Delegates attending the 38th AMEM
Energy connectivity in ASEAN is a very important pillar
Energy cooperation among ASEAN countries in the past five years showed that the energy intensity in the region has decreased by 21.4 percent compared to 2005, exceeding the initial target of 20 percent by 2020. A 3,631 km long gas pipeline system was built connecting Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam. Nine LNG liquefied gas centers were also built with a total capacity of 38.75 million tonnes a year, along with more grid projects to increase the power capacity to 10,800 MW by 2020 and to more than 16,000MW in the following years.
In addition, a pilot multilateral power exchange project among Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore has been successfully implemented with electricity purchase and sale transactions implemented between Laos and Malaysia through Thailand’s grid since January 2018. The proportion of renewable energy in the ASEAN energy structure has gradually increased, aiming for a target of 23 percent of total energy supply by 2025.
Despite its achievements, according to Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Dang Hoang An, in order to ensure energy security for the sustainable development of the ASEAN Community, energy cooperation and connectivity among member states is a vital pillar that needs to be strengthened.
With the theme “Energy transition towards sustainable development in the ASEAN region”, the 38th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) and related meetings highlighted its target of developing a sustainable, green and clean energy market.
At the press conference following the joint statement of the 38th AMEM, Deputy Minister Dang Hoang An said that ministers committed to transition towards a sustainable energy future amid unprecedented challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic to the global energy sector and overall economic growth.
Two publications were also announced: the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation for the 2021-2025 period (APAEC second phase 2021-2025) and the 6th edition of the ASEAN Energy Panorama.
The theme of the second phase is “Accelerating energy transition and strengthening energy resilience through greater innovation and cooperation.”
“In particular, the regional energy cooperation will continue pursuing seven programs on the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation, the Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline, energy efficiency and preservation, renewable energy, regional energy and policy making, coal and clean coal energy, and civil nuclear energy,” Deputy Minister An noted.
Trilateral grid agreement
The meeting marked a new milestone for grid connectivity and multilateral power exchange in the region with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the Laos-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP Project Phase 2).
Deputy Minister Dang Hoang An hailed the achievements of Phase 1 of the LTMS-PIP project connecting the grids of Laos, Thailand and Malaysia since 2018 and expressed his hope that the second phase with the participation of Singapore and commitment to increase capacity to 300 MW (compared to 200 MW in phase 1) starting in 2022 will also yield positive results.
“In the coming time, there will be more multilateral power exchange projects among ASEAN member countries, promoting the development of the regional power exchange market,” Deputy Minister An said.
The ASEAN ministers and delegation heads pledged to continue their efforts to achieve the target of 23 percent of renewable energy share in total energy supply by 2025.