ASEAN urged to prepare for rising energy demand

BANGKOK, October 2 (TNA) - The International Energy Agency (IEA) has suggested that member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian countries (ASEAN) cope with their rising energy demand, expected to increase by 80 per cent over the next 22 years. A joint study by the IEA and the Thai Ministry of Energy, entitled "the World Energy Outlook 2013", which looks into energy demand of the IEA's member economies until 2035, has found that energy demand in the 10-member ASEAN bloc will be soaring over the next two decades. According to the study, ASEAN's overall demand for oil is expected to rise from 4.4 million barrels a day currently to 6.8 million barrels a day then, demand for coal is likely to increase by three times and demand for natural gas is anticipated to shoot up by as much as 80 per cent, while carbon dioxide emissions in the region will also increase accordingly. The IEA pointed out that Thailand is at the greatest risk due to the country's reliance on more energy imports, and that, at present, the proportions of Thailand's natural gas and oil imports account for 25 per cent and 65 per cent of domestic consumption respectively. The IEA acknowledged that coal will play more roles in ASEAN, where there are deposits, especially in Indonesia, and that coal-fired electricity generating is expected to reach 700 million megawatts in the region by 2035. The IEA assessed that the consumption of renewable energy in ASEAN will increase to 300 million megawatts; so, renewable energy will also play more roles but a major obstacle is the construction of power transmission grids to support electricity generated with renewable energy because such the power generating does not continue around the clock. The IEA, thus, recommended that ASEAN governments cope with the situation by reducing energy price subsidies, develop their energy networks, including ASEAN grids and ASEAN pipelines, and increase efficiency in energy consumption in their countries. (TNA)