The COGEN Programme, a joint undertaking of ASEAN and the European Union to develop clean and efficient energy conversion projects in Southeast Asia will enter a new five-year phase in 1999 with a fund support of ECU 25 million.
The programme seeks to accelerate the implementation of proven technologies generating heat and power from wood and agro-industrial residues through partnerships between ASEAN and European companies.
In the new phase, which covers a five-year period, the COGEN Programme will be enlarged to include gas and coal-fired cogeneration projects. During that time, the Programme, which is coordinated by the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand, is expected to become a key player in the market for proven clean and efficient energy conversion technologies in Southeast Asia.
It will also maintain full-scale demonstration projects and a business information service while promoting business worth $250 million.
Policy studies
At the same time, the Programme will implement an Environment Plan involving studies on environmental policies in ASEAN with focus on new technologies such as natural gas cogeneration and advanced coal technologies, greenhouse gas emission mitigation for new technologies and air pollution abatement for all its ongoing full scale demonstration projects.
The Programme is now involved in the operation of some US$100 million worth of clean and efficient energy equipment in the ASEAN region. Around 13 full-scale demonstration projects in wood, rice, palm oil and rubber sectors Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been put in motion and are now going through technical and economic monitoring.
Payback in four years
Initial findings show that these power plant equipment are economically viable, energy efficient and friendly to the environment. Having a payback period of fewer four years, these equipment have attracted considerable interest among wood and agro-industries in ASEAN.
The Programme has created COGEN Teams in ASEAN countries, established a database for biomass resources in ASEAN and organized training programmes for technical people in the public and private sectors.
It has also created a strategic information system called the "COGEN Business Line," boosting the flow of information on energy and environmental matters between the European Union and ASEAN.