I've just read two interesting light materials on the energy sector of two ASEAN countries: Brunei and Lao PDR. Both are considered as small countries although in term of population and land size, the latter oversized the former.
The most interesting part is how each of them use their natural endowments for their incomes. On the case of Lao PDR, endowed with mountainous areas with rivers flowing the major parts of the country, the use of hydro power becomes not only imminent but also essential to secure the domestic energy supply as well as to obtain revenue through exporting electricity. The country also utilizes small scale hydro power (mini, micro) to enable people in the decentralized rural areas get access to electricity.
Yet, another interesting fact from the country is the initiative to use solar power for rural households living in isolated areas. Such power is also used for other purposes such as for health care station as well as to provide lighting for schools.
Contrary, with vast resources in gas and oil, Brunei relies its revenues on gas and oil export. It can be said that most of the oil is exported, while the majority of the gas produced is sold through long term contracts, mostly to Japan and Korea. Major gas areas are found on the Gannet and Fairley block while oil fields are located at Seria and Champion blocks.
Even with this huge resource, Brunei has started to initiate an action plan on renewable energy. Through cooperating with Mitshubisi, the country has installed a photovoltaic demonstration project, probably the largest in South East Asia country, at Seria power station in Belait district.
The project inspired me to plan a field trip activity to this site into the AGRE project agenda.
A lesson learn from these facts is we need to prepare for the worst. Renewable energy may be (in immediate time) the only viable energy sources when conventional (thermal) energy starts to run out, or is plotted for political purposes.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment