News
Clean Energy Investment Is Set to Hit $2.6 Trillion This Decade
The global energy supply is turning greener. Investment in new renewable energy is on course to total $2.6 trillion in the years from 2010 through the end of 2019, according to a study by BloombergNEF for the United Nations Environment Program and Frankfurt School’s UNEP Center published Thursday. The boom in the capacity to generate electricity from low-carbon sources gives credibility to an effort by world leaders to slash climate-damaging greenhouse gases.
ADB-Supported Solar Project in Cambodia Achieves Lowest-Ever Tariff in ASEAN
The auction for 60 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity conducted by Electricite du Cambodge (EDC), Cambodia’s national electricity utility, has led to the lowest bid of 3.877 cents (US dollar) per kilowatt hour by Prime Road Alternative Company Limited. The project, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), drew 26 bidders, including several global companies, and has achieved the lowest power purchase tariff for a solar project so far recorded in Southeast Asia.
Southeast Asia’s largest solar farm begins operations in southern Vietnam
A 420 MW solar power project, the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia, has officially started production in Tay Ninh. The inauguration of the Dau Tieng Solar Power Complex, a joint venture between Vietnamese construction firm Xuan Cau and Thai conglomerate B.Grimm, took place Saturday in Tan Chau District, Tay Ninh Province, around 100 km (62 miles) from Ho Chi Minh City.
AMEM a chance to promote multilateral energy trading
The Energy Ministry is ready to push forward five plans to promote the sector regionally at the 37th Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM), scheduled for Sept 2-6 in Bangkok. Poonpat Leesombatpiboon, the ministry's director for international affairs, said the five action plans are expected to be developed at the meeting. The priority plan is to initiate multilateral electricity trading on a subregional level this year under an Asean power grid including Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia through the power infrastructure of Thailand
ERC looks into free rural electricity
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is considering offering free electricity to local communities and villages around power plants nationwide, in line with an assignment from Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijarawong. ERC chairman Samerjai Suksumek said relevant state agencies are brainstorming to create a free power bill scheme this month, targeted at people who live near power plants. The scheme will be subsidised by cash from the Power Development Fund (PDF), overseen by the ERC. The PDF was set up by the Energy Industry Act of 2007.
Vietnam to have 2,000 MW of rooftop solar power capacity in 2020
The country’s total rooftop solar power capacity is expected to reach around 2,000 MW by the end of 2020, according to Vietnam Electricity (EVN). EVN said more than 4,000 households have installed rooftop solar power systems over the past three months with a total capacity of 200 MW. It estimated that an additional 300 MW of rooftop solar power will be added by the end of 2019, helping to ensure the nation’s power security.
Asia-Pacific will lead the wind turbines for wind energy market
The Asia-Pacific region (APAC) will be the one that will lead the wind turbine market with an annual installation capacity of 33.14 GW by 2023, largely driven by the deployment of offshore wind, according to a new report published by GlobalData. The EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and America regions, with capacities of 19.9 GW and 11.7 GW, will be in second and third place in the onshore wind market.
Microgrids could end energy scarcity
Nyaungshwe township in southern Shan State is in dire need of clean, adequate energy. Households in Nyaungshwe make use of solar home systems for lighting and charging electronic devices, but cooking is heavily dependent on firewood gathered from nearby forests and energy supply is inadequate. This energy scarcity not only makes daily life difficult but stifles economic development in the township...Connecting the township to the grid would be in line with the government’s ambitious National Electrification Plan, which aims to ensure nationwide access to electricity by 2030.