The Southeast Asian region has a large demand for energy. In fact, it is estimated that energy consumption in the Southeast Asian region will continue to increase in the coming years. If it is not anticipated by utilizing clean and renewable energy, it is feared that there will be a surge in greenhouse gas emissions in the Southeast Asian region.
In the long term, the greenhouse gas effect increases the risk of global warming, which has an impact on survival, starting from rising sea levels, destroying ecosystems to extreme climate change. The good news is that switching to renewable energy is one of the easiest ways to "take care" of the earth.
In this case, Indonesia, as the holder of the ASEAN Chair for 2023, has an important role in efforts to create sustainable energy security in Southeast Asia.
The good news is that the ASEAN region has enormous renewable energy sources. It is estimated new and renewable energy sources in the ASEAN region are more than 17,000 GW.
Energy Network Interconnection in ASEAN
As Chair of ASEAN 2023, Indonesia must start interconnecting networks or strengthening cooperation in terms of innovation, technology, and research in the field of renewable energy. It aims to achieve the target of 23% of the renewable energy mix in primary energy and 35% of installed renewable energy capacity in 2025.
In the long term, the interconnection of energy networks in ASEAN can also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in every country in the Southeast Asian region. So, it can reach Net Zero Emissions (NZE) in 2050.
One of the efforts to interconnect renewable energy networks in the ASEAN region begins with building the ASEAN Power Grid (APG). The use of the ASEAN Power Grid helps meet energy demand in ASEAN, as well as being the first step to accelerate the use of renewable energy.
Quoting a report from iesr.or.id, Sub-Coordinator of the Gatrik Program of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Yeni Gusrini, in the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) webinar entitled "Toward a Decarbonized ASEAN" explained that ASEAN has currently a capacity of around 7,645 MW on the interconnection network in the ASEAN Power Grid project.
It is hoped that in the future, the capacity of the energy network can reach 19,000 to 22,000 MW. It is intended that the interconnection network can cover a wider area.
In the long term, the utilization of the ASEAN Power Grid is also expected to encourage other ASEAN countries to terminate the operation of coal-generated steam power plants (PLTU) before 2050. Thus, countries in ASEAN can escape dependence on fossil energy while increasing the capacity of renewable energy in the electricity sector.
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