Page 18 - AsiaElec Week 37 2021

AsiaElec NEWS IN BRIEF AsiaElec

Kansai Electric Power Co. and major trading challenges facing coal, pockets of funders agreement
firm Marubeni Corp. signed a memorandum continue to finance additional coal-fired
of understanding with two local energy generation capacity in South Asia and Sub- Keppel Electric Pte Ltd (Keppel), a subsidiary
infrastructure companies -- Stanwell Saharan Africa. of Keppel Infrastructure Holdings Pte Ltd
Corporation Ltd. and APT Management The Coal Power Finance in High-Impact (KI), and Electricite Du Laos (EDL) have
Services Pty Ltd. -- on Wednesday to conduct Countries knowledge brief, part of SEforALL’s signed an exclusive framework agreement
the feasibility study, Japan’s NNA/Kyodo Energizing Finance research series, analyses as part of the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-
reported. 18 countries with the largest electricity access Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-
The six parties said the Central Queensland gaps (i.e. high-impact countries) to identify PIP), to jointly explore opportunities to
hydrogen project calls for mass producing those receiving finance for coal-fired power, import renewable energy into Singapore.
hydrogen using renewable energy and the sources of this investment, its key drivers The LTMS-PIP is an inter-government
liquefying it at Gladstone Port in Queensland and the risks attached. project to study the feasibility of cross-border
and exporting the liquefied hydrogen to Japan. “The idea of a coal phase-out does not power trade from Lao PDR to Singapore. The
The six parties aim to produce more than hold true everywhere,” said Olivia Coldrey, LTMS-PIP will serve as a pathfinder to further
100 tons of hydrogen per day around 2026 Head of Energy Finance and Clean Cooking advance cross-border trading in ASEAN and
and raise daily output to 800 tons from 2031. at SEforALL. “We continue to see significant complement existing efforts in the ASEAN
The project follows a concept study on the investment in coal-fired power generation in Power Grid vision by creating opportunities
production of green liquefied hydrogen and countries with high rates of energy poverty. for multilateral electricity trading beyond
its export to Japan by Iwatani and Stanwell, an These countries need affordable, reliable and neighbouring borders.
electric power firm owned by the Queensland clean energy to support their socio-economic Under the exclusive framework agreement
government, from 2019 to 2020. development and to mitigate climate change. signed between Keppel Electric and EDL, EDL
Iwatani will operate as the Japanese-side Financing new coal projects is inconsistent will export and Keppel will import up to 100
coordinator, Kawasaki Heavy will study with these objectives and holds back the MW of renewable hydropower from Lao PDR
hydrogen liquefaction and loading terminals, energy transition.” to Singapore via Thailand and Malaysia using
Kansai Electric will provide information on From 2013 to 2019, USD 42 billion was existing interconnectors under an import trial.
hydrogen’s potential utilization and Marubeni committed to grid-connected coal power Once finalised, the import of renewable
will study a commercialization model. plants in the 18 countries studied. Among energy from Lao PDR will allow Keppel
them, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan received Electric to diversify its energy portfolio.
the majority of finance commitments to new In addition to the framework agreement,
coal plants, while in Africa, Madagascar, Keppel Electric and EDL will also explore
COAL Mozambique, Malawi, Niger and Tanzania all collaboration opportunities arising from
host active coal plant development. the demand for renewable energy and the
Coal financing risks green SEFORALL, CPI transition towards greener forms of energy,
including development and supply of long-
goals RENEWABLES term renewable hydropower for the ASEAN
region as well as renewable energy tracking,
New research published by Sustainable verification and assurance which will support
Energy for All (SEforALL) and Climate Policy Keppel, Electricite Du Laos the growth of ASEAN’s renewable energy
Initiative (CPI) highlights a troubling trend sector.
in the fight against climate change and push sign renewable energy
to deliver universal electricity access: despite
environmental, economic and many other

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