Photo 1. Delegates Group Photo of the 7th ASEAN+3 Clean Energy Roundtable Dialogue

The 7^th ASEAN+3 (China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea) Clean Energy Roundtable Dialogue (CERD) and its associated agenda were held on 6 – 8 November 2024, in Shanwei, Guangdong Province, China. This event was hosted by the National Energy Administration of P.R. China (NEA). The China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI), the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) and Shanwei Municipal People’s Government took the role of co-organisers for the 7^th ASEAN+3 CERD.

Photo 2. Dong Xiang, Deputy Director General, Department of International Cooperation, National Energy Administration of P.R. China (Co-chair)

Photo 3. Dr. Santisouk Phimphachanh, Acting Director General, Department of Energy Policy and Planning, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Lao PDR (Co-chair), delivering the opening remarks

Photo 4. Zheng Haitao, the Mayor of Shanwei Municipal People’s Government, Guangdong Province

Photo 5. Dr. Gu Hongbin, Deputy Director General, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI)

Photo 6. Dr. Jiang Hao, Chief Technical Expert, Director of International Cooperation Department, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI)

The roundtable dialogue was opened by the opening remarks from the Head of Delegates of China ─ Dong Xiao, Deputy Director General, Department of International Cooperation, National Energy Administration. Dong Xiao conveyed his warm welcome to the delegates from the ASEAN Member States as well as Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Dr. Santisouk Phimphachanh, Acting Director General, Department of Energy Policy and Planning, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Lao PDR, underscored the importance of the ASEAN+3 Clean Energy Roundtable Dialogue as a platform for learning and best practices exchanges in renewable energy between the regions.

Cordial welcoming and the critical role of the ASEAN+3 roundtable dialogue were also asserted in the opening remarks delivered by Zheng Haitao, the Mayor of Shanwei Municipal People’s Government, and Dr. Gu Hongbin, Deputy Director General, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI).

Photo 7. Zhang Muzi, Deputy Director, International Cooperation Department, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI)

Photo 8. Edwin Nugraha Putra, President Director of PLN Indonesia Power, delivering the keynote speeches

The agenda proceeded to the keynote speeches delivered by Zhang Muzi, Deputy Director, International Cooperation Department, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI), followed by Edwin Nugraha Putra, President Director of PLN Indonesia Power. Ms. Muzi in her speech presented the ‘Key Findings of ASEAN Cross-border Electricity Trade: Increasing Renewable Energy Integration’, in which ASEAN-China electricity trade cooperation can be leveraged to “improve the efficiency of regional cross-border electricity trade and thus promoting the achievement of greener, more reliable and efficient regional electricity supply”.

Separately, Mr. Edwin through his keynote speech titled ‘Empowering Indonesia’s Energy Transition: Global Collaboration for a Sustainable Future and ASEAN Cross-border Electricity Trade’, highlighted that having an interconnected grid within the ASEAN region will “offer reliable, robust, sustainable supply of green affordable energy in the region”.

Subsequently, the agenda moved to the first session on the Trends and Outlook of ASEAN Renewable Energy Development Through Cross-Border Electricity Trade Cooperation, moderated by Reza Edriawan, Associate Officer of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Department of ACE. The Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities/Authorities (HAPUA) Secretariat, represented by Indratno Pardiansyah, delivered a presentation on the ‘ASEAN Power Grid (APG) Current Situation and Outlook of Interconnectivity Planning’.

Photo 9. Dr. Su Bin, the Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Energy and Environment Division, Energy Studies Institute of the National University of Singapore

Photo 10. Reza Edriawan, Associate Officer of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Department of ACE

During this session, Dr. Su Bin, the Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Energy and Environment Division, Energy Studies Institute of the National University of Singapore, presented the research findings on the ‘Socio-Economic Benefits from Enhanced Energy Connectivity in ASEAN’. The two presentations provided complimentary roles, in which the HAPUA Secretariat’s presentation brought forth updates on the status of APG while the key findings from NUS highlighted the opportunities from grid interconnection for ASEAN.

Photo 11. Renante M. Sevilla, Director, Visayas Field Office, Department of Energy of the Philippines

Photo 12. The presentation of Agnes Koh, Assistant Director of External Relations Department, Energy Market Authority of Singapore

Photo 13. Li Yuan, Deputy Division Director, Department of International Cooperation, National Energy Administration of P.R. China

The meeting proceeded to the presentation sessions by the ASEAN Member States and China under the topic of Policies and Planning Related to ASEAN Regional Cross-border Electricity Trade. Serving as the moderator of this session was Akbar Dwi Wahyono, Research Analyst of the Power Department of ACE. On this occasion, the representatives of ASEAN Member States and China delivered insights on their respective status of cross-border power interconnection, with several presentations highlighting the critical roles of renewable energy in driving up cross-border electricity trade in the region.

The heart of the day’s agenda was the roundtable discussion session with the topic of The Role of ASEAN Regional Cross-Border Electricity Trade in Ramping Up Renewable Energy Share moderated by Monika Merdekawati, the Senior Research Analyst of the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Department of ACE. In the roundtable dialogue session, emphasis was placed on the critical function of the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) to facilitate renewable energy trade, thus assisting member states in meeting their energy needs and diversifying energy supply.

Photo 14. Thawng Zo Khai, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Electrical Power, Myanmar

Photo 15. Math Rofat, Deputy Director, Department of Technique and Energy Business Policy, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Cambodia

Photo 16. Surasit Tanthadiloke, Analyst, Energy Policy and Planning Office, Ministry of Energy, Thailand

Topics such as resource sharing in interconnection projects also emerged as a critical discussion point during the roundtable dialogue. The forum also served as a platform for ASEAN Member States to extract insights from China’s best practices in their large-scale renewable energy development.

The first day of the 7^th ASEAN+3 CERD proceeded to the key takeaways from Zhang Muzi of CREEI. Closing remarks by Dong Xiang of NEA and Dr. Santisouk Phimphachanh of the Ministry of Energy and Mines of Lao PDR as the co-chairs concluded the roundtable discussion. All in all, the roundtable dialogue successfully identified key cooperation areas between ASEAN Member States and China in tapping into cross-border interconnection to scale up renewable energy, for the two regions’ shared vision of promoting clean energy transition.