Bandar Seri Begawan, 10-11 May 2023: The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) supported the Brunei Mid-Year Conference and Exhibition 2023 (Brunei MYCE 2023) energy seminar, under the theme A Just Energy Transition Towards Green and Sustainable Development in Southeast Asia. The conference was organized by the Department of Energy, the Prime Minister’s Office of Brunei Darussalam.

Welcoming remarks were made by His Excellency Pengiran Haji Jamra Weira bin Pengiran Haji Petra, the Acting Permanent Secretary (Energy) at the Prime Minister’s Office, as Chairman of the Brunei MYCE 2023 energy seminar. He said the seminar would have a specific focus on four high-impact actionable areas for the region. Firstly, the role of clean energy deployment to replace carbon-intensive energy; secondly, the importance of emerging technologies to mitigate emissions from the hard-to-abate sectors; thirdly, strengthening energy connectivity to optimise renewable resources across the region; and lastly, the role of financing mechanisms as a key enabler to advance energy transition efforts.

The guest of honour, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II, said in his keynote address that 'by working together, ASEAN can pool resources, share best practices, and accelerate the deployment of renewable and clean energy solutions'.

Speaking on behalf of ERIA President Professor Tetsuya Watanabe, Dr Aladdin Rillo, Senior Economic Advisor, delivered the keynote speech, expressing his hope that the outcomes of the conference would provide key elements to elaborate policies in Southeast Asian countries, especially in providing the stability, accessibility, and affordability of the energy supply, while ensuring the pathways toward decarbonization. Dr Rillo also expressed his appreciation of Brunei Darussalam’s important role in the energy transition in Southeast Asia.

In Session I on Clean Energy Deployment for a Just Energy Transition, Dr Alloysius Joko Purwanto, ERIA Energy Economist, served as the  commentator. For Session II on Emerging Technologies for Clean Energy Future: CCUS (carbon capture, utilisation and storage), Shigeru Kimura, ERIA Special Advisor on Energy Affairs, ERIA, was moderator. The last session of day one, the fireside chat, Navigating a Secure and Just Energy Transition, saw Citra Endah Nur Setyawati, Energy Research Associate, as the speaker.

On the second day, for Session III Energy Interconnection in Securing Energy Transition, Kei Sudo, ERIA Senior Policy Advisor, ERIA, was the commentator. For the fireside chat Towards Green Hydrogen Economy in ASEAN, Dr Alloysius Joko Purwanto, ERIA Energy Economist led the session as moderator, and Dr Han Phoumin, ERIA Senior Energy Economist, was the speaker. In the Session IV on Exploring Financing Mechanisms for Energy Transition, Dr Han Phoumin, ERIA Senior Energy Economist, led the session as moderator.

The two-day conference was wrapped up by Dr Zulfikar Yurnaidi from the ASEAN Centre for Energy, who highlighted five recommendations as the way forward from Brunei MYCE 2023:

1. Enhance collaboration and innovation in pursuing the ASEAN way of a just energy transition — balancing security, accessibility, affordability, and sustainability for all, with consideration of national circumstances.
2. Boost the adoption of clean energy in energy systems for sustainable energy transition.
3. Encourage more demonstration of emerging technologies, such as CCU/S and hydrogen.
4. Advance key infrastructure projects, mainly power grids – Lao PDM, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore (LTMS); and the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East ASEAN Growth AREA (BIMP) as part of the ASEAN Power Grid (APG).
5. Stimulate energy investment through efficient financing and de-risking mechanisms, and supporting policies.