@ green | May-June , 2021

Collaboration will include cooperative study and research , personnel exchange and information sharing

This partnership will further support the implementation of the Coal and Clean Coal Technology ( CCT ) programme under The ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation ( APAEC ) Phase II : 2021-2025 .

Building upon the previous cooperation activity , the Joint Study of the Cleaner Coal Utilisation Roadmap in ASEAN by ACE and CETERI , the partnership will include various cooperation activities .

The collaboration will include cooperative study and research , personnel exchange and information sharing , and capacity building to implement the Cleaner Coal Utilisation Roadmap for ASEAN Member States ( AMS ).

Based on the principles of equality , mutual assistance , win-win cooperation , mutual reinforcement and joint development , ACE and CETERI will innovate cooperation models and explore establishing a strategic cooperative partnershipdriven in promoting regional energy transformation .

Dr Nuki Agya Utama , the Executive Director of ACE , said the strategic partnership would support implementing the Clean Coal Technology ( CCT ) Programme Area under the APAEC Phase II .

“ Our cooperation will focus on the conduct of feasibility study for Coal-Fired Power Plant ( CFPP ) and Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage ( CCUS ),” said Nuki .

“ We will explore the initiatives to support the establishment of regional carbon emission standards , as well as capacity building for the implementation of the Cleaner Coal Utilisation Roadmap for the AMS .”

Prof Wang Xuelian , President of CETERI , said to carry forward their cause and forge ahead into the future , they were willing to work with ACE to strengthen research on clean energy transformation and energy conservation transformation to promote regional energy transformation .

“ CETERI and ACE will study the supply and demand of energy and electricity , policy planning , energy transformation path and other related aspects in the ASEAN region ( and major countries ),” said Prof Wang .

The intention is to contribute to the sustainable development of the ASEAN economy , society and energy .” — @ green

GLOBAL renewable energy capacity additions in 2020 beat earlier estimates and all previous records despite the economic slowdown that resulted from the Covid-19 pandemic . According to data released on April 5 , 2021 , by the International Renewable Energy Agency ( IRENA ) the world added more than 260 gigawatts ( GW ) of renewable energy capacity last year , exceeding expansion in 2019 by close to 50 per cent .

IRENA ’ s annual Renewable Capacity Statistics 2021 shows that renewable energy ’ s share of all new generating capacity rose considerably for the second year in a row . More than 80 per cent of all new electricity capacity added last year was renewable , with solar and wind accounting for 91 per cent of new renewables .

Renewables ’ rising share of the total is partly attributable to net decommissioning of fossil fuel power generation in Europe , North America and for the first time across Eurasia ( Armenia , Azer-

THE INTERNATIONAL Hydropower Association ( IHA ) joined the Norwegian government in supporting the revision to the rules for hydropower plants , which cover minimum criteria for power density and life-cycle carbon emissions .

The update to EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act , a classification system for environmentally sustainable economic activities , comes after IHA and other respondents raised concerns with the proposed requirements as originally drafted .

The Act is now aligned with hydropower sector good practice requirements described in the Hydropower Sustainability ESG Gap Analysis Tool , compliance with which is necessary to secure green bond financing through the Climate Bonds Initiative .

Eddie Rich , Chief Executive of IHA , said : “ This welcome update means that the EU Taxonomy , Climate Bonds Initiative , International Finance Corporation and World Bank requirements for infrastructure are all now aligned with the Hydropower Sustainability ESG Gap Analysis Tool .

“ In practice , this means that hydropower projects that commission an assessment using the tool can now demonstrate alignment with all of these classifications .”

The criteria for hydropower

baijan , Georgia , Russian Federation and Turkey ). Total fossil fuel additions fell to 60 GW in 2020 from 64 GW the previous year , highlighting a continued downward trend of fossil fuel expansion .

“ These numbers tell a remarkable story of resilience and hope . Despite the challenges and the uncertainty of 2020 , renewable energy emerged as a source of undeniable optimism for a better , are now more context-specific . Run-of-river plants or plants with a power density above 5W / m2 will not have to undertake a life cycle based GHG emission assessment to prove that they comply with the 100g threshold . Plants with a reservoir and a power density below 5W / m2 will have to confirm that they meet the threshold .

Notably , the Act also now recognises all types of pumped storage hydropower as making a substantial contribution to climate change mitigation .

According to the European Commission , these changes achieve a better balance in protecting the environment while promoting hydropower and avoiding excessive administration .

With the rapid roll-out of variable renewables and the phasing-out of fossil-fuel plants , hydropower will have an increasingly important role in managing the growing need for flexibility in the European power grid .

IHA supports innovation in flexible hydropower technologies as part of XFLEX HYDRO , an EUfunded initiative to demonstrate how such technologies can help countries meet their carbon reduction targets and support variable renewables . — @ green

more equitable , resilient , clean and just future ,” said IRENA Director- General Francesco La Camera .

“ The great reset offered a moment of reflection and chance to align our trajectory with the path to inclusive prosperity , and there are signs we are grasping it .

“ Despite the difficult period , as we predicted , 2020 marks the start of the decade of renewable .”

La Camera added costs were falling , cleantech markets were growing , and never before had the energy transition benefits been straightforward .

“ This trend is unstoppable , but as the review of our World Energy Transitions Outlook highlights , there is a huge amount to be done . Our 1.5-degree outlook shows significant planned energy investments must be redirected to support the transition to achieve 2050 goals . In this critical decade of action , the international community must look to this trend as a source of inspiration to go further ,” he concluded . @ green