General Electric : Key Trends Influencing ASEAN’s Energy Sustainability Aspirations

Providing knowledge, experience, data, and technical expertise to help ASEAN nations optimize their energy resources is one of the primary objectives of the ASEAN Center for Energy (ACE).

Badariah Yosiyana, the manager of the ASEAN-German program run by ACE, is playing an important role in enhancing energy sustainability and integration in the region and she shared more about ACE's vision and support, in part one of a discussion with GE Reports. In this second part of the chat, she talks about the trends that will accelerate change across the ASEAN energy sector in the near term.

Advanced technologies

'Advanced technology will play a significant role in achieving regional sustainability goals. New technologies will not only drive the renewable energy, and energy efficiency aspirations of APAEC, but other areas such as clean coal tech adoption, integrated gas connections and nuclear power generation. Given ASEAN's dependence on coal for power generation, clean coal tech will make a significant difference.

'New solutions will also help counties achieve their energy intensity reduction targets. Sustainability in ASEAN will also be enhanced by the higher adoption of renewable energy technologies. In addition, knowledge transfer facilitated by sector experts is crucial to build regional capacity and improve standards and best practices.'

Digital transformation

'Digitizing the energy sector will enhance efficiency and flexibility across the industry. This is particularly true when it comes to monitoring and controlling power systems, and power generation facilities, alongside energy consumption and supply oversight.

'Enhanced digital tools will also provide better data collection offering more reliable and informative insights, and support deeper analysis and accuracy for long-term energy forecasting.

'Digital tools can also help advance the development and adoption of smart grids across ASEAN. While ASEAN is at the start of this journey, the policies being put in place by governments point to a bright future, and digital tools will improve understanding about power supply and demand in the region.'

Advanced technologies need advanced support networks

'ASEAN is at an early stage of adopting advanced energy technologies. The penetration of these technologies varies across the region. The absence of regulations, lack of supporting framework, and disconnection between overall plans, and realities on the ground is a reality in some markets.

'Further development driven by innovation is needed, particularly around advanced technologies such as smart grid adoption, supercritical coal technologies, high efficiency industrial technologies, low carbon buildings and electric vehicle technology.

'We're all working hard to address that. The latest APAEC, highlighting the importance of research and development in these sorts of technologies, offers the solid foundation for us to work together to accelerate adoption of these technologies and the benefits they can deliver.'