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  • Energy Economy

MIDA records potential green project investments of RM4.1b

30 November 2018

 – 

  • Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) has recorded 111 potential business projects worth RM4.1 billion from its recent participation in the ninth International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition and Conference Malaysia (IGEM 2018).

Chief Executive Officer Datuk Azman Mahmud said of the total, RM3.7 billion was in the services sector while the rest was in manufacturing projects.

“We are excited to share that from the total, MIDA has secured 18 projects with investments of RM557 million mainly in the areas of renewable energy from solar and biogas, energy efficiency, green building and green services,” he said in a statement today.

The RM4.1 billion in investment leads represented a drop from the RM5.19 million achieved at last year’s IGEM.

Azman said as the strategic partner of IGEM 2018, MIDA was involved in various programmes, including business consultations, four sessions of ‘Pocket Talks’, a forum on green financing, a financial industry dialogue and an energy efficiency townhall.

“IGEM is the biggest flagship event organised annually by the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC) to create a platform for solution providers and green energy businesses to tap into the fast-expanding ASEAN market by showcasing the latest innovations to policy makers, government organisations, investors and the mass market.

“MIDA will continue to collaborate with MESTECC to engage and participate in IGEM, as it is a good platform for MIDA to connect with our stakeholders towards encouraging more investments in green projects. This is in line with the green initiatives driven by MESTECC to meet Malaysia’s aspirations for sustainable growth,” he added.

  • Coal

Coal shortage could sap Vietnam’s energy

30 November 2018

 – 

  • Vietnam

A serious coal shortage is threatening Vietnam’s power production plans even as the nation’s demand for energy rises.

Le Duy Hanh, chairman of the Quang Ninh Thermal Power Company (TPC Quang Ninh), said they have shut down two out of four turbines since November 17 due to a lack of coal.

He told VnExpress that the state coal mining group Vinacomin has supplied 2.6 million tons of coal to his plant this year, but another 145,000-200,000 tons are needed to run all four turbines.

Hanh said the shutdown of two turbines has resulted in a loss of 10 million kilowatt hours per day, or VND13 billion ($555,685). This is the first time that the plant has not had enough coal for electricity production.

“We have reported this to Vietnam Electricty (EVN) and are working with Vinacomin to solve the problem. Vinacomin is also looking for other coal sources, but is yet to find any,” he said.

Vietnam only allows two major producers to supply coal to power plants: Vinacomin and the North-Eastern Company (NECO) under the Ministry of Defense. Currently, these producers are not providing enough coal for plants to operate.

Nguyen Thuong Quang, CEO of the Hai Phong Thermal Power Company (TPC Hai Phong), said that the two producers have only provided 2 million tons of coal to his plant so far this year, while the firm needs 3.4 million tons.

“The plant needs about 12,000 tons of coal per day, but the producers are sending only 2,000-3,000 tons,” Quang told local media, adding that his plant’s turbines might have to be shut down in the next four or five days should the current situation continue.

The Ninh Binh Thermal Power Company is facing the same problem. Its CEO Trinh Van Doan said that they were operating at 75 percent capacity.

The plant needs 300,000 tons of coal this year, and it has so far has received 260,000 tons. As its inventory is running low, Doan is concerned that the plant won’t have enough coal if it needs to operate full capacity.

National power utility EVN said in a recent statement that serious coal deprivation is happening at multiple plants in northern localities like Quang Ninh Province and Hai Phong City.

Vinacomin and NECO have promised to provide enough coal for plants this year, but the amount provided until this month is lower than actual consumption.

The power distributor has asked the government for permission to seek other sources of coal locally and to import from other countries.

‘Grave consequences’

For the 2017-2020 period, Vietnam needs an estimated 40 million tons of coal for its thermal power stations, and this figure will go up to 50-55 million tons in the 2021-2030 period, Vinacomin chairman Le Minh Chuan said at a forum in October.

However, Vinacomin and NECO can only produce 40-41 million tons of coal a year, Chuan said, adding that the two producers won’t be able to provide the extra 10-15 million tons that the country will need in coming years.

Existing power plants will therefore lack coal and the national grid could be seriously affected as a result, Chuan said. Thermal energy is expected to account for over 48 percent of the country’s power production next year.

Coal, despite its harmful environmental impacts, is still the dominant power source for Vietnam. Under the revised Power Development Plan VII, by 2030 about 53 percent of the country’s power will come from coal.

Vietnam, one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies, has been struggling to develop its energy industry due to a lack of state fund.

The country’s hydropower potential has already been exploited almost fully, oil and gas reserves are running low, and Vietnam recently went from being a net exporter to a net importer of coal.

At a forum on Monday, World Bank country director for Vietnam Ousmane Dione told government officials and energy partners that Vietnam will need to raise up $150 billion by 2030 to develop its energy sector.

Dione added that electricity demand in the country will grow by about 8 percent a year for the next decade, Reuters reported.

The World Bank official proposed that Vietnam allow the domestic and private sector to play a “more prominent role in power sector financing” to raise funds outside its state budget.

He added that Vietnam needs to increase its renewable energy usage and introduce a competitive power market so that higher electricity prices can attract private investment in energy.

  • Renewables

Government optimistic of meeting 20pc renewable energy target over next seven years

30 November 2018

 – 

  • Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — The government is optimistic of achieving its target of 20 per cent electricity generation from renewable energy (RE) sources, equivalent to 3,991 megawatt (MW), over the next seven years via various initiatives, programmes and policies.

To realise this target, Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Yeo Bee Yin said the government would engage with industry players and study the relevant policies.

Though the country’s clean energy generation is only at two per cent currently, the target could be reached with the implementation of various programmes, including net energy metering, feed-in-tariff (FiT) and large-scale solar programme, she said.

Yeo said this in her keynote address at the 8th Energy Forum, jointly organised by the Energy Commission (EC), Malaysian Gas Association (MGA) and Energy Council of Malaysia here, today.

She said the commitment and support from local and international companies in taking up the challenge to work with the government was vital to further develop the RE and natural gas sectors, adding that the government also intended to provide considerable support via energy efficiency policies.

To this end, Yeo said the first draft of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act was expected to be presented to the Parliament next year.

“Energy is something that we Malaysians have taken for granted, given the country’s abundant natural resources and the steady supply of electricity.

“Malaysia would be able to save up to RM46.9 billion in energy spending between 2016 and 2030, should all the energy efficiency initiatives be fully implemented nationwide,” she added. — Bernama

  • Renewables

Malaysia’s Petronas sets up team for renewable energy push

30 November 2018

 – 

  • Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysian state-owned oil and gas firm Petroliam Nasional Berhad, or Petronas, has set up a new business within the group to make a push into renewable energy, the head of the new venture said on Tuesday.

Petronas has expressed interest over the last year to diversify into renewables amid low oil prices. In March, Chief Executive Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin said Petronas will explore new business areas including new energy and that the company will assess opportunities in solar power.

Jay Mariyappan told an industry forum that the ‘New Energy’ team is in the early stages of looking at options in the renewable energy space.

Mariyappan’s LinkedIn profile shows he started at Petronas in October. Before joining the Malaysian firm, he was managing director of Sindicatum Sustainable Resources, a Singapore-based clean energy developer.

Petronas is the latest oil and gas major to look into the renewables space. Top oil companies including Royal Dutch Shell, BP and Total are investing more in cleaner energy sources such as solar and wind power and electric vehicle technology.

Petronas is the sole manager of Malaysia’s oil and gas reserves and is a significant contributor to government revenue.

Earlier this month, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) said Southeast Asia is a potential hotspot for renewable energy, yet the region has not met expectations because it lacks policy frameworks that would encourage investment.

Global renewable capacity, excluding hydro, has soared from under 100,000 megawatts (MW) in 2000 to more than 1 million MW in 2017, according to IRENA data.

Only a tiny portion of that has come in Southeast Asia, though more efforts have been made recently.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations plans to generate 23 percent of its primary energy needs from renewables by 2025, up from just over 10 percent now.

  • Electricity/Power Grid , 
  • Energy Cooperation

Energy sector faces big challenges ahead

30 November 2018

 – 

  • Vietnam

HÀ NỘI — The challenges the power sector needs to overcome over the next two decades are substantial to ensure it achieves its goals to provide sustainable, clean, affordable and reliable power supply to the people of Việt Nam.

Ousmane Dione, Country Director of the World Bank in Việt Nam told the meeting of the Việt Nam Energy Partnership Group (VEPG) held in Hà Nội on Monday that one key question was how to meet future energy demand, while also complying with the Government’s objectives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and meet its climate change targets. That of course refers to the contentious issue of the role of coal in the future energy mix.

“Another challenge is how to mobilise the large investment requirements, estimated at around US$8 billion annually to meet fast growing power demand. Việt Nam Electricity (EVN) and the public sector cannot raise those funds and the private sector, both domestic and international, will need to play a more prominent role in power sector financing,” he said.

He added that Việt Nam has been a global success story in developing the power sector over the last few decades. The success of the power sector has been a key contributor to Việt Nam’s socio-economic development and the country’s high and sustained economic growth, excellent performance in terms of poverty reduction and well-being of its citizens. Two areas need to be highlighted in the success story – one is rural electrification and the other power sector reform.

“The World Bank is fully supportive of Việt Nam’s energy development agenda, including the 5 key priorities discussed at today’s high-level meeting. We are committed to helping Việt Nam deliver sustainable, clean, reliable and affordable energy for all, including technical and policy advice, direct investment financing, risk mitigation measures and guarantees, supporting regulatory reform, improving energy security, and helping Việt Nam meet its Nationally Determined Contributions as part of the Paris Agreement.”

Sharing the sentiment, Ambassador Bruno Angelet, Head of the European Union delegation to Việt Nam added: “The EU is very committed to helping Việt Nam’s transition from brown to green energy, while also ensuring access to affordable energy for all and protecting Việt Nam’s competitiveness. We are extremely proud that the Việt Nam Energy Partnership Group could deliver, within one year, recommendations for comprehensive policy reform. They are the result of intense consultations with the Government, the private sector, academia and civil society. Our strong wish is that our recommendations will be embedded in Việt Nam’s strategic policy papers and will be translated into concrete policy actions.”

image: http://image.vietnamnews.vn//uploadvnnews/Article/2018/11/26/VPEG73671356PM.jpg
Experts discuss challenges and policy recommendations for Việt Nam’s energy sector. — VNS Photo Vũ Hoa

The highlight of the event was the presentation of policy recommendations by the VEPG’s Technical Working Groups (TWG) aimed at boosting the development of Việt Nam’s energy sector in five key priority areas, namely Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Sector Reform, Energy Access and Energy Data and Statistics. Each TWG delivered and discussed a set of concrete policy recommendations, developed through extensive research and dialogue by TWG members over the past year.

Đặng Hoàng An, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, said Việt Nam has been in a process of deep international integration. This calls for building a national energy sector under market mechanisms that is highly integrated and adaptable.

To ensure that, Viet Nam needs to effectively promote the combination of internal and external resources, in which the internal force is a key element, An said.

He added that in the process of promoting investment and development of the energy sector, it was necessary to thoroughly study and consider international and domestic contexts and trends as well as domestic potential to building development plans to ensure sustainability of the sector.

“Today, we received nearly 40 policy recommendations which are the results of the work of VEPG’s five Technical Working Groups. These policy recommendations are valuable and truly relevant to the policy development of Việt Nam’s energy sector,” he said.

The VEPG was established in June 2017 in an agreement between the Government of Việt Nam and Development Partners with the purpose of strengthening mutual partnerships and better aligning and coordinating external support to the energy sector in Việt Nam. — VNS

  • Coal , 
  • Electricity/Power Grid

Vietnam’s power sector needs $150 bln boost by 2030 -World Bank official

30 November 2018

 – 

  • Vietnam

HANOI, Nov 27 (Reuters) – Power-hungry Vietnam, one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies and a production hub for global companies such as Samsung Electronics, needs to raise up to $150 billion by 2030 to develop its energy sector, according to a World Bank official.

Vietnam has been struggling to develop its energy industry due to a lack of state funds. The Southeast Asian country’s hydropower potential has almost been fully exploited, oil and gas reserves are running low, and Vietnam recently went from a net exporter to net importer of coal.

“The financing requirements of the sector have been huge,” World Bank country director Ousmane Dione said in a speech to Vietnamese government officials and energy partners on Monday, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters on Tuesday.

“Since 2010, the sector invested about 80 billion dollars in generation, transmission and distribution and between now to 2030 another 150 billion dollars needs to be raised,” said Dione, who added that electricity demand in Vietnam will grow by about 8 percent a year for the next decade.

Vietnam had difficulties raising funds for its energy sector. Public debt in the country is close to a centrally-mandated ceiling of 65 percent of gross domestic product.

Nguyen Van Binh, head of the ruling Communist Party Central Committee’s Economic Commision, said the issue was an “extremely difficult problem”, in a government statement about Monday’s meeting.

Vietnam should allow the domestic and private sector to play a “more prominent role in power sector financing” to raise funds outside its state budget, said Dione of the World Bank.

He said Vietnam needed to increase its renewable energy usage, and introduce a competitive power market, where higher electricity prices can attract private investment in energy.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told Reuters in an interview earlier this year Vietnam plans to more than triple the amount of electricity it produces from renewable sources and push for a 26 percent increase in household solar energy usage by 2030.

Vietnam has not been able to reduce its reliance on coal energy, which will account for 53 percent of all energy generated in the country by 2030, according to its trade ministry.

Another challenge for the sector is “complying with the government’s objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet its climate change targets,” Dione said.

“That of course refers to the contentious issue on the role of coal in the future energy mix.” (Reporting by Khanh Vu; Editing by James Pearson and Gopakumar Warrier)

  • Others

Southeast Asia’s electric car revolution

30 November 2018

 – 

  • ASEAN

Driving attitudes across the region has changed dramatically with the introduction of electric vehicles into the personal mobility market. As more and more consumers become environmentally conscious, the demand for electric vehicles has seen an uptick.

A report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) indicates that in 2040, 54 percent of cars sold will be of the electric variety, accounting for one third of the global car fleet. This is a revision from the previously predicted 35 percent. Electric vehicles are also seeing a huge jump in demand globally. In 2016, sales of electric vehicles worldwide doubled from the previous year, surpassing the two million units mark.

The Southeast Asian region, home to a population of 640 million should rightly be part of this technological upheaval. According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Association (IRENA) the region could have 59 million electric two- to three-wheelers and 8.9 million electric four-wheel vehicles by 2025. This translates to an estimated 20 percent of passenger automobiles on the road.

Reducing carbon footprint

The bustling city centres of Southeast Asia are known for – among other things – their horrendous traffic conditions. Plumes of smoke and smog from the exhaust pipes of vehicles, especially during peak traffic hours are a severe cause for concern for the environment in the long run.

Jakarta, the most populous city in Southeast Asia has one of the worst air qualities in the region thanks to gasoline and diesel run vehicles. A study by the Faculty of Public Health at the University of Indonesia found that 58 percent of all illnesses among people living in the city were related to air pollution.

With the demand for automobiles increasing, this situation could get worse. It is estimated that vehicle ownership across the region is expected to grow more than 40 percent by 2040.

Electric vehicles could however change all that. Such vehicles, including hybrid electric cars can drastically reduce carbon emissions released into the environment.

Compared to conventional cars that release unhealthy amounts of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide into the environment, battery-electric cars effectively produce zero-emissions from their tailpipes.

Source: Various

Going electric

According to a survey by Frost and Sullivan, there have been promising signs that electric vehicles are gaining popularity amongst road users in Southeast Asia, especially among young individuals below the age of 40.

A majority of those interested in purchasing electric vehicles come from Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia.

To aid in the adoption of electric vehicles, governments in the region have also been enacting their respective policies and roadmaps.

Countries like Singapore and Thailand are well ahead of the curve in terms of electric vehicle development.

Singapore has been embarking on its electromobility journey since 2011 as a key strategy to mitigate carbon emissions from the transportation sector. In December 2017, the island republic launched its first electric vehicle sharing service with 80 cars and 30 charging stations.

To promote the use of electric vehicles, the Thai government drafted the ‘Electric Vehicle Promotion Plan for Thailand’ under its Thailand Alternative Energy Development Plan 2012-2021. As a result, Thailand went from having 60,000 hybrid passenger cars and 8,000 battery electric motorcycles that were registered in 2014 to a total of 102,308 hybrid cars and 1,394 battery electric vehicles.

Others like Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are showing promise too.

Indonesia, set a national roadmap for the development of its automotive industry earlier this year and targets 2.1 million units of 2-wheeler electric vehicles like electric motorcycles and scooters and 2,200 units of 4-wheeler vehicles by 2025.

Vietnam’s first car manufacturer, Vinfast is also planning to release EV’s of its own. Vinfast announced that it will produce 250,000 electric scooters annually and is planning to release its own electric car in the coming years.

In the Philippines, the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) set a target in 2014 to have one million electric vehicles on Philippine roads by 2020. The association has also worked with the government to develop an Electric Vehicle Roadmap.

The Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) has also collaborated with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to introduce electric tricycles (e-trikes) powered by lithium-ion battery technology. The initiative aims to reduce the transportation sector’s annual petroleum consumption by 2.8 percent and cut carbon dioxide emission estimated at 259,008 tons annually by shifting to 100,000 e-trikes.

With such rapid development and policy focus on electric mobility, electric vehicles could well be the future of transportation in the region. As investments and demand in this area grow, coupled with comprehensive government policies in place, we can possibly see planet-saving electric vehicles on our roads in the near future.

  • Others , 
  • Renewables

Philippine regulator opposes net metering expansion

30 November 2018

 – 

  • Philippines

The Philippines’ Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has said the removal of the 100 kW cap for solar installations under net metering would be difficult for the nation’s grid to accomodate. Meanwhile, a proposal to raise the threshhold is being discussed in the country’s Senate.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a statement announcing that the country’s Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is not in favor of removing the 100 kW size limit for solar power generators installed under net metering.

This could have an adverse effect on transmission lines, which may not be able to accommodate injections of power beyond that limit, said the ERC.

The regulator’s head, Sharon O. Montañer also said that if a bill aimed at removing the above-mentioned cap, currently being discussed in the Senate, were to pass, a new study on the grid’s ability to absorb new output would be necessary.

“With the proposed incentives under the bill, this is expected to result in a drastic increase in solar energy being exported to the grid,” she said, adding, “A thorough grid, system, and distribution impact study would help determine how much in exported capacities the grid may accept without unduly compromising power supply stability.”

The filing of Senate Bill No. 1719 was initiated by Grace Poe, a Filipina senator and businesswoman. “Unlike other power plants, whether fossil-based, hydro, wind or solar farms, rooftop solar does not require land conversions, because it uses what is usually an underutilized and already existing resource – the roof,” she said at a recent hearing at the Senate committee on energy.

“Complete solar photovoltaic systems or solar technology can be bought off-the-shelf and could be easily installed in a few hours. Larger systems may take a few days. No other technology, renewable or otherwise, could match the convenient installation attributed to rooftop solar,” she continued.

The Philippines introduced a net metering scheme for solar systems up to 100 kW, in 2014. However, just 10 MW of rooftop PV systems have been connected to the country’s grid since then.

In a recent report, the U.S.-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) explained the reasons for this failure: administrative and financial hurdles are preventing more electricity consumers from installing rooftop arrays, as well as the resistance of local utilities.

The report also found that the pricing methodology adopted by the ERC has not been improved since 2013. The methodology, based on the amount of electricity exported to the grid, undervalues solar rooftop generation, according to the IEEFA experts, which also said that the 100 kW limit is anachronistic.

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