Promoting Sino-Burmese Cooperation on Rural Renewable Energy

ECC brings experts to Myanmar to discuss finance means and renewable energy technology for rural areas
05
Sep

Promoting Sino-Burmese Cooperation on Rural Renewable Energy

YANGON (Sept. 5, 2013) – To further facilitate financing and technology of basic renewable energy connectivity in Myanmar, Global Environmental Institute (GEI) held a workshop on rural renewable energy in Yangon, Myanmar from September 4-5. TMore than 60 participants took part in the two-day workshop, including Myanmar officials from the Ministries of Energy, Environment and Forestry and other government departments, along with representatives of local NGOs and renewable energy companies.

In Myanmar, only 26% of the population currently has access to electricity. U Aung Ming, Executive Director of GEI cooperative partners REAM (Renewable Energy Association Myanmar), emphasized Myanmar’s energy supply problem to attendees and explained the Myanmar government’s energy development program.

GEI with the attendees in Yangon – GEI 2013

Knowledge Sharing from Experts

Related policies and programs in China:

Li Chong Yi from China Beijing Environment Exchange (CBEEX) introduced China’s carbon trading and low-carbon cities pilot schemes, along with the country’s low-carbon planning roadmap.
– From the Asia-Pacific for Small Hydro Power, Hangzhou Regional Centre HRC), Lin Xu Xin provided an overview of China’s policies on small hydro.

Finance Mechanisms & Market-based Methods:

– Gold Standard Committee’s Luo Qun and CBEEX’s Li Chong Yi spoke about the Gold Standard and Panda Standard carbon development process, and the voluntary carbon market respectively.
– From Nexus, Suzanne Chew explained the technical support Nexus offers to its members as part of carbon project development. Dr. Russel de Lucia of S3IDF also provided an overview of how commercial banks provide financial support for rural energy development.
GEI explained two market mechanisms that have been successfully utilized to promote rural renewable energy, using its own projects as examples. This included GEI’s work in 2012 to introduce efficient biomass stoves to Ruicheng County in Shaanxi province, and the biogas digester repair project in Yuxi, Yunnan.

Renewable Energy Technologies Suited to Rural Areas:

Tom Price from US-based ALL Power Labs introduced the company’s new 10kW and 20kW biomass gasification systems. In contrast to traditional gasifiers, a main feature of their technology is that it produces no tar to avoid contamination.
– HRC’s Lin Xu Xin explained small hydro development processes and technologies.
Professor Xu Rui from Yunan Normal University discussed a variety of solar (including solar drying and pumping) and biogas technologies (including stainless steel digesters).
Dr. Chris Greacen spoke about mini-grid technologies for rural distributed power generation and implementation success stories.
GEI Project Officer Cao Si Rui spoke about Chinese stove technologies. After hearing from experts, group discussions were held about different energy technologies, within the context of the current situation in Myanmar.

The workshop finished with the gathered experts forming conclusions about the applicability and development prospects for the various technologies in Myanmar.

Participants universally expressed that the two-day workshop was successfully organized with a rich yet concise schedule, and provided the attending parties from Myanmar with a unique understanding of Chinese rural renewable energy policy, related technologies and opportunities for finance.

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