The 28th Renewable Energy Sub-Sector Network (RE-SSN) Annual Meeting was held virtually on 6 May 2021. Continuing its report to the 27th Meeting last year, ACCEPT is invited to share the progresses and plans on renewable energy activities, especially in support of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Phase II: 2021-2025. 

The Meeting was opened by Mr. Victor Jona, Director-General on Energy, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Cambodia as the host, Mr. Asdirhyme Abdul Rasib, Senior Undersecretary for Sustainable Energy, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Malaysia as the RE-SSN Chairman, and Dr Nuki Agya Utama, Executive Director of ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) as the co-host. 

Representing ACCEPT, Dr Zulfikar Yurnaidi thanked the Meeting for their support to ACCEPT, which let ACCEPT be recognised by the 38th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM). In addition to the addition of new outcome-based strategy on promoting information sharing on the energy-climate nexus, AMEM also noted the series of policy brief on renewable energy investment for all AMS by ACE, supported by ACCEPT. 

The policy brief series, which could support ASEAN efforts towards greener recovery, were released with a Launching Talk on Renewable Energy Outlook and the Challenge on Investment in ASEAN during Covid-19 Pandemic. The event attracted wide interests from the ASEAN member states, and the policy briefs become some of the most downloaded publications of ACE. 

More on policy briefs, ACCEPT also produced the Economic Assistance to Electricity Customers in the ASEAN Member States during the COVID-19 Pandemic chronicling pandemic economic response in electricity sector, the Pursuing Affordable and Clean Energy for a Resilient Economy in ASEAN Communities that was released in Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2020, and the Enabling Policies for Promoting Battery Energy Storage in ASEAN that covers the critical issue of renewable energy promotion, the battery. 

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, ACCEPT continued collecting related news and providing analysis on the impacts of Covid-19 on renewable energy sector in ASEAN. Energy insights were released  regularly to update the impacts on Q1, Q2 and Q3 of 2020. This was culminated with the release of the Recap of 2020 Energy Insight early this year. 

ACCEPT then reports the on-going studies that are related with RE. This includes the study on Realising ‘Just Energy Investments’ (JEI) across the ASEAN region, Vietnam’s solar and wind power success: Policy implications for other ASEAN countries, and Economic Prospects of Hydrogen Energy Development and Applications in ASEAN. The studies, in collaboration with prominent experts, will be released in 2021. 

On dissemination front, ACCEPT actively disseminated information and analysis about energy and climate change in ASEAN—including those of renewable energy—through its website and social media. RE-SSN Chair appreciated the report and activities of ACCEPT, especially in support of APAEC Phase II 2021-2025. 

APAEC Programme Area No. 5 Renewable Energy is the frontline of ASEAN’s effort in energy-climate nexus, and on complying with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In its efforts to contribute to the development climate-friendly energy sector, ACCEPT will continue to actively collaborate with RE-SSN.