Online, 8 September 2021

To provide a knowledge repository for ASEAN Member States (AMS) and services through data management, publication and dissemination, the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) becomes a Knowledge Hub to facilitate the regional energy cooperation in Southeast Asia. One of ACE’s products is the ASEAN Energy Database System (AEDS). It contains official ASEAN statistic data and related energy news and policies to help the public understand the energy landscape of ASEAN countries. As part of the AEDS, ACE launched reports on (a) ASEAN Oil and Gas Updates 2021 and (b) ASEAN Power Updates 2021. The ASEAN Oil and Gas Updates 2021 provides an updated and comprehensive overview of the current oil and natural gas situation in ASEAN. Whereas the ASEAN Power Updates 2021 provides an updated and comprehensive overview of the electricity and renewables situation in ASEAN.

The two reports were launched through a public webinar held by ACE on September 8th, 2021, at 2 PM Jakarta time. The webinar began with the key message delivered by Dr Nuki Agya Utama, the Executive Director of ACE. According to the reports, he mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the production of oil, which led to a decrease in amount. Still, it has also impacted the region’s power sector. Therefore, an updated data and information on the energy status are crucial for all stakeholders in designing and implementing the relevant policies and programmes, particularly in this challenging era.

The webinar then continued with the launch of the ASEAN Oil and Gas Updates 2021, presented by Mr Suwanto, the lead author of the report and the Technical Officer of Power, Fossil Fuel, Alternative Energy and Storage (PFS) Department in ACE. Mr Suwanto presented the report’s findings, including the Oil and Gas Production, Oil and Gas Consumption, and the impact of COVID-19 on the Oil and Gas sector. He delivered that oil and gas production was declining as well as its reserves compared to 2010. He highlighted that 2020 was the lowest point in oil production in the last five years. Then, the pandemic impacted decreasing oil prices and reducing oil and gas demand, of which around 70% of oil consumption was used in the transportation sector. At the same time, natural gas was primarily used for power generation in the industrial sector.

The moderator, Mr Beni Suryadi as the Manager of the PFS department in ACE, then invited Mrs Krongkan Khurowat to comment on the report. Mrs Krongkan Khurowat is the Vice President of the International Business Strategy and Development Department from PTT PLC Thailand. She said that it is undeniable that the pandemic has affected the oil and gas industry. However, the future of global oil demand growth should resume as forecasted that by the end of 2022, oil demand will exceed the pre-pandemic level in 2019 and gas demand which will continue to recover in line with the economic recovery.

Following the second plan is the launch of the ASEAN Power Updates 2021, presented by Mr Akbar Dwi Wahyono, the lead author of the report and the Technical Officer of the PFS department in ACE. Mr Wahyono delivered the report’s key highlight, such as the amount of 282GW electricity generated in 2020 – which coal, gas, and hydro contributed for more than 80% of the total installed capacity. He mentioned that renewable energy development in ASEAN continues to advance, where ASEAN recorded a new trend of reaching 82% of the ASEAN additional capacity in 2020. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected further renewable energy development in the region, ASEAN should be proud of having achieved a 33.5% share of RE installed capacity in 2020, leaving only a 1.5% gap from the regional target 2025.

Ir Ts Wan Syakirah Wan Abdullah, the Head of Business Assessment and Engineering from TNB Renewables Malaysia, was invited to comment on the report. She analysed that renewables will be the main focus in the ASEAN region for the next 10-20 years. She also emphasised that the new upcoming power generation would be cleaner energy, which she ultimately believes that renewable energy is one of the significant contributors.