Canada, Japan consultants appointed for energy study

THE Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies (CSPS) has appointed two consultancy teams from Canada and Japan to conduct a comprehensive study which will lead to a roadmap for Brunei Darussalam to achieve energy efficiency and conservation (EEC) by 2035.

The Mitsubishi Research Institute Inc from Japan and Powertech Labs Inc from Canada will gather data across all major energy production and consumption sectors including power, industrial, commercial, consumer, residential and transportation over seven months and present their findings in a final report by February.

During a stakeholders forum at CSPS's Gadong office yesterday, it was announced that Mitsubishi Research Institute Inc would be drawing up the EEC plan while Powertech Labs Inc would focus on the feasibility aspects of the proposal. They will examine existing energy usage and policy in Brunei in terms of EEC and advise on the types of regulations required to prioritise sustainable practices.

With Brunei's economy projected to grow two to four per cent per annum, coupled with a growing population, the demand for energy will increase at an exponential rate, said the CSPS in a statement.

"Our energy usage must therefore be supplemented with viable EEC measures and our dependence upon oil and gas must move towards viable alternative energy sources."

According to British Petroleum's Statistical Review of World Energy 2008, Brunei has about 17 years of crude oil reserves and about 30 years of natural gas reserves at the current production rate.

Facing the inevitable depletion of oil and gas, energy security could be directly related to economic and national security for the nation.

In 2005, Brunei's energy demand was equivalent to 2.2 million tonnes of oil, and by 2035, this is projected to almost double to 4.2 million tonnes.

By implementing EEC measures, the government aims to reduce the energy demand growth rate by 6.7 per cent even as the economy expands. As Brunei intensifies its quest for economic diversification, the nation's long-term development plan Vision 2035 aims to place the country in the global top 10 in terms of quality of life and income per capita (GDP).

To achieve this, the need for adequate energy resources to fuel economic growth becomes a matter of utmost national concern, the CSPS said in a statement.

In a recent interview, Dr Diana Cheong, senior researcher at CSPS, said: "This study will tell us which (alternative) energy projects we should be investing in."

Dr Cheong told The Brunei Times that the project consultants would be looking at about 10 energy sources including solar power, hydroelectricity, nuclear and biomass energy as well as an oil rejuvenation technique known as carbon oil enhancement recovery.

She also explained that the study would avoid spending money on alternative energy projects which are not economically feasible.

The study will enlist the close collaboration from the Energy Division at the Prime Minister's Office and Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), and roundtable discussions have been held with stakeholders such as the Brunei Economic Development Board, who have expressed their support in the research project.

The findings and recommendations from the study will contribute to more sustainable energy policies and will target a reduction in greenhouse gases, a decrease in energy wastage and an increase in the role of clean and renewable resources.

To spur the exploration of alternative energy, CSPS will be organising a conference titled "Alternative Energy and Energy Efficiency: Fuelling Economic Growth and Diversification for Brunei Darussalam" on June 14 and 15 at The Empire Hotel & Country Club. Some 200 delegates have been invited to the conference.

The Brunei Times