Photo 1. Group Photo of All Speakers 

On 25 November 2024, the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), supported by the Australian Government through Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I), hosted the second public webinar of the 8th ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO8). Following its launch at the 24th ASEAN Energy Business Forum (AEBF-24) on 27 September 2024 in Lao PDR and the first webinar on 28 October 2024, this time ACE gathered experts to discuss the importance of multilateral cooperation in implementing the policy recommendations from the AEO8. 

Photo 2. Amira Bilqis, Analyst of MPP at ACE as the MC, with Beni Suryadi, Acting Executive Director of ACE, delivering opening remarks. 

To open the webinar, Beni Suryadi Acting Executive Director of ACE delivered his welcoming remarks and greeted the participants. He mentioned the evolving energy landscape in ASEAN and the energy trilemma that the region is facing, emphasising building robust energy infrastructure for an ASEAN energy future that is resilient. The AEO8 plays an important role in shaping the energy landscape of ASEAN and promoting the need for regional and international collaborations to bring the recommendations to life. 

Photo 3. Quiz session with the participants. 

The participants were invited to test their prior knowledge on the topic of the ASEAN energy sector based on the AEO8 through a quiz session. Guided by the MC, more than a hundred attendees joined this session to answer four multichoice questions, including the scenarios, targets, and recommendations in the AEO8. There was a varying range of results that showed the public’s knowledge of the topic. Afterward, they were encouraged to be more curious and check the AEO8 Landing Page for more information. 

Photo 4. Rika Safrina, Team Lead of AEO8 and Senior Analyst at ACE, presenting at the Scene-Setting session. 

The opening remarks session was followed by a scene-setting presentation titled “Navigating Energy Transition in ASEAN” delivered by Rika Safrina, Team Lead of AEO8 and Senior Analyst of Energy Modelling and Policy Planning (MPP) at ACE. This session aimed to frame the scene by introducing the AEO8 and its key findings to the public as a foundation for the subsequent discussion. Rika emphasised the current landscape of growing ASEAN’s energy demand attributed to the 1.2 times increase of demography from 2005 to 2022, the projected 4% average GDP growth rate between 2023-2050, and the return of ASEAN energy demand growth level at 15.2% in 2022, as some of the key assumptions in projecting the energy landscape. Rika highlighted the policy recommendations on the demand and supply sides, as well as the necessary regional cooperation, including enhancing interconnectivity, developing supportive policies and investment incentives, and engaging with various stakeholders.  

Photo 5. Panel Session

The webinar session was continued with a panel session for an in-depth discussion on the ASEAN Plan of Action on Energy Cooperation (APAEC) targets overview based on scenarios on AEO8, the role of multilateral cooperation energy transition, to the opportunities and challenges in implementing new technologies. Nam Le, Energy Lead at P4I, was in charge of being the moderator for the panel discussion attended by distinguished experts as panellists including Aldilla Rakhiemah as Senior Analyst of ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project (ACCEPT) at ACE, Dr Tharinya Supasa as Project Lead of Southeast Asia Energy Policy at Agora Energiewende, and Emeritus Professor Kenneth Baldwin as Inaugural Director at the Australian National University (ANU)’s Energy Change Institute. From this session, the panellists agreed on the benefits of international cooperation as the region is moving forward with energy transition and the next phase of APAEC, whether it is as a knowledge-sharing opportunity, pushing for innovations and technology, or the bigger concern of fulfilling the growing energy demand through green energy. Active engagement from participants was also encouraged through the thought-provoking Question and Answer session. 

Photo 6. Dr Zulfikar Yurnaidi, Head of Energy Modelling and Policy Planning (MPP) in ACE, delivering closing remarks. 

The event was closed with closing remarks from Dr Zulfikar Yurnaidi, Head of MPP at ACE. He reiterated the highlights of the panel session and mentioned, “Robust international cooperation will play a critical role in overcoming financial, policy, and technical barriers to realise a resilient and sustainable energy future for the region.” He encouraged the participants to refer to the AEO8 report not only just as a document but also as a roadmap for shaping strategies that align with national priorities and regional ambitions. 

The AEO8 serves as a strategic guide, emphasising energy as a multisectoral issue that requires multifaceted approaches. By providing projections and analysis, the report acts as a reference for balancing rising energy consumption, driven by ASEAN’s economic growth, with sustainability goals.  

Please visit go.aseanenergy.org/AEO8 to access the full report, and ACE YouTube to watch the webinar’s recording.