Photo 1. Group Photo Session of the ASEAN Offshore Wind and Technology Standard Webinar

The ASEAN Offshore Wind and Technology Standard Webinar, supported by the China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI), was hosted by the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) on Thursday, 28 March 2024. The primary objective of this event was to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange between ASEAN Member States (AMS) and China, intending to propel offshore wind development in Southeast Asia. Additionally, the webinar facilitated discussions on market entry requirements for wind equipment manufacturing and certification processes for wind project commissioning.

The discussion consists of three distinct sessions. These include launching the ASEAN offshore wind development roadmap, defining market entry criteria for wind technology, and certifying wind project commissioning.

The webinar began with a warm welcome from Mr. Mohd Erwan Misran, Deputy Undersecretary at Malaysia’s Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation. Following that, Mylene C. Capongcol, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Energy of the Philippines, emphasised the importance of discussing offshore wind energy among ASEAN member countries. Dr. Gu Hongbin, Deputy Director General of the China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI), also delivered opening remarks. Finally, Dr. Nuki Agya Utama, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), concluded the opening session by highlighting that this initiative, through knowledge exchange and collaboration, will equip ASEAN policymakers with the necessary tools and insights to manage the energy transition effectively and set ambitious renewable energy targets for the future.

The first session started by introducing the ASEAN offshore wind development roadmap including ASEAN offshore wind power resources, market potential, and sites identification by Veronica Ayu Pangestika, Associate Research Analyst of Sustainable and Renewable Energy (SRE) Department at ACE. Veronica elaborated on the considerable offshore wind resources within the ASEAN region, discussing the criteria employed for site selection, considering factors like wind speed, water depth, proximity to infrastructure, and environmental impact assessments. Subsequently, Yicheng Wang, Project Coordinator at the International Cooperation Department of CREEI, provided insights into collaboration suggestions and key points of the ASEAN offshore wind development roadmap. Emphasising technology transfer, capacity enhancement, and collaborative research endeavours, Wang underscored key elements of the roadmap aimed at fostering mutual cooperation among ASEAN member states.

In addition to presentations, the first session featured discussions and commentary from Praptono Adhi Sulistomo, Coordinator of New and Renewable Energy Investment and Cooperation, Directorate General of Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Indonesia and Clarita de Jesus, Senior Science Research Specialist, Department of Energy of Philippines. These discussions were moderated by Veronica Ayu Pangestika. They discussed the offshore wind development challenges uniqueness to both AMS, addressing technical potential and site identification hurdles in Indonesia, and local supply chain constraints and energy costs in the Philippines.

Photo 2. Commentary Sessions on First Session with Veronica Ayu Pangestika, Praptono Adhi Sulistomo, Clarita de Jesus

The following session began with a presentation about establishing market entry standards for wind equipment manufacturers by Yue Lei, Deputy Director of the Technological Standard Department, CREEI, and a comprehensive explanation of the international risk management scheme for offshore wind power projects by Zhang Yu, Senior Specialist of China Wind Power Association (CWEA). This session aims to bridge the knowledge gap regarding specific measures for market entry standards. This entails ensuring equipment quality without hampering the speed and efficiency of manufacturers entering the ASEAN market. Additionally, the session will explore the constraints companies face in terms of market access due to limitations in wind power technical standards. Subsequently, participants engaged in discussions with the speakers to explore potential solutions and strategies, moderated by Monika Merdekawati, Research Analyst of SRE Department at ACE.

Photo 3. Presentation with Yue Lei, Deputy Director of the Technological Standard Department, CREEI

The third session, as well as the last session discussed Chinese experience on offshore wind farms development process, was delivered by Dr. Geng Dazhou, Senior Engineer of New Energy Department at CREEI. This was followed by a presentation about offshore wind project best practices by Dr. Gao Meng, Wind Product Chief Expert at Envision Energy. The objective of this session was to address the knowledge gap by discussing strategies that can be employed to enhance local capacity and expertise within ASEAN member states. These strategies aim to facilitate implementing and enforcing stringent commissioning certification standards while optimising efficiency in comprehensive commissioning processes. This session concluded with discussions moderated by Zahrah Zafira, Associate Research Analyst of SRE Department at ACE.

Photo 4. Discussions with Zahrah Zafira, Dr. Gao Meng, and Dr. Geng Dazhou

The webinar concluded with closing remarks from Beni Suryadi, Manager of ACE. He underscored the importance of these discussions in propelling offshore wind development within the ASEAN region. Additionally, he highlighted that collaborative dialogues play a pivotal role in aligning regional energy policies.

Photo 5. Closing Remarks by Beni Suryadi, Manager of ACE