More than 160 participants are in Singapore for the Singapore-IEA Regional Training Programme on Seizing Opportunities with Regional Power Grids. This event marks the seventh instalment of the Singapore-IEA Regional Training Hub initiative. Taking place today and tomorrow, the training programme brings together policy makers, regulators, utilities, and the industry to discuss the opportunities in advancing regional power grids.

According to the IEA’s Southeast Asia Energy Outlook 2022, regional integration and multilateral power trading have the potential to enhance power systems’ flexibility and facilitate the integration of variable renewable resources. Regional power grids can also accelerate the development and financing of renewable energy projects while delivering significant economic and social benefits to the region. Building on the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP) initiated on 23 June 2022, the region now strives to collaborate on projects that further the ASEAN Power Grid vision.

The training programme provides a valuable platform to share best practices and cultivate expertise in cross-border electricity trading, including the development of subsea interconnectors to overcome the challenges posed by the region’s archipelagic geography. The training programme features speakers from the IEA, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for the Asia Pacific (UN ESCAP), Keppel Electric and ASEAN Centre for Energy.

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IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, Executive Director of IEA said: “Further integration of the national power systems across Southeast Asia needs to be treated as a key priority. It will allow for more of the region’s rising electricity demand to be met by renewables in a cost-effective, reliable and sustainable manner. As such, the IEA is pleased to be partnering with Singapore to train government officials and industry representatives on how to fast-track regional power grid integration.”

EMA Chief Executive Ngiam Shih Chun said: “Regional energy connectivity plays a vital role in facilitating decarbonisation, enhancing energy resilience, and improving the access to energy. By fostering the cross-border trade of clean energy, we can enhance the feasibility of renewable energy projects and accelerate progress towards realising the region’s significant renewables potential. We thank the IEA for the fruitful partnership as well as other regional partners for continuing to bolster our collective capabilities in cross-border electricity trading.”

Singapore and the IEA will next co-host the Singapore-IEA Ministerial Forum on 24 October 2023 at the 16th Singapore International Energy Week.