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Eco Friendly Vehicle

MEMI aims to reach 10% electric car usage before 2035

15 August 2019

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Brunei Darussalam

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The Ministry of Energy, Manpower and Industry (MEMI) wants to be more aggressive in promoting electric vehicles in Brunei, aiming to reach a target of 10 percent before 2035.

The urgency to reduce greenhouse gases — as part of the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement — is moving the issue forward, said MEMI Permanent Secretary (Energy) Hj Azhar Hj Yahya.

On the sidelines of a recent youth dialogue on climate change, the senior official said the government is still in the policy planning stage with regards to introducing electric vehicles to the country.

“Many countries have already pushed for this… However, for Brunei to execute this, we have to look at factors like infrastructure, where to install the charging points, the tax system and what type of [electric vehicles] we want to bring in,” he told The Scoop.

“Reaching 10 percent electric vehicles by 2035 is not aggressive enough, because that is still a long way to go. We want to have a more aggressive target, like reaching that 10 per cent by 2030 or maybe even earlier.”

Accessibility and affordability of electric cars will be key factors, he said, adding that it will be difficult to convince Bruneian drivers to get on board.

“Fuel is still relatively cheap in Brunei, which means there need to be other factors to entice drivers in converting to electric vehicles.”

Earlier this year, the government announced it would begin a pilot project to bring in electric vehicles, with fuel economy regulations expected to be introduced in 2023.

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications, Hj Mohd Nazri Hj Mohd Yusof, said there will need to be public awareness campaigns to convince drivers to make the switch.

“Like it or not electric vehicles are coming. European car manufacturers are already making more of these than of normal cars.”

Recent statistics from the Land Transport Department recorded 282,345 vehicles on the road, 99 per cent of which used petrol and diesel fuel.

Approximately 1,960 hybrid and fuel-efficient cars have been registered in Brunei since 2012 — less than one percent of all vehicles on the road — but their impact has been able to save the government $1.4 million in fuel subsidies.

The transport sector accounts for approximately 12 percent of emissions in Brunei.

Under the Paris Agreement, the government has committed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from morning peak hour traffic by 40 percent over the next 15 years.

According to a study done by Universiti Brunei Darussalam in 2011, Brunei has the highest per capita CO2 emissions in ASEAN, increasing at a rate of two percent per year.

Renewables

US invests in Thai solar energy project

15 August 2019

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Thailand

The United States has funded a Thai energy developer for its feasibility study of a solar power project in Thailand as part of its Indo-Pacific commitment.

Thomas Hardy, director of the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), said yesterday’s grant signing ceremony marked an important milestone in the USTDA’s role in Thailand.

“It is a manifestation of the Indo-Pacific vision laid out by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last year. It is our commitment to investing in visionary companies looking to transform the energy sector,” he said at the event at the GPF building.

Mr Hardy said the US’s investment is furthering the Asia aid initiative in bringing reliable renewable energy with zero-carbon emissions to Thailand.

“It [the grant] focuses on an analysis of how to implement the solar power project in peak and off-peak [electricity] hours. It also involves regulatory issues in new technology and financing options,” he said.

According to Mr Hardy, the US Secretary of State outlined the Indo-Pacific Strategy based on three pillars, including the Asia aid initiative for the energy sector, the Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership (DCCP), and infrastructure development in areas that can drive the economy.

Visait Hansaward, the managing director of Blue Solar Co Ltd, said the transition from fossil fuel to renewable power energy will help mitigate the impact of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“However, renewable energy is naturally unreliable. It is not ready to be a mainstream energy source. Fortunately, our company won the government’s energy auction in 2017 and the right to develop the first utility-scale solar plus energy storage project,” he said.

Mr Visait thanked the USTDA’s grant of US$553,000 (17 million baht) for the feasibility study of the solar energy storage system in Suphan Buri province.

“To solve the unreliability of solar energy, we will design the system that will supply power to the grid with energy storage. Located 10 kilometres from the city, the site will be a learning centre for renewable energy, organic farms, and green tourist destinations,” he said.

Mr Visait said the solar power plant will begin commercial operations by the end of 2021.

“As it is a new technology in Thailand, we have to ensure technical stability and financial returns,” he said.

Meanwhile, Suwat Kamolpanus, the renewable energy committee chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), hailed the solar energy project as a sustainable solution to the renewable energy problem.

“It is the first of its kind that combines solar power with long-lasting battery storage. The problem of the solar energy market is unbalanced supply and demand. For example, solar panels generate a lot of power at midday, but peak electricity demand rises in the evening. The energy storage will be the final jigsaw piece,” he said.

The solar power project will reduce overall energy costs, carbon emissions, and open up opportunities for 100% use of renewable energy, he added.

Renewables

Aquavoltaics in the Philippines

14 August 2019

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Philippines

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is seeking to support the seaweed industry on the Philippine island of Tawi-Tawi, located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), at the southernmost frontier of the country.

In this regard, the organization is bringing more electricity to one of the least electrified areas of the archipelago, with solar-plus-storage chosen as the cheapest and most efficient source. UNIDO has now kicked off a tender through an EU funded project named Renewable Energy Technology to Increase Value Added of Seaweeds in Tawi-Tawi (RETS).

The international organization is seeking solar PV and storage to operate as a hybrid system with diesel generators for additional power supply in the island municipalities of Sitangkai and Sibutu, where many seaweed farms are located. Interested developers have until September 9 to submit bids.

Thy hybrid systems will be owned and operated by local utility Tawi-Tawi Electric Cooperative, Inc. in fulfilment of its mandated obligation to provide total electrification in its area of operations, according to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA). Currently, only around 30% of the island’s households have access to electricity. The island is the largest seaweed supplier in the Philippines, accounting for 70% of total production.

Mutual benefits

According to the study Aquavoltaics: Synergies for Dual Use of Water Area for Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Generation and Aquaculture, published in 2017 in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, there is a wide range of potential benefits to combining the two technologies. “While reservoirs benefit greatly from water conservation, implementing an aquaculture system in a reservoir is an attractive prospect for efficient land use”, they stated.

Another benefit is a more controlled aquatic environment. The scientists claim that, by monitoring growth factors such as nutrients, temperature, pH, salinity, turbidity and photoperiod, the aquaculture can have ideal growth conditions for particular aquatic organisms for various locations be they warm or cool water cultures. “PV-powered water pumping systems could also be employed to manipulate oxygenation zones, which form at different levels in bodies of water,” the report notes.

Furthermore, the combination of PV and aquaculture is said to be good for ecosystem restoration. As energy demand is a barrier for growth of the industry, farmers tend to concentrate in the same areas, which has a negative impact on production and quality, as well as on the surrounding aquatic ecosystem. “If the energy requirements are met or exceeded with solar technology, which has the potential to leave the grid, then it allows commercial-scale aquaculture farms to be built anywhere there is sufficient sunlight,” the experts also affirmed. According to them, the habitat created by these dual use systems would even encourage the reemergence of endangered species.

“One of the largest unknowns is the interaction of floating PV with aquatic organisms and the potential for biofouling to occur,” they concluded.

Oil & Gas

DOE opens applications for its first nominated petroleum blocks

14 August 2019

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Philippines

TAGUIG CITY, Aug. 14 — The Department of Energy (DOE) shall be conducting the opening of applications for nominated areas under the Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program (PCECP) on August 16 (Sulu Sea Basin), 19 (Northwest Palawan Basin), and 20 (Southeast Luzon Basin) at the agency’s headquarters.

Each of the three nominating companies has complied with area clearance and nomination requirements prescribed under Department Circular (DC) No. 2017-12-0017 on the PCECP Circular and Guidelines.

Challengers have until 11 am on each day to submit their application requirements before bids are opened at 1:30 pm.

The DOE has setup a one-stop-shop at the venue to accommodate any last-minute submissions from challengers until the prescribed deadline.

Members of the Centralized Review and Evaluation Committee (C-REC) will be spearheading the bid opening activity to run the “completeness check” for each submitted PROPOSAL. The lack of any documentary requisite in the PCECP Guidelines and Application Checklist, which includes legal, technical and financial qualification documents, will warrant an automatic disqualification.

On the other hand, qualified applications shall be subjected to further exhaustive evaluations from the C-REC, before the endorsement of the highest-ranked application to the Secretary. This would then be followed by the signing of a corresponding Service Contract by the President.

The DOE is pushing to reinvigorate petroleum exploration and development activities in the country to serve as a cushioning measure against the volatility of oil prices, which has a direct impact on the costs of transport and power. One successful case is the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power Project, the largest natural gas industrial project in the Philippines, which recovered all costs in four years.

Thus, the Department is committed to ‘Explore, Explore, Explore’ in its pursuit of energy independence, security, and sustainability through the effective and reasonable development of all indigenous energy resources in the Philippines. (DOE)

Others

Singapore energy startup Electrify to raise $5m in series A funding

14 August 2019

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Singapore

The funds will be used for tech development, strategic hires to enhance Electrify’s AI and blockchain capabilities, and regional expansion plans.

Electrify said it is currently in talks with potential investors in Asia Pacific.

The company currently provides intelligent price comparison tools to help customers find the most suitable plans for their needs. It claims to have transacted more than 60 GWh of electricity for commercial and industrial customers in Singapore since 2017, with about 500 companies saving a total of S$1.5 million.

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As countries around Asia start to deregulate their energy markets, Electrify said it sees Singapore as a test bed for its blockchain and peer-to-peer model.

The company’s peer-to-peer energy trading platform, Synergy, is set for a commercial trial in the country in late 2019. Electrify said it is currently exploring collaboration opportunities with established energy players and regional utilities to bring the technology into markets like Japan, Thailand, and Australia.

“We’ve seen keen interest among companies and consumers in Singapore for renewable energy. This has led to the growing proliferation of solar rooftop installations, a trend that we’re expecting to grow by addressing a largely unmet demand for renewable energy,” said Martin Lim, CEO and co-founder of Electrify.

According to statistics from Asian Development Bank, global power demand will soar by 58% in 20 years. Asia’s annual energy expenditure alone will increase from US$700 billion to US$1.6 trillion by 2035.

Electricity/Power Grid

Nationwide power production declines in August

14 August 2019

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Myanmar

During this month, the country’s total power production has reached over 2,900 MW, according to the figures from the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.

On July 8, the maximum power production hit 3,178 MW. On August 2, the maximum power production amounted to 2,913.8 MW. The power production declined by over 264.2 MW.

Yangon consumes over 1,131 MW, accounting for 39 per cent of the nationwide power consumption. Mandalay consumes 525 MW or 18 per cent of the total power, the Nay Pyi Taw Council Area, over 123 MW or over four per cent and other regions and states, 1,149 MW or over 39 per cent.

The power production declined by over 250 MW when the highest power production rates from early January and early May, were compared, according to the figures from the Ministry of Electricity and Energy.

Currently, Myanmar can produce about 3,800 MW. Plan is underway to produce additional 3,000 MW in the next three years, said Win Khaing, Union Minister for Electricity and Energy.

The country’s annual power demand has increased around 19 per cent every year. Now the country needs 300 to 500 MW a year. The ministry can fully satisfy the power demand in time through the long-and short-term plans, the minister added.

Under the National Electricity Plan (NEP), Myanmar has set a goal of ensuring the nationwide power access by 2030.

Renewables

Renewable energy plants development remains sluggish: Kalla

14 August 2019

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Indonesia

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia has a sluggish development of renewable energy power plants, which is necessary to fulfill the stockpiles of its national electricity, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Tuesday.

“This condition must collectively be responded to,” he told attendees at Indonesia’s 7th International Geothermal Convention and Exhibition 2019 here Tuesday. Kalla encouraged the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister and his deputy to sit together with those from the state-owned electricity firm PT PLN (Persero) and business associations to find solutions to this problem.

Some legal issues need to be clarified to ease the fears of individuals involved in the construction of power infrastructure and the execution of policies, he said.

Fear of legal issues often arising from corruption cases worries those attempting to meet the nation’s electricity demands and infrastructure development projects, Kalla said while quoting the example of several members of PLN’s board of directors who had been jailed.

Once the legal implications are clarified, the state officials and those from the private sector would not be in two minds while executing energy-related policies, he said.

The performance of the PLN and its private partners in the completion of electricity infrastructure projects to meet the people’s rising demands has seen an improvement every year, Kalla said.

Regarding PLN’s infrastructure capability, House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon called for revamping the state-owned electricity firm to prevent a recurrence of the major blackout August 4 which affected certain parts of Java Island, including Jakarta.

“The major blackout that occurred August 4 is being called ‘blackout 4.0’,” Fadli Zon noted in a statement on the power outage.

This so-called “blackout 4.0” proved that PLN’s digital and other infrastructure is so fragile that it could be paralyzed easily, Zon who is also the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party’s deputy chairman, stated.

The blackout that hit the regions of Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, and East Java was nothing short of nightmarish for scores of Indonesians and foreign travelers.

On that Sunday, the power outage disrupted the Indonesian capital city’s commuter line and MRT services, massively hindering the people’s mobility.

It also affected the business activities of several small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that did not possess backup generators.

PT PLN (Persero) extended its apology and claimed that it was caused by the tripping of the Suralaya Turbine Gas from numbers 1 to 6, while its turbine gas number 7 was off.

Simultaneously, the Cilegon Gas Turbine Combined-Cycle (GTCC) Power Plant also tripped. As a result, residents living in Jakarta’s greater areas were hit.

The blackout also hit those residing in West Java Province’s areas due to troubles experienced in the 500 kV Ultrahigh Voltage Transmission. The affected areas comprised Bandung, Bekasi, Cianjur, Cimahi, Cirebon, Garut, Karawang, Purwakarta, Majalaya, Sumedang, Tasikmalaya, Depok, Gunung Putri, Sukabumi, and Bogor.

Eco Friendly Vehicle

Meralco prepares to showcase vehicle-to-grid project

13 August 2019

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Philippines

MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco) expects to complete “soon” a study that will prove whether electric vehicles (EVs) can help power the grid and help ease energy demand during times when supply is deficient.

“It will happen soon,” said Anthony Agoncillo, Meralco’s EV charging station product manager, when asked about the status of the utility’s vehicle-to-grid project.

“It’s still in the test case,” he said, referring to the partnership with Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. “They’re our partners. They’re the vehicle providers for that test.”

He said test would try to prove whether the vehicle-to-grid concept is feasible, and how it would affect the power distribution utility in terms of power quality, changes in frequencies, and how safely it can be integrated into system

“We saw that one of their units, Outlander model 2019, worked for vehicle-to-grid technology. So, yes, there’s a breakthrough in terms of us proving that it can power a small room in the house,” he said.

Mr. Agoncillo said it would be far-off to consider the project as helping to ease power demand similar to Meralco’s interruptible load program in which it enlist entities with their own power generators to run their systems when the grid’s reserve power reaches critical levels.

He said globally, similar studies are also conducted to answer whether power from vehicles or from utility-scale batteries can help energize the grid, or the interconnected network of power transmission lines and substations.

“But as of now, what we can only say is what we’ve tested and what we’ve seen from Meralco [is] Mistubishi Outlander powering a small room in the Meralco power lab using a V2G (vehicle-to-grid) charging pod. So it’s not only about the vehicle itself. There’s also a necessity to put up a charging facility, a charging pod, that can draw the energy from the battery,” he said.

He said the company has yet to demonstrate the project’s viability to the Department of Energy, although the agency is aware of Meralco’s EV power lab and the vehicle-to-grid project.

“For us, again we’re really doing this mostly to be able to test EV technologies,” he said. “We’re looked at as the expert not only in electricity but also in innovations related to electricity,” he said.

“So again, these technologies like vehicle-to-grid, even the vehicle itself, the chargers, AC charging, DC fast chargers, we really try to understand what it will do because we also need to understand what will be the impact to the grid afterwards,” he added. — Victor V. Saulon

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