From Slipstream to Mainstream? Renewable Energy in China, Indonesia and Vietnam
(Room Amber 1)
19 Sep 17
4:00 PM
-
5:30 PM
Tracks:
Track A - Trends, Projects and Planning
The rationale behind renewable energy (particularly wind and solar), was frequently seen as one of supporting emissions reduction. As such policy and/or fiscal intervention was often viewed as pre-requisite to ensure the economic viability of projects. But as renewable energy has become increasingly cost competitive, it may soon compete for significant market share in its own right. The penetration of renewable energy sources within the generation mix has grown rapidly, albeit from a low base. This has also brought new challenges – such as how to integrate renewable energy with its potential intermittency into the generation mix. Natural gas, has often been described as a “bridge” or “transition” fuel to renewables, but this role does not seem to have materialised. More often than not, gas has to compete with coal, an issue in itself when project economics often favour the former in countries already short of power. Renewable generation is, however, not a “one size fits all”. Resource endowment, accessibility and the state of a country’s grid development all play a role in determining the potential for - and the role that – renewable energy can play in the fuel mix. We examine the markets of China, Indonesia and Vietnam, and ask why, how and where renewable energy has entered into the fuel mix, and consider the constraints and opportunities that lie ahead.