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Photo 1-2. Excellencies, Focal Points from 8 ASEAN Member States, Dialogue Partners, International Organisations, ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Centre for Energy representatives in the 30th RE-SSN Annual Meeting in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
On 5 May 2023, the 30th Renewable Energy Sub-Sector Network (RE-SSN) Meeting was conducted in hybrid mode in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The RE-SSN Meeting is organised annually to update the progress and collaboration activities for Renewable Energy milestones, the Programme Area No. 5 under the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Phase II (2021 – 2025) endorsed by the 38th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting in 2020. The deliverables under the RE Programme Area established in the APAEC Phase II: 2021 – 2025 aim to achieve the aspirational targets of 23% RE share in total primary energy supply (TPES) and 35% RE share in total installed capacity by 2025.
This year, the 30th RE-SSN Meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Lao PDR, with the participation of delegates from eight (8) ASEAN Member States, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The Meeting also welcomed the representatives from Dialogue Partners (DPs) and International Organisations (IOs), which are Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI), Clean Energy Future Initiatives for ASEAN (CEFIA), Energy Foundation China (EFC), National Science Technology and Development Agency (NSTDA), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project (ACCEPT), ASEAN Secretariat, and ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE).
In the first opening remark, Mr Litthanoulok Laspho, Alternate SOE Leader, Director of Power Generation Planning Division, Department of Energy Policy and Planning, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Lao PDR as the host country has emphasised the urgency of collective action among AMS to leverage resources to accelerate the transition toward a low-carbon economy. He also highlighted Lao PDR’s significant progress in scaling up RE capacity, particularly in Hydropower.
Acknowledging the importance of strengthening energy cooperation among the AMS, in the 2nd opening remark, Mr Mohamed Erwan Misran, Deputy Undersecretary for Renewable Energy, Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change, Malaysia, on behalf of the RE-SSN Chairman, encouraged this forum to lay the common ground for rapid regional cooperation for renewable energy development. He was also in great hope that ASEAN could get back on track to achieve the targets mentioned in APAEC Phase II:2021 – 2025 despite immense challenges in the post-pandemic period.
Understanding the crucial role of ensuring energy security and affordability towards regional energy resilience in the future, Dr. Nuki Agya Utama, Executive Director of ACE, delivered the 3rd opening remark by highlighting the need of technology advancement in the region to expand the RE share in the energy mix, reduce reliance on fossil fuels as a net gas importer by 2025, according to the findings in the 7th ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO7).
In the morning session, the 30th RE-SSN Meeting has reported the outcomes of the Associated Meetings, that were the Board of Judges Meeting on the ASEAN Renewable Energy Project Award 2023 on 2 May 2023, Workshop on Offshore Wind+ Energy Potential and Applications in ASEAN on 3 May 2023, and the Focus Group Discussion on Plans and Policies for Electric Vehicles in AMS for Integration into Biofuel Roadmap on 4 May 2023. The Meeting also updated the status of RE targets under APAEC Phase II and the status of activities under the RE Programme Area. Furthermore, the Meeting also discussed about the plan for the upcoming year for the RE projects, such as the ASEAN Renewable Energy Long-term Roadmap, 8th ASEAN Energy Outlook, the development of Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) Framework in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines (BIMP-EAGA) countries.
Photo 3. (From left to right) Mr Christopher G. Zamora – Senior Manager of ACE, Mr Mohamed Erwan Misran, Deputy Undersecretary for Renewable Energy, Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change, Malaysia, and Mr Litthanoulok Laspho, Alternate SOE Leader, Director of Power Generation Planning Division, Department of Energy Policy and Planning, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Lao PDR (as the Host Country) in the morning session of the RE-SSN Annual Meeting
In the afternoon session with the participation of the DPs and IOs, the Meeting has updated the current cooperation activities and acknowledged the proposed activity plans and initiatives to deepen the collaboration with the AMS. The Meeting also expressed the appreciation to the contribution and support of the DPs/IOs to enhance and implement RE project activities under APAEC Phase II.
In the closing remarks, Mr. Bualaom Saysanavong, Chief of Biomass Energy Promotion Division, Department of Energy Efficiency and Promotion, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Lao PDR as the host country, hoped that the new ideas and the exchange of best practices in the Meeting, especially the technology penetration into RE, can support in overcoming the barrier to accelerate the energy transition towards more clean and efficient energy system. Next, Mr. Mohd Erwan Misran, Deputy Undersecretary for Renewable Energy, Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change, Malaysia, on behalf of the RE-SSN Chairman, expressed his sincere gratitude to Lao PDR as host country and to ACE as the secretariat of the Meeting. He looked forward to future collaboration as the ASEAN collective responsibility to work in accelerating RE development and enhancing energy security. Finally, Mr. Christopher G Zamora, Senior Manager of ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), on behalf of Dr. Nuki Agya Utama, Executive Director of ACE, expressed his appreciation towards ASEAN remarkable progress in RE development in the region. Moreover, he also thanked international partners who have been instrumental in supporting the regional development on RE sectors and anticipated the continuation of collaboration.
To learn more about the 30th RE-SSN Associated Meetings, visit the links below.
ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) is an intergovernmental organisation within ASEAN structure that represents the 10 ASEAN Member States’ (AMS) interests in the energy sector.