Welcome

Dear IEEFA Asia Community,
 
Welcome to the latest edition of the IEEFA Asia newsletter.

In recent weeks, our team has delved into the intricacies of Indonesia's Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) Comprehensive Investment and Policy Plan (CIPP), scrutinized South Korea's ambitious LNG overbuild, and highlighted the often overlooked yet pivotal role of the credit rating committee in integrating climate risks.
 
We are also pleased to welcome two experts in energy finance to IEEFA – Michelle (Chaewon) Kim and Christopher Doleman. Their wealth of expertise will enhance our specialized research on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and shed light through in-depth analyses focused on individual countries, particularly South Korea and Japan.
 
As we stand on the cusp of a new year, our dynamic team of energy finance analysts will continue the momentum, producing analyses on energy transition issues and highlighting key solutions in Asia. We encourage you to stay engaged with our research and events.

Paige Nguyen

Regional Director, Asia
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis

Welcome New Staff

Michelle (Chaewon) Kim

Michelle has joined IEEFA as an Energy Finance Specialist, South Korea at IEEFA. Over the past 15 years, she has worked across various energy and commodity sectors in Singapore and South Korea, including at S&P Global Commodity Insights and IHS Market.

Christopher Doleman

Christopher has joined IEEFA as an LNG/Gas Specialist, Asia. He previously worked as a researcher at the Asia Pacific Energy Research Center in Japan for the past five years, and prior to that, at the Canadian Energy Regulator. Christopher’s specialty topics include LNG, gas, energy security, and energy transition related to APEC’s Asia member economies.

Latest Releases

Implementing Indonesia’s JETP plan requires prioritization, processes, and transparency

Grant Hauber

November 30

Indonesia’s JETP Comprehensive Investment and Policy Plan is a significant step in detailing the country’s decarbonization goals and path to achievement. Prioritization, robust processes, and transparency will increase the potential for the country to achieve sustainable, economic, and equitable outcomes.

South Korea’s LNG Overbuild

Michelle (Chaewon) Kim

November 29

The rapid growth of proposed LNG infrastructure presents a high risk of overinvestment and overcapacity amid the country’s transition to net-zero carbon.

KEPCO makes moves but can it avoid a death spiral?

Christina Ng

November 21

A year after the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) report, “KEPCO’s clean energy transition hangs in the balance”, the South Korean state-owned utility company has not made any major improvement in realigning its business position.

Going beyond methodology: The credit rating committee’s vital but overlooked role in climate risk integration

Hazel Ilango and Daniel Cash

November 2

The rating committee, as the ultimate decision-making body for final credit ratings, plays a key role in ensuring that climate risks are adequately integrated into the assessment of creditworthiness.

Events

ASEAN Clean Energy Week

In November, Ramnath Iyer, IEEFA's Research Lead, Climate & Renewable Energy Finance, Asia (left), moderated a panel discussion "Creating a Favorable Investment Climate and Improving the Bankability of Renewable Projects" held in Manila.

The panel also featured Masashi Kishioka, Chief Representative, Philippines, Japan Bank of International Cooperation; and Maria Fritzie Vergel, Country Program Coordinator, Southeast Asia Energy Transition Partnership.

Figures Speak

5.8

The most fundamental assumption in Indonesia’s JETP Comprehensive Investment and Policy Plan is a 5.8% energy demand growth rate. Globally, GDP growth has decoupled from energy consumption due to higher energy productivity and end-use efficiency, thus a 5.8% energy growth rate presupposes a far higher economic growth rate, warranting greater substantiation.

More from IEEFA's Grant Hauber

The Big Questions

How may carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology become a potential smokescreen for enhanced oil and gas (O&G) recovery in Southeast Asia?

IEEFA's Grant Hauber in Business Times:

Media Highlights

• Channel News Asia: Indonesia ramps up clean energy while adding coal power plants
• The Business Times: The rise of carbon-capture technology in South-east Asia
• The Jakarta Post: Coal price cap 'must be revoked' for energy transition
• Offshore Energy: IEEFA warns of overbuild of LNG import infrastructure in South Korea
• China Daily: China can help Indonesia in clean energy shift

Please reach out to our team who are happy to share more insights into their research and analyses.

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