ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (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). Such is the key message delivered by ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project (ACCEPT) in the 27^th Renewable Energy Sub-Sector Network (RE-SSN) Annual Meeting, 30 July 2020.

Like other SSN and Specialised Energy Body (SEB) Meetings, the 27^th RE-SSN and Associated Meetings were held as online meetings, 27-30 July 2020. ACCEPT was invited to report the progresses and plans of its activities to the RE-SSN Focal Points and other Dialogue Partners/International Organisations (DPs/IOs) in the RE-SSN Annual Meeting.

The Annual Meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Energy Brunei Darussalam and ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), and chaired by Mrs. Puan Azah Ahmad, Director of Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia and the RE-SSN Chairman.

Representing ACCEPT, Mr. Zulfikar Yurnaidi shared ACCEPT products and services that are tailored to support RE development in the region. Three policy briefs—on a baseline assessment of key documents of ASEAN energy cooperation, energy decision-makers’ perspectives of APAEC, and energy-climate policies under Paris Agreement—were produced, all solidifying the importance of RE in energy-climate nexus in the region.

ACCEPT also produced a set of policy brief designed to analyse the RE investment in each of ASEAN member states, and provide improvement suggestions. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, ACCEPT also released energy insights, assessing impacts of Covid-19 on the renewable energy sector in ASEAN based on collected news in Q1 and Q2 2020. These insights are part of a larger initiative of supporting the energy stakeholders in the region through regular update of news and analyses on Covid-19 impacts on energy and climate sectors in ASEAN.

On dissemination front, ACCEPT will held Launching Talk: Renewable Energy Outlook and the Challenge on Investment in ASEAN during Covid-19 Pandemic on 6 August 2020. This event will serve as an outreach outlet to ACCEPT RE products. ACCEPT also actively disseminates data and information about energy and climate change in ASEAN—including those of renewable energy—through its website and social media.

Aiming to improve the coherence of energy-climate and national-regional policies in ASEAN energy sector, ACCEPT is committed to support ASEAN (regional/national level) to promote RE development and deployment, based on APAEC and/or specific county’s needs. For example, ACCEPT can leverage its ASEAN Researcher Network on Energy and Climate Change (ARNECC) to support the action plan of RE-SSN on RE Research, Development, and Demonstration (RD&D) Network.

RE-SSN Chair appreciated the report and implored the exploration of potential activities, in support of APAEC Phase II 2021-2025.