ASEAN AT WORK: Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas sits as the Chair of the Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME)+3 (China, Japan and Korea). Usec. Posadas led the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) discussions on the various agenda under the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016-2025.
(Manila, Philippines). Senior Officials on Energy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continued on Tuesday (26 September) to thresh out cooperation activities on various agenda under the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016-2025.
“All the activities and discussions for the 35th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM35) are geared towards solidifying the cooperation activities programmed under the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC),” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.
“Ensuring the attainment of these agenda items will also advance the country’s objective in continuously hosting energy events in the region,” Cusi pointed out.
"The Philippines takes pride in hosting the ASEAN meeting as our thrust is to introduce innovations, emerging technologies, and resiliency strategies in the energy industry for the ASEAN," he said.
Sitting as Chair of the Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME)+3 (China, Japan and Korea) is Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Jesus Cristino P. Posadas. The meeting was Co-Chaired by Senior Official on Energy Leaders: Deputy Adviser Yang Yang (China), Director Masaomi Koyama (Japan) and Research Fellow Jin Ho Park (Republic of Korea).
According to Posadas, the SOME+3 is in preparation for the Senior Officials report to the ASEAN+3 Ministers, which will review and deliberate on the progress made in implementing the Work Programmes under the APAEC 2016-2025 (Phase 1: 2016-2020).
The Programme Areas of the APAEC 2016-2025 are as follows:
1. Clean Coal Technology: The strategy is to enhance the image of coal through promotion of Clean Coal Technologies. Activities laid out include public awareness, recognition of best practices, trade and investment, collaboration with global networks, policy research and build capacity through workshops, and yearly submission of ASEAN Coal Database and Information System (ACDIS).
2. Civilian Nuclear Energy: The strategy is to build capabilities in policy, technology and regulatory aspects of nuclear energy. There will also be capacity building through workshops and international nuclear experts groups collaboration (e.g., Japan Atomic Energy Agency and International Atomic Energy Agency), public understanding through public fora; and regional cooperation (e.g., ASEAN Nuclear Safety Network and ASEAN Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy).
3. Regional Energy Policy and Planning: The strategy is to better profile the ASEAN energy sector internationally. To attain this, ASEAN Member States (AMS) should endeavor better profile, data and analysis through publication of energy cooperation report, outlook and statistics, collaboration with development partners and international organizations through various energy dialogues; and resilience and emergency preparedness.
4. Renewable Energy (RE): AMS aims to increase the component of RE to 23% by 2025 in the ASEAN Energy Mix. In accomplishing the 23% target, this entails public awareness campaigns, recognition activities, dialogues, research and development network on technology, RE financing scheme and advancement of biofuels utilization. Based on 2015 data, the accomplishment of ASEAN stood at 13.6%.
5. Energy Efficiency and Conservation: In this agenda, the strategy is to reduce energy intensity by 20% in 2020, based on 2005 levels. This includes development of energy efficiency standards particularly on lighting products and cooling systems, private sector participation including energy service companies, green building, and energy efficiency financing schemes.
6. Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline (TAGP): The strategy under this agenda is to enhance connectivity for energy security and accessibility via pipelines and regasification terminals. Actions towards the attainment of this strategy are monitoring of progress, setting up of database system and consolidated information, conduct preliminary study on the commercial aspects of ASEAN liquefied natural gas, and options on the amendments to the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement (APSA).
7. ASEAN Power Grid (APG): Under this strategy, the current initiative is the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Interconnection Project (LTMS-PIP). On 27 September, the countries will sign the Electricity Purchase Wheeling Agreement (EWPA) at the Condrad Manila, Pasay City.
The SOME+3 Preparatory Meeting for the 14th AMEM+3 was attended by Senior Officials on Energy of the AMS and China, Japan and Korea, the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), the Secretaries-in-Charge of Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities/Authorities (HAPUA) and ASEAN Council on Petroleum (ASCOPE), lead coordinators for the Sub-Sector Networks, ASEAN’s development partners and international organizations.
In the afternoon, Senior Officials on Energy Leaders also convened for the East Asia Summit Energy Cooperation Task Force Preparatory (EAS-ECTF) Meeting for the 11th EAS Energy Ministers Meeting, which will be held on Thursday (28 September) at Conrad Manila, Philippines.
The EAS preparatory meeting outlined the mid-term roadmap, energy efficiency goals and action plans, Southeast Asia small-scale hydro opportunities assessment, assessment of necessary innovations for sustainable use of conventional and new-type geothermal resources and the continuation of the operation of the biofuels database.
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