AZEC” action plan / summit meeting in Laos to promote international electricity trade
The second summit meeting of the Asian Zero Emissions Community (AZEC), which aims to decarbonize Asia, was held in Laos on October 11, and the leaders announced an “Action Plan” that includes initiatives for the next 10 years in which each country will cooperate. The Action Plan includes the introduction of perovskite solar cells, promotion of cross-border electricity trading projects, and promotion of zero-emission thermal power generation using hydrogen, ammonia, and CCUS (CO2 capture, utilization, and storage).
AZEC, proposed by Japan, consists of 11 countries, including the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), excluding Myanmar, and Australia.
The adopted annex states that GHG emissions visibility will be promoted to create and expand markets where greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction efforts are valued. The project will promote GHG emission accounting and reporting of business activities, and develop indicators and methods to assess emission reductions from advanced decarbonization technologies.
In strengthening the power grid infrastructure, it noted that it will pursue cooperation in multilateral power trading to realize the “ASEAN Denka Grid,” including the promotion of the development and passage of cross-border submarine power cables within ASEAN. In addition, efforts will be made to establish a supply chain for “synthetic fuels” produced by synthesizing CO2 and hydrogen, hydrogen, and ammonia.
The annex also refers to the activities of the Asia Zero Emission Center, which opened in August at the East Asia-ASEAN Economic Research Institute (ERIA) in Indonesia, including research and policy recommendations for the promotion of the ASEAN electricity grid, formulation of a master plan for the ASEAN-Japan Next Generation Automotive Industry Strategy, and a heat pump energy-saving potential study, etc.