Committee Chair Tim Rockell, and FCDO Regional Director for SE Asia Climate and Energy, Tom Moody, open the session.
Following the success of past virtual Thinktank Roundtables as part of the week-long Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), the British Chamber of Commerce's Energy & Utilities Committee was invited to participate in a fully in-person edition this year.
The UK has established itself as a leader in industrial-scale test-beds for green energy. This roundtable illustrated project examples, including policy and commercial development, for industrial decarbonisation, developing hydrogen at scale, the utilisation of new and existing infrastructure, carbon capture and storage, and city-scale projects.
The Roundtable started with a dialogue between Committee Chair Tim Rockell, Chairman, BritCham Singapore, Energy & Utilities Business Committee, who is also Managing Director, Energy Strat Asia, Singapore, and Tom Moody, Regional Director SE Asia, Climate and Energy, British High Commission, Singapore. The discussion focused on the key policy tools needed to drive a green economy in ASEAN, including what had already been implemented during the UK’s COP26 Presidency and what was to come at the upcoming COP27.
The conversation soon moved to a panel discussion on creating hydrogen and carbon capture clusters across the region. The session ended with a case study on city-based collaborative industry and public-sector projects in the UK and their relevance for ASEAN.
Moderating the Roundtable was Mark Florance, Co-Chair, BritCham Singapore, Energy & Utilities Business Committee, Climate InvestorOne, Singapore. He was joined by panellists Rob Cooper, Senior BD Manager for Asia, Regions, Corporates & Solutions, BP, Singapore; Peter Godfrey, Managing Director APAC, The Energy Institute and Vice President APAC, Storegga; Mauricio Riveros, Associate Director, Carbon Trust, UK; and Nick Dingemans, Partner, Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP.
Panellists L-R: Mark Florance, Rob Cooper, Peter Godfrey, Mauricio Riveros Rodriguez and Nick Dinegemans.
Key policy tools to drive a green economy
Mr Moody and Mr Rockell covered the ASEAN regional developments since the UK hosted COP26 in 2021. They also looked ahead to what would be next for the region arising out of this year's COP27 in Egypt, as well as COP28 scheduled to be held in the UAE in 2023.
Progress has been made on green energy projects in ASEAN. Cross-border policy development goals backed by the UK and 1.5°C-aligned net zero commitments now cover 85% of the region’s emissions during the UK’s the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) presidency. So there is much government attention given to ensuring that these are matched with implementation plans, and that 2030 Nationally Determined Contributions are consistent.
A focus on enabling a "just" energy transition has seen two projects in the region born out of the UK’s COP26 and Group of Seven (G7) Presidencies—in Indonesia (led by the US and Japan on behalf of G7) and Vietnam (led by the UK and European Union).
The UK aims to keep the momentum from Glasgow. The recent COP27 focused on implementing the progress promised by governments at COP26, such as phasing out coal use and new post-2025 donor country funding for climate projects. The UK is leading several initiatives around the region, and ASEAN and climate will stay at the top of the UK Government’s agenda for the rest of the decade.
Carbon Trust-led Clean Hydrogen Innovation Program (CHIP)
Carbon Trust highlighted its new UK hydrogen accelerator which was launched in October this year. The programme seeks to align industry players and speed up the deployment of clean hydrogen, providing a solution for the disparate forecasts regarding hydrogen production and end use.
Through industry-wide collaboration, this aims to support innovation and reduce end-to-end costs. The ultimate goal is to make hydrogen cost-
competitive with conventional alternatives. The programme addresses the key challenges identified by the UK Government’s Hydrogen Strategy.
Fifty stakeholders consulted in its design. CHIP follows the same approach as other highly successful collaborative innovation programmes run by Carbon Trust, including its Offshore Wind Accelerator which has helped to accelerate the growth of offshore wind.
Mauricio Riveros, Associate Director, Carbon Trust, London, set out the goals of the programme. To bring about industry-wide buy-in and targeted action to address current blockers, the goals of this accelerator model include:
- Sustaining industry engagement
- Co-creating with industry, needs-based
- Pooling knowledge and skills
- Stimulating supply chain solutions
- Sharing costs and leveraging funding
- Reducing research & development risks
Mauricio Riveros Rodriguez from The Carbon Trust presents their Clean Hydrogen Innovation Programme.
Creating hydrogen and carbon capture clusters across ASEAN
Mr Florance, Mr Dingemans and Mr Godfrey led a showcase on the techno-economic and policy development features of decarbonisation projects already underway in the UK and the region. This includes the UK’s East Coast Hydrogen project and the Acorn carbon capture and storage projects featuring the UK’s carbon capture specialist, Storegga.
These projects have applicability for ASEAN with lessons to be learned on utilising existing infrastructure, building new ones, and building a nationally focused supply chain to meet capital project development and their ongoing operations. There is understanding to be gained from the likely pace of change in areas of technology adoption.
Realising carbon capture and storage projects in ASEAN will require cross-border agreements. This is an opportunity to leverage the North Sea frameworks.
A showcase of work in cities like Aberdeen
With city-based decarbonisation important for ASEAN’s metropolises and secondary cities, a showcase of the work done by BP in this space in Aberdeen was set out by Mr Cooper.
BP is working with organisations from the public and private sectors to reimagine and integrate the delivery of energy and mobility to help cities decarbonise. Cities account for more than 70% of global emissions. They consume around two-thirds of global energy, and this is set to grow. So for the world to get to net zero, cities must lead the way.
In Aberdeen, BP has set up a joint venture with the city to help create an integrated hydrogen hub. Phase 1 includes building a green hydrogen facility supplying bus and truck fleets, developing a new solar farm, and stimulating supply chain, skill sets and training. Future phases include expansion through Scottish offshore wind leasing ScotWind, supply of heat for housing, industrial buildings, rail and maritime sectors, and hydrogen for export.
Rob Cooper from BP presents on Regions, Corporates & Solutions.
Summary
Policy development is of key concern in markets where predictability and precision on the direction of travel is required to transition at scale. This is to ensure that ambitions on social mobility and justness of outcomes for all people across ASEAN are considered and met.
The private sector is ready to do its part and the Chamber is prepared to direct enquiries on opportunities in ASEAN and to highlight case studies from the UK. These include those outlined above where lessons learned can be taken onboard as the region develops projects and builds its own supply chains around new technologies that will need to be adopted.