Deep Dive Workshop
Energy Storage – Accelerating Clean Energy Transition in Southeast Asia: The Role of BESS and the ENABLE Platform
Friday, 6 June 2025
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (GMT +8)
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) announce the launch of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) scale-up initiative called the Enhancing Access to BESS for Low-carbon Economies (ENABLE) platform with the new regional technical assistance, TA 10479-REG: Accelerating Battery Energy Storage System Development in the Asia and Pacific Region.
The objective of the workshop is to present the ADB and GEAPP’s collaboration to create an enabling environment to unlock the potential of renewable energy by scaling up BESS deployment in the Asia and Pacific region. ADB has led the BESS deployment in the region since 2014 with sovereign and non-sovereign loans. This workshop discusses the past and ongoing best practice tailored for developing member countries, emerging issues, such as the treatment of used batteries, market barriers for private sector, and policy design of renewables plus BESS development initiative. ADB and GEAPP have processed a new regional technical assistance (TA) project to address the emerging BESS issues through the ENABLE platform, where similar-minded development partners can pool resources and concentrate them into a fast-track BESS project in the region.
AGENDA
11:00 - 11:05 a.m.
Moderator Introduction
Xiaojing Fei, Director, Partnerships and Fundraising, GEAPP
Brief introduction of the session, presenters, and the ENABLE initiative
11:05 - 11:12 a.m.
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Woochong Um, Chief Executive Officer, GEAPP
11:12 - 11:22 a.m.
Introduction of ENABLE Platform
Scale up BESS deployment in Asia and the Pacific
Anthony Wu, Regional Program Managing Director, GEAPP
Atsumasa Sakai, Senior Energy Specialist, ADB
11:22 - 11:27 a.m.
Case Study of Philippines
VRE and BESS Co-location
Romeo Pacudan, Technical Director, Ricardo Clean Energy and Environmental Solutions
11:27 - 11:32 a.m.
Case Study of India
Private Sector Participation and Design of Power Market for BESS
Jaimes Kolantharaj, Principal Energy Specialist, ADB
11:32 a.m. - 12:12 p.m.
Panel Discussion
The Role of BESS in Energy Transition; Key barriers to BESS deployment; ENABLE: A Game Changer for BESS Acceleration; Scaling BESS in Southeast Asia
Panelists:
Kitty Bu, Vice President, GEAPP
Cindy C Tiangco, Director, Energy, Emerging Areas Team, ADB
Mylene C. Capongcol, Additional Secretary, Department of Energy of the Philippines
Nguyen Manh Cuong, Institute of Energy, Viet Nam
Unurmaa Tsevegjav, Research Engineer, National Dispatching Center of the Power System; Associate Professor, National Technical University of Mongolia
John Robert Cotton, Senior Program Manager, ETP
12:12 - 12:25 p.m.
Q&A Session
Interaction with audience
12:25 - 12:30 p.m.
Closing Remarks & Call to Action
Priyantha Wijayatunga, SSD, SG-ENE, ADB