Kuala Lumpur, 4-6 June 2024: ERIA and the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ), hosted a two-day working group meeting and a site visit. The purposes of the meeting were to review energy outlook results of BAU and LCET-CN for each member country, introduce software to identify cost-efficient power generation mixes, and conduct special lectures on promoting Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EEC) through digitalisation, efficient chiller systems, and thermal energy efficiency technologies. The meeting was conducted in a hybrid format, including representatives from Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, the United States, and Viet Nam. Three observers, Nur Waheeda Wahab, Mohammad Faiz, and Muhammad Hanif Idris from Suruhanjaya Tenaga, attended, along with lecturers Leong Siew Meng (Green Tech Solutions PLT), Chea Suei Keong (Daikin Applied Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.), and Edito S. Barcelona (Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre) and Cecilya L. Malik (Energy Consultant) online.

On the first day, Shigeru Kimura, Special Advisor to the President on Energy Affairs at ERIA and Leader of the Working Group, opened the meeting and outlined the agenda for the two-day event and site visit, aiming to update the EAS Energy Outlook Report 2023-2024, which includes an improved modelling scheme for the low-carbon energy transition–carbon neutral (LCET-CN) scenario and its new estimations.

Dr Han Phoumin, Senior Energy Economist at ERIA and Sub-leader of the Working Group, and Citra Endah Nur Setyawati, Research Associate at ERIA, updated the progress of the EAS Energy Outlook Report 2022–23. Shigeru Kimura then explained the basic concept of the LCET-CN scenario for the EAS Energy Outlook 2023–24, introduced the improved modelling scheme, and presented a new summary table extending the modelling period to 2060. ERIA Working Group Members subsequently presented the current progress of the EAS Energy Outlook 2023–24 for each country, covering final energy consumption, primary energy supply, CO2 emissions, and electricity generation for both the BAU (Business-as-Usual) and LCET-CN scenarios.

On the second day, presentations continued for Thailand, Viet Nam, and Myanmar (presented by Laksmita Dwi Hersaputri, ERIA Research Associate, as the representative was unable to attend). The session included Edito S. Barcelona introducing OSeMOSYS (Open-Source Energy Modelling System) software for identifying cost-efficient power generation mixes. Shigeru Kimura and Atul Kumar then discussed cost comparison analyses in the Energy Outlook 2023–24, focusing on electric battery storage.

In the next session, Leong Siew Meng delivered a lecture on promoting EEC, covering digitalisation to optimise energy savings and thermal energy efficiency. Chea Suei Keong followed with a lecture on efficient chiller systems. At the end of the session, Shigeru Kimura (on behalf of ERIA), Leong Siew Meng (on behalf of MASHRAE), and Zaharin Zulkifli (on behalf of ST and PETRA) discussed an upcoming joint EEC workshop under the EAS Energy Outlook framework. Shigeru Kimura concluded the meeting with closing remarks.

On the third day, Working Group members visited Daikin Refrigeration Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. for a technical visit to the chiller manufacturing facilities. This visit aimed to examine current technology systems for applying energy efficiency. The Daikin factory aims to achieve zero emissions by 2030 through EEC and solar PV systems with battery storage.