Page 11 - AsiaElec Week 43

AsiaElec
NEWS IN BRIEF
AsiaElec
COAL-FIRED GENERATION
Asian coal construction stalls
Construction of coal plants in Southeast Asia has stalled considerably, with only Indonesia (pictured) breaking ground on new stations in the first half of 2019, according to a Global Energy Monitor (GEM) report called “More Fizz Than Boom: 2019 Sees Coal Plant Growth in Southeast Asia Dwindling as Pipeline Continues to Shrink.”
Despite the perception of Southeast Asia
as a growth area for coal, the regional coal pipeline has declined sharply. In 2016, it was at 12,920 MW. It was 6,355 MW in 2017. Only 2,744 MW entered construction in 2018, and in the first half of 2019, 1,500 MW entered construction.
Global Energy Monitor is an NGO funded by climate change advocacy groups.
“Beyond construction, the amount of coal plant capacity in pre-construction stages in Southeast Asia also continues to contract, shrinking 52% from 110,367 MW in mid- 2015 to 53,510 MW in mid-2019. With so few projects moving from pre-construction to construction, a continuation of recent trends will mean that most of the remaining 53,510 MW in pre-construction development is more likely to be cancelled rather than implemented,” said GEM.
“The number of plants entering construction during the first six months of 2019 is extremely low, and we see this decline continuing. Traditional coal importing markets such as Thailand and Taiwan have already made a clear pivot away from coal. While we will no doubt see some new coal plants coming online in countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia, the conclusion is rapidly being drawn that renewable energy
is a smarter option to drive their economies,” said Ted Nace, executive director of Global Energy Monitor,
GAS-FIRED GENERATION
JERA, EVN to co-operate in LNG value chain
JERA has entered into a memorandum
of understanding (MOU) with Vietnam Electricity (EVN) concerning cooperation in the LNG value chain business.
Under the MOU, JERA and EVN will
discuss opportunities for mutual collaboration in the LNG value chain business. Specific areas for discussion include joint procurement of LNG, joint development of LNG receiving terminal projects, cooperation in introducing LNG to EVN power plants and collaboration on LNG shipping optimization.
LNG is expected to be introduced in Vietnam due to steady growth in electricity demand and depletion of domestic resources. Together with its subsidiaries, EVN owns approximately 60% of the country’s power generation capacity and supports the country’s economic development by providing a stable supply of electricity. EVN also aims to procure LNG for use in power generation as demand for electricity increases.
JERA believes that strengthening its relationship with the leading energy company in Vietnam, a country which is expected
to see increased demand for LNG, will greatly contribute to expanding business opportunities for both EVN and JERA.
JERA will continue to work together with LNG industry counterparts both within and outside Japan to strengthen its LNG value chain business and seek opportunity in an LNG market undergoing great change.
JERA
Siemens and Harbin Electric
to build 900 MW Pakistan
gas plant
Siemens and Chinese engineering company Harbin Electric International have signed a deal with Pakistan utility K-Electric to build a $650m, 900 MW combined cycle power plant in Karachi.
The plant will be located at the Bin Qasim Power and will be known as Bin Qasim Power Station 3 (BQPS-III). Work is expected to start by the end of the year and is due to be completed in 24 months.
Siemens will provide two of its SGT5- 4000F gas turbines, steam turbines, generators and condensers and the turbines will be the first from Siemens to be added to K-Electric’s
power generation fleet. The plant is intended to bridge the shortfall in the power network that serves 15 million people in Karachi, which is Pakistan’s biggest city.
K-Electric chief executive Moonis Alvi said the plant “is essential in meeting Karachi’s future energy demands. The aim is to commission the project in the fastest possible time, and we are confident that with the right facilitation from all quarters, power from the plant may be added to our supply as soon as summer of 2021.”
Karim Amin, chief executive of Power Generation at Siemens Gas and Power, said: “There is no doubt that adding 900 MW of reliable power generation capacity to the
city of Karachi is a great source of pride, however we are even more proud of the partnership with K-Electric and Harbin Electric and the determination to make this project a successful landmark for the people of Pakistan.”
RENEWABLES
India’s Adani to tap wind
and solar with US data
centre giant
India’s Adani is to use wind and solar to power data centres in a new deal with US-based Digital Realty, a world leading operator.
Adani – a diversified Indian industrial group with an existing 5.3GW wind and solar portfolio – and Digital Realty will look at “developing and operating data centres, data centre parks and cultivating undersea cable provider communities of interest across India”, they said in a statement.
Adani said: “As one of the top five renewable energy companies in the world, our ability to power our data centres with solar and wind energy is unique and addresses some of the challenges of building and operating data centres.”
Data centres used to support cloud
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