USAID Launches PHP1.6 Billion Project to Promote Clean Energy in the Philippines

The Southeast Asia Information Platform for the Energy Transition (SIPET) participated at the Deep Dive Workshop, “Digital Innovations in Energy Sector Supporting Clean Energy Transitions: Real Stories from the Ground,” on June 16 at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Headquarters in Manila, Philippines. The deep dive session, organized by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, emphasized how digital innovations catalyze clean energy transitions.

Sascha Oppowa, Project Director of CASE for Southeast Asia, GIZ Thailand, introduced SIPET, expounding on its utility and potential to expedite the energy transition in the region. Oppowa’s remarks likened the collective understanding of energy transition to the ancient parable of blind monks encountering an elephant.

“Each monk, like those grappling with the energy transition, touched a different part of the elephant, forming unique, incomplete impressions,” explained Oppowa. “Yet through dialogue, they could collectively create a more comprehensive image, filling in gaps of understanding rather than only having partial perspectives.”

Oppowa extended this metaphor to SIPET, describing it as a space for “energy transition blind monks” to share insights and create a complete picture of the energy transition process. This collaborative approach, facilitated by digital innovation, aims to yield more holistic, effective strategies for clean energy transitions.

Oppowa provided a quick walkthrough of SIPET, showcasing its tools and resources, namely the Project Mapping Tool, the Power Transition Progress Tool, the GEM Power Plant Trackers, the Power Sector Data Browser and its complementary Power Sector Snapshots, and the Knowledge Hub. These tools and resources are aimed at helping clean energy professionals and stakeholders drive the region’s t

The Southeast Asia Information Platform for Energy Transition (SIPET) recently launched its Power Sector Data Browser and Power Sector Snapshots during a webinar on March 10, 2023. The “Data-driven Energy Transition” event aimed to introduce the platform to energy transition professionals in Southeast Asia and highlight its key features.

SIPET aims to provide comprehensive and accurate data on Southeast Asia’s power sector, which is essential for developing sustainable and efficient energy systems. The event featured Sascha Oppowa, Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy for Southeast Asia (CASE) Project Director, who updated participants on SIPET since its launch in September 2022. Jephraim Manansala, Chief Data Scientist at Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), stressed the importance of data and information for driving the energy transition.

Samart Kumar, program manager at Agora Energiewende, and Judit Hecke, climate policy analyst at NewClimate Institute, introduced SIPET’s Power Sector Data Browser and complementary Power Sector Snapshots. Samart explained the database-building process, which used primary data sources from ministries, governments, utilities, and generation companies. Judit provided a virtual walkthrough of the Data Browser and Snapshots.

Moderated by CASE Project Advisor Warisa Sihirunwong, two energy experts shared their use of the resources. Ngoan Nghiem Thi, energy advisor at GIZ Vietnam, found the data browser’s validated data sets and visualization helpful in conveying information to colleagues and government partners. Dr. Siripha Junlakarn, a researcher at the Energy Research Institute  (ERI) at Chulalongkorn University, praised the database’s standardized approach to data, which increased data conformity and enabled efficient comparative analysis.

The webinar was recorded and can be found on SIPET’s Knowledge Hub.

IISD is a technical partner in the ASEAN Low Carbon Energy Programme (LCEP), which aims to drive inclusive growth and poverty reduction through increased energy efficiency and the adoption of low-carbon energy. The ASEAN LCEP is a GBP 15 million overseas development program under the auspices of the United Kingdom’s Prosperity Fund, which is targeted specifically at six countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The program seeks to help these countries reap the sustainable development opportunities that can arise from the deployment of low-carbon energy, in particular through green finance and energy efficiency. The main project partners are Ernst & Young, IMC worldwide, and the Carbon Trust. The ASEAN LCEP program runs until 2022.