ID :
199104
Thu, 08/04/2011 - 10:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/199104
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S'PORE CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE STEPS TO BOOST REGIONAL ENERGY CONNECTIVITY
SINGAPORE, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- A Singapore minister has called for immediate steps to boost regional energy connectivity and collaboration, saying that regional energy connectivity would not be achieved overnight.
"Pipelines and cables take time to lay. So too, the forging of common or compatible regulatory standards," said S. Iswaran who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Home Affairs and Second Minister for Trade and Industry.
Speaking at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) 4th Asean and Asia Forum at Sentosa here Thursda, he said it was essential for Asean member countries to take steps now to boost regional energy connectivity and collaboration in step with and complement to their emergence as an Asean economic community.
He said the Asean governments must take the lead in this endeavour, and as a first step, each Asean country should study how greater regional energy connectivity could be fostered within their respective energy markets.
"Singapore is seriously considering electricity imports as an addition to our energy mix.
"In this regard, we are currently reviewing our regulatory framework and studying various trading models that could facilitate electricity imports in the medium term," he said.
This, Iswaran said, could catalyse more opportunities for energy cooperation across Asean.
He said the interplay between economic growth, energy consumption, and environmental sustainability was always high on the global public policy agenda.
In more recent times, he said, this trilemma was drawn into sharper and more urgent focus with the growth of large emerging economies, the rise in energy prices and the concerns over climate change.
He said finding a balance between these sometimes competing objectives was a global, regional and national challenge.
As Asean was at the heart of a dynamic region, and the prospect for growth was promising, Iswaran said, this would also mean that the demand for energy to fuel this growth would be ever-increasing.
He said Asean governments would have to find ways to ensure that energy does not become a binding constraint on growth.
"This task is rendered more difficult by the changing global energy
landscape – the second major trend that governments have to contend with," he said.
The minister said there was much scope within Asean for greater energy cooperation.
"Our objectives are similar: to ensure a reliable supply of competitively priced energy," he said adding that regional energy cooperation was an important means of boosting energy security and competitiveness.
"In the case of Asean, an aggregated regional energy market would be better able to attract investments as there would be greater demand assurance.
"With new investments and collaboration, more energy sources within the region can be unlocked. This, augmented by competitive imports, will boost overall energy supply security," he added.
-- BERNAMA
"Pipelines and cables take time to lay. So too, the forging of common or compatible regulatory standards," said S. Iswaran who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Home Affairs and Second Minister for Trade and Industry.
Speaking at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) 4th Asean and Asia Forum at Sentosa here Thursda, he said it was essential for Asean member countries to take steps now to boost regional energy connectivity and collaboration in step with and complement to their emergence as an Asean economic community.
He said the Asean governments must take the lead in this endeavour, and as a first step, each Asean country should study how greater regional energy connectivity could be fostered within their respective energy markets.
"Singapore is seriously considering electricity imports as an addition to our energy mix.
"In this regard, we are currently reviewing our regulatory framework and studying various trading models that could facilitate electricity imports in the medium term," he said.
This, Iswaran said, could catalyse more opportunities for energy cooperation across Asean.
He said the interplay between economic growth, energy consumption, and environmental sustainability was always high on the global public policy agenda.
In more recent times, he said, this trilemma was drawn into sharper and more urgent focus with the growth of large emerging economies, the rise in energy prices and the concerns over climate change.
He said finding a balance between these sometimes competing objectives was a global, regional and national challenge.
As Asean was at the heart of a dynamic region, and the prospect for growth was promising, Iswaran said, this would also mean that the demand for energy to fuel this growth would be ever-increasing.
He said Asean governments would have to find ways to ensure that energy does not become a binding constraint on growth.
"This task is rendered more difficult by the changing global energy
landscape – the second major trend that governments have to contend with," he said.
The minister said there was much scope within Asean for greater energy cooperation.
"Our objectives are similar: to ensure a reliable supply of competitively priced energy," he said adding that regional energy cooperation was an important means of boosting energy security and competitiveness.
"In the case of Asean, an aggregated regional energy market would be better able to attract investments as there would be greater demand assurance.
"With new investments and collaboration, more energy sources within the region can be unlocked. This, augmented by competitive imports, will boost overall energy supply security," he added.
-- BERNAMA
