Envision Group (Envision), Keppel Infrastructure Holdings (KI) and Impact Electrons Siam (IES) have agreed to pursue opportunities in ASEAN grid interconnectivity.
In a memorandum of understanding signed recently the three companies will also develop low-carbon electricity, storage and intermittency management solutions
"With climate change a pressing issue impacting ASEAN's sustainable development, we see this strategic partnership with global leaders, such as Keppel Infrastructure and IES, crucial for the regions,” said George Wang, chief technology officer, Envision Energy, said.
He added: “By combining Envision's systematic net-zero capabilities and the complementary strengths from our partners, this collaboration will make a significant impact to the regions' de-carbonisation and digitalisation transition."
Envision will leverage its expertise in green technology, together with KI's strong track record of developing and operating large-scale sustainable energy infrastructure end-to-end, and IES's renewable energy solutions in the Asia Pacific, to bring innovative, reliable and competitive renewable energy solutions to end-users in ASEAN.
The MOU seeks to support the goal set by ASEAN member nation of achieving 23% of renewable energy in total primary energy supply in 2025.
Working on joint projects
This MOU will see also all three companies leverage IES's exclusive development rights issued by the Government of Lao PDR to increase the capacity of the current 600MW Monsoon Wind Power Project, which IES is developing in the Sekong and Attapeu provinces in Laos, by an additional 1,000MW. Targeted to reach commercial operations by 2025, the iconic Monsoon project will be the largest wind farm in ASEAN. The project, including the expansion, could offset over 90 million tons of carbon dioxide throughout its lifetime.
This collaboration for wind energy projects, including other potential renewables, like solar and biomass, will diversify Laos' main source of renewable energy generation - hydropower, which is mainly generated during wet season. By building and integrating renewable sources with complementary generation profiles, coupled with energy and battery storage system, this collaboration seeks to supply stable and non-intermittent, yet flexible, low-carbon electricity to ASEAN nations evenly throughout the year.
"Riding on the recent signing of the exclusive framework agreement to study the feasibility of cross-border power trade from Laos to Singapore, which is part of the Laos PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP), an inter-government project, we are excited to work with Envision and IES on this collaboration,” said Cindy Lim, CEO of KI.
She added: “ Developing large-scale renewable energy for cross-borders power trade in the region will be a significant step towards promoting greater energy security by diversifying energy supply sources as well as contributing to ASEAN's plan for a low-carbon energy future.
Lim said that aligned with Keppel's Vision 2030, KI is intensifying our involvement in renewables and end-to-end decarbonisation solutions.
“Besides renewable electricity cross-border trading, and renewable energy certificates (RECs) and voluntary carbon credits to be utilised in ASEAN in the near future, KI is also exploring the development of low-carbon energy alternatives like hydrogen and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS),” said Lim.
Pursuing advanced technology
Meanwhile, the collaboration will also aspire to use state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and internet of things technologies as well as "digital twin" technology - comprising advanced control systems, data analysis, active performance control, and reliability prediction capabilities, to enhance performance and delivery of services.
“The collaboration brings each party's unique and complementary skills together to tackle today's pressing challenges with real world solutions. We are excited to roll up our sleeves to meet the challenges head on,” said Peck Khamkanist, CEO of IES.
The partnership is expected to catalyse regional power interconnectivity between ASEAN countries and cross-border multilateral electricity trading so that countries with rich natural resources and access to renewable energy can offer renewable electricity supply to other countries that need such resources.
This will in turn accelerate ASEAN's low carbon energy transition and net zero carbon future as greater regional cooperation for renewable energy export and import can support more efficient allocation of resources, achieve economies of scale, increase the use of renewable energy, as well as allow nations to reduce their reliance on carbon-based energy.
