This session will include speakers and panelists covering a range of low-carbon approaches and topics, including carbon capture and storage in oil & gas operations, development of a clean hydrogen hub in Australia, mini-grid development in Papua New Guinea, energy efficiency in Bangladesh, and a Japanese-led clean energy initiative for ASEAN.

Track Chair: David Morgado, Senior Energy Specialist, ADB
Moderator: Kelly Hewitt, Principal Energy Specialist, ADB
Program

Speakers and panelists in this session will address a range of case studies and issues related to national policy and government action in the Pacific. Topics of discussion will solar-battery hybrid power systems across the Pacific; economic dispatch of such systems in the Philippines; measures to promote renewable energy and resilience in the Federated States of Micronesia; the importance of an integrated approach to marine, terrestrial, and coastal issues related to waste and energy; and the fiscal consequences of phasing out fossil fuels.

This session will begin with a presentation on the dire state of oceanic health and the importance of approaches such as regenerative marine aquaculture, cultivation and preservation of mangroves and reefs, and ocean-based renewable energy. This will be followed by a presentation on the market for battery storage and ancillary services in the Philippines; an energy transition “to-do” list for Indonesia; and a panel discussion covering “low-hanging fruit” approaches to achieving sustainable development goals and NDCs; and the potential for a packaged microgrid approach in the Philippines.

Speakers in this session will discuss CO2 abatement scenarios for Vietnam’s power sector; skill development for Photovoltaic (PV) installers at the local level in Indonesia; and lessons learned by India from mapping government support and subsidies for different areas of the energy sector.

Background

In response to the challenges and energy sector outlook in Asia and the Pacific region, and to reflect the findings and recommendations of the Sector-Wide Evaluation of ADB’s current energy policy and program for 2009-2019 conducted by ADB’s Independent Evaluation Department, inputs from stakeholders concerned, lessons learned, and the policy analysis, ADB is in the process of preparing the 2021 Energy Policy aiming to guide ADB’s energy sector operations to help its developing member countries (DMCs) develop sustainable and resilient energy systems through low-carbon energy transition.

Building on past consultations with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), ADB conducted a Virtual Consultation Roundtable (VCR) with CSOs on Tuesday, 15 June, 2:00-3:30 PM (GMT+8). The aim of this roundtable consultation was to provide CSO representatives the opportunity for continued engagement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) in preparing ADB’s new energy policy.

Background 

An increasing number of governments and businesses are announcing that they are ‘going green'. This gives us optimism that the growing preference for energy efficiency and renewable energy will help accelerate the region's clean energy transition.

ADB’s Developing Member Countries (DMCs) in South Asia, other regions, are now witnessing a paradigm shift in the power distribution sector, which is being driven by increased viability of distributed Renewable Energy (RE) sources, plans for proliferation of new electricity loads like Electric Vehicles (EVs) and increasing consumer centricity of utilities driven by enablement of two-way power flows.

Background 

In the past decade, the green bond (or more generally the concept of green financing) market has emerged and grown. It gave the investors the opportunity to align their pursuit for financial returns with their pursuit for environmental benefit by ascertaining that the investment proceeds get channeled through to green assets – e.g. clean energy assets.

As the Pacific developing member countries (DMCs) battle multiple development challenges, progress is hampered by a significant obstruction – access to clean, reliable and affordable energy. In the Pacific region, where electricity supply remains dominated by diesel-based generation, all nations are struggling to meet their own energy security objectives, as well as their Paris Agreement commitments and Nationally Determined Contributions.

Several countries have reached peak GHG emissions levels and many more have a commitment to a peak in emissions in the future. By 2030, countries representing at least 60% of global emissions are committed to reach their respective peaks.

The People’s Republic of China recently announced that they will achieve a peak in emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, while Fiji, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Marshall Islands, and Timor-Leste have joined the Carbon Neutrality Coalition.

Central Asian countries have abundant energy resources that are unevenly distributed. Some countries are rich with fossil fuels, while others have substantial hydro resources. One thing that all these countries have in common is substantial renewable energy potential that can play a significant role in decarbonizing the region.