Policy Cooperative Activities
In addition to the original three activities (research and analysis, know-how transfer program, energy data network service), APERC coordinates several projects which cooperate directly with APEC member economies to realise their energy policy goals. These projects include peer reviews and workshops involving experts from both within and outside the APEC region. These projects are called APEC “Policy Cooperative Activities”.
The first Policy Cooperative Activities were started to help APEC economies in improving their energy efficiency. Later, projects for promoting the development of low-carbon energy supply at both the economy-wide and town levels followed. Furthermore, APERC has started activities for improving the security of oil and gas supply in the APEC region. Recently, activities for promoting carbon neutrality and for enhancing energy resiliency have been added. These Cooperative Activities are classified into two groups, one focusing on sustainability and the other stressing energy security/resiliency. They are described below.
Peer Review on Energy Efficiency (PREE)
APEC Leaders have agreed to an APEC-wide regional goal of reducing energy intensity (energy per unit of GDP) by at least 45 percent by 2035, using 2005 as a base year. The Peer Review on Energy Efficiency (PREE), which is coordinated by APERC, is one mechanism designed to help the APEC economies achieve this goal. Each PREE Peer Review focuses on the energy efficiency policies of a single volunteer APEC member economy, referred to as the host economy. The work is carried out by a Review Team of experts from other member economies and international institutions jointly selected by the host economy and APERC. In some cases, a “Follow-Up PREE” may also be conducted, which is designed to assist former PREE host economies in implementing the earlier recommendations of the PREE review teams.
The PREE project also includes Energy Efficiency Policy Workshop, which succeeds Cooperative Energy Efficiency Design for Sustainability (CEEDS) project as a forum to further discuss key issues in the previous PREEs.
Peer Review on Low-Carbon Energy Policies (PRLCE)
The Peer Review on Low-Carbon Energy Policies (PRLCE) responds to the instructions of the APEC Energy Ministers in their June 2010 Fukui Declaration to “explore mechanisms to encourage APEC economies to set individual goals and action plans for introducing low-emission power sources”. The program is modelled after the APEC PREE discussed above but focuses on policies for promoting the development of low carbon energy supply.
Low-Carbon Model Town (LCMT) Project
The APEC Low-Carbon Model Town (LCMT) project aims to combine energy-efficient buildings, transport and power systems to create communities that affordably reduce energy use and carbon emissions while creating pleasant living conditions. The LCMT project is a part of APEC’s Energy Smart Communities Initiative (ESCI). Please visit the ESCI Knowledge Sharing Platform for more complete information.
Energy Transition Symposium Project
About energy transitions, there is no “single best solution” for achieving net-zero or carbon neutrality, as each economy has different economic and social structures, and geographical situations. APERC believes that various, pragmatic and sustainable energy transitions, that reflect the different circumstances of each economy, are essential. To achieve various, pragmatic and sustainable energy transitions, sharing knowledge and experience among members is important.
The project is to hold symposia to demonstrate the importance of the holistic approach to decarbonisation toward carbon neutrality. It intends to enhance the capacity of APEC economies to pursue decarbonisation towards carbon neutrality.
Oil and Gas Security Initiatives (OGSI)
With growing energy demand, the APEC region is confronted with greater challenges of securing a supply of energy resources to meet the domestic requirements of each economy.
The primary purpose of the APEC Oil and Gas Security Initiative (OGSI) is to aid economies to address the issue on energy supply security, and how to deal with the threats of possible supply shortage and/or emergency situations.
The OGSI was launched in November 2014 as a continuation of the APEC Oil and Gas Security Exercises (OGSE) project in 2013. The project has broader coverage consisting of three (3) major pillars: Oil and Gas Security Exercise (OGSE), Oil and Gas Security Network (OGSN), and Oil and Gas Security Studies (OGSS).
Energy Resiliency Project
In recent years, as the APEC region has been continuously challenged with natural disasters that have become enormous, building energy systems resilient against disasters has been an emerging issue. In this narrative, EWG has developed the Energy Resilience Principle with the great help of the Energy Resiliency Taskforce (ERTF) and APEC member economies.
Considering the current situation, measures to enhance energy resilience become increasingly important with the introduction of energy efficiency and conservation and new and renewable energy.
This project promotes the dissemination of the APEC Energy Resiliency Principle for the capacity building of people in charge of policymaking and urban development from developing economies, and to discuss and establish the APEC Energy Resiliency Guidelines for necessary concrete measures by stakeholders of energy resiliency in each economy.