Singapore Energy Summit also featured a Special Session that discussed the regional grid interconnectivity and related developments. The session aimed to explore solutions to enhance the energy transition by increasing cross-border power trade via the regional power grids.
During the special session, Dr Sinava Souphanouvong, Deputy Minister for Energy and Mines, Laos People’s Democratic Republic, touched on the potential of cross-border power trades. According to him, there was a growing need for international collaboration.
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Undersecretary-General, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), mentioned the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP). She believed the project was a positive step towards multilateral power trading.
Mary Burce Warlick, Deputy Executive Director, International Energy Agency (IEA), opined that a strong working relationship between governments and industry stakeholders is crucial to building interconnected functional systems. She added that potential physical disruption and cybersecurity attacks must be properly addressed before realising regional interconnectivity.
PT Pertamina Power Indonesia (PPI) Chief Executive Officer Dannif Danusaputro then stated that Indonesia would look into technology solutions to enable renewable energy export and boost clean energy accessibility to renewable-disadvantaged countries.
Cindy Lim, Chief Executive Officer of Keppel Infrastructure, shared that energy consumption trends have changed due to digitalisation and urbanisation. The energy shift would necessitate demand management and a more responsive and robust grid to accommodate further renewables integration.
Jimmy Khoo, Chief Executive Officer of SP PowerGrid, concluded the session by emphasising the importance of coordinated efforts among all stakeholders, particularly between countries, in managing and tackling climate change and facilitating the energy transition.
