Online, 7-8 July 2021The ASEAN-German Energy Programme (AGEP), a jointly implemented programme by ACE and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), organised its first online workshop on energy efficiency (EE) financing to support ASEAN Member States (AMS) in developing and implementing effective EE financing policies and mechanisms. The workshop was held virtually on 7-8 July 2021, presenting various energy ministries, financial institutions, project developers, and international organisations.

The workshop was opened with updates on the current state of EE financing development in ASEAN. In this session, a representative from the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency (DEDE) Thailand shared the different financing instruments implemented for EE projects in Thailand, such as Energy Conservation Promotion Fund (EnCon Fund) and Energy Efficiency Revolving Fund (EERF). The session was followed by a presentation and discussion on opportunities and challenges from the private sector and international organisations’ perspectives. There was also a showcase on the digital service model that allows customers to choose the most efficient air conditioning products based on their cooling demand and its cost and energy savings calculation. The first day of the workshop was then closed with a technical knowledge exchange session on the different risks in EE projects and the importance of Measurement & Verification (M&V).

One of the most anticipated sessions in the workshop, conducted on the second day, was the business matchmaking session between project developers and financial institutions to increase the uptake of EE investment. The format consisted of project ideas that were pitched by PT Energy Management Indonesia (EMI), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), ASEAN Engineering Inspector-Electrical Installation (AEI-EI) and Worldwide Energy Development. Questions, comments and inputs then responded to the pitches to bridge the needs of funding and funders’ interest. The participating panellists in this session came from different backgrounds such as Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Clime Capital/Southeast Asia Clean Energy Foundation (SEACEF), Korea Development Bank (KDB), Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN), and Asia-Pacific ESCO Industry Alliance (APEIA). The last day of the workshop was then closed by a discussion and input gathering on the ACE plan to develop an online web-based platform for EE projects funding application.

AGEP successfully drew widespread public attention to this workshop by showing the high interest in EE policy and financing activity from AMS and outside the region such as Japan, India, UAE, and the UK. The participation of around 200 people indicates 58% male and 42% female participants, joining each day of the workshop coming from different backgrounds and countries. This workshop also continues AGEP’s milestone to initiate networking between various EE stakeholders, further enhancing the development and dissemination of EE financing mechanisms across the region.