United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)

Sustainable Connectivity in Asia-Pacific: Challenges and Opportunities for Cross-Border Power System Connectivity

ESCAP-logo
ORGANISER
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
DATE 29 October 2021
TIME 09:30 - 11:30 hrs
VENUE
Virtual Platform
URL

Cross-border power system integration has long been used as a strategy to lower costs and to increase security. It is also recognized as a key strategy for supporting increased power system sustainability, in particular by helping countries meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

At UN ESCAP’s 77th Commission Session, member States endorsed the Regional Road Map on Power System Connectivity.1 The road map details nine strategies which, if implemented, would support increased and sustainable cross-border power system integration in the region. These strategies can be grouped into four categories:

  • Planning integrated power systems
  • Financing and developing cross-border infrastructure
  • Sustainable and secure operation of integrated power systems
  • Cross-cutting issues, such as political will and ensuring connectivity efforts support sustainable development

Each category offers a lens through which to examine the potential opportunities power system connectivity offers to meet sustainable development and national policy goals. At the same time, it is important to recognize that efforts to plan, develop, and operate cross-border power system infrastructure face real world challenges.

This roundtable will focus on the challenges and opportunities of increased cross-border power system integration. Expert participants from around the world will discuss real-world examples of cross-border integration projects, including the reasoning behind the projects, the challenges those projects faced, and how those challenges were overcome.

Time Programme
9:30 – 9:40 Opening Remarks

Matthew Wittenstein
Section Chief, Energy Connectivity
UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
pdf_smallClick here to download the presentation
9:40 – 10:05 Preparing for an Integrated Future: Examples of Regional Power System Planning

Beni Suryadi
Manager
ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE)
pdf_smallClick here to download the presentation

Moderated by
Mika Ohbayashi
Director
Renewable Energy Institute
10:05 – 10:30 Financing Cross-Border Infrastructure: Making the Case for Connectivity

Panellists
Frederic Asseline
Head of Program Team
Multilateral Cooperation Centre for Development Finance (MCDF)
pdf_smallClick here to download the presentation

Pradeep Tharakan
Unit Head, Sovereign Energy Operations, Greater Mekong Subregion
Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Moderated by
Mika Ohbayashi
Director
Renewable Energy Institute
10:30 – 10:55 Aligning Energy Connectivity with Sustainability Goals

Panellists
Jagjeet Sareen
Assistant Director-General, Strategy
International Solar Alliance (ISA) Secretariat

Valerie Lee
Head, Corporate Development (Singapore & Southeast Asia)
Sembcorp Industries Ltd

Dr Huang Han
Deputy Director-General
GEI Research Institute, GEIDCO
pdf_smallClick here to download the presentation

Moderated by
Mika Ohbayashi
Director
Renewable Energy Institute
10:55 – 11:25 Panel Discussion
Beni Suryadi
Manager
ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE)

Frederic Asseline
Head of Program Team
Multilateral Cooperation Centre for Development Finance (MCDF)

Pradeep Tharakan
Unit Head, Sovereign Energy Operations, Greater Mekong Subregion
Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Jagjeet Sareen
Assistant Director-General, Strategy
International Solar Alliance (ISA) Secretariat

Dr Huang Han
Deputy Director-General
GEI Research Institute, GEIDCO

Valerie Lee
Head, Corporate Development (Singapore & Southeast Asia)
Sembcorp Industries Ltd

Matthew Wittenstein
Section Chief, Energy Connectivity
UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Moderated by
Mika Ohbayashi
Director
Renewable Energy Institute
11:25 – 11:30 Closing Remarks

Matthew Wittenstein
Section Chief, Energy Connectivity
UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Watch the On-demand sessions here!

Speakers

beni

Beni Suryadi

Manager

ASEAN Centre for Energy

Matthew-Wittenstein

Matthew Wittenstein

Section Chief, Energy Connectivity

UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP)

Frederic Asseline

Frederic Asseline

Head of Program Team

Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance (MCDF)

Mika Ohbayashi

Mika Ohbayashi

Director

Renewable Energy Institute

Dr Han Huang

Dr Han Huang

Deputy Director-General

GEI Research Institute, GEIDCO

Pradeep Tharakan

Pradeep Tharakan

Unit Head, Sovereign Energy Operations, Greater Mekong Subregion

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

valerie lee

Valerie Lee

Head, Corporate Development (Singapore & Southeast Asia)

Sembcorp Industries Ltd

jagjeet sareen

Jagjeet Sareen

Assistant Director-General, Strategy

International Solar Alliance (ISA) Secretariat

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