, Co-founder of Green Power Generation, an energy service company with the aim to help clients reduce their yearly energy consumption by 50% and more.

Cleantech Learning Series - Webinar 3 Summary

Shada El-Sharif, Advisor and Consultant in Sustainability & Climate Change, intervened as a guest speaker in the Waste Management session, and gave a perspective from Jordan about the Challenges & Opportunities for the Private Sector in Waste Management. She was joined by Georges Bitar, founder of Live Love Recycle, a recycling platform connecting the citizens of Beirut with recycling facilities.

During the second session on Water and Wastewater management, Dr. Nadim Farajalla, Director of the Climate Change and the Environment Program at the American University of Beirut’s Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, spoke about Water, Energy, and Food Interlinkages. He was joined by Baker Bozeyeh, Founder of FlowLess Smart Water Solutions, a smart system detecting leakage in water networks and provide monitoring, interpretation, reporting of the network status in addition to the ability to forecast future incidents.

The last session of the webinar tackled Renewable Energy. Walid El Baba, MD of WEBCO and President of the Lebanese Solar Energy Society Board, talked about RE&EE as an Integral Part of an Energy Mitigation Strategy. He was joined by Ryme Asaad, co-founder and managing Director at Rise2030, MyioLab and Kapstone Co.

Cleantech Learning Series - Webinar 4 Summary

Ronald Richa, Industrial Business Development Director at Veolia Middle East, intervened as a guest speaker in the Waste Management session, joined by Field Expert Mario Goraieb, Environment Program Manager at Arcenciel, and talked about the Challenges & Waste Management Challenges in the Oil & Gas Sector: overview of the streams and challenges to be addressed.

During the second session on Water and Wastewater Management, Ghassan LeGrand, Managing Director of Veolia Water Technologies Oil and Gas Business Unit for the Middle East Region, introduced water in the oil & gas industry. He was joined by Pierre Elzouki, Chairman Aquatersus Water Regeneration systems, a Swedish company providing lasting onsite products and solutions for biological treatment of wastewater and polluted water.

The last session of the webinar tackled Renewable Energy. Salah Tabbara, Co-founder of the Naseem Akkar Wind Farms project. He talked about Rising Above Challenges: Lebanon 1st Wind Energy Projects. He was joined by Menna Sabry, Managing Director at Cleantech Arabia.

Cleantech Learning Series - Webinar 5 Summary

In the fifth webinar of the Cleantech Learning Series, Berytech hosted two experts from the Nature Conservation Center – American University of Beirut: Dr. Najat Saliba – Director and Anwar Al Shami – Lead Environmental Engineer.

They discussed Research, Innovation and the role of The Nature Conservation Center at AUB for an enabling environment.

They also talked about solid waste management and the response of the Center to the crisis.

Cleantech Learning Series - Webinar 6 Summary

In the sixth Webinar of the Cleantech Learning Series, guest experts Aya Issa – Group Projects Coordinator at IPT, and Rani Al Achkar – Director, Engineering and Planning at the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC), discussed the opportunities and challenges in the energy and transportation sectors.

Cleantech Learning Series - Webinar 7 Summary

In the seventh Webinar of the Cleantech Learning Series, Berytech hosts guest experts Nassim Abou-Hamad -Head of Water Governance and Basin Management Department at Litani River Authority (LRA), and Sara Dia, Water Innovation Lab Program Coordinator at Waterlution, who discussed challenges and opportunities in the water sector in Lebanon.

Cleantech Learning Series - Webinar 8 Summary

In the eighth webinar of the Cleantech Learning Series, guest experts Bassel Aoun – Project Manager at Kafalat iSME Programme, Nicolas Rouhana – General Manager at IM Capital, and Selim Chami – VIRIDIS Manager at Fondation Diane discussed the Role of Financing Entities for an Inclusive Ecosystem.

Cleantech Learning Series - Webinar 9 Summary

In the last webinar of the Cleantech Learning Series, the Berytech team represented by Ramy Boujawdeh – Deputy GM, Elias Nicolas – Cleantech Specialist, and Hania Chahal – Marketing Economist, presented 20 different challenges identified by experts in the Cleantech sector and the opportunities to innovate behind these challenges, and learn more about the Cleanergy Accelerator.

Need more info?

If you have any questions about Berytech’s Cleantech Learning Series, please email us on cleanergy@berytech.org, and we will get back to you.