‘Asia CCUS Network’ has launched: Efforts begin toward development of carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) in Asia 

1．Outline of ‘the Asia CCUS Network’

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), CCUS technologies will play in putting the world on a path to net-zero emissions, contributing more than 10% of cumulative emissions reductions globally to 2050. According to the Global CCS Institute, each ASEAN country has storage capacity of over 10 billion tons. Furthermore, ‘Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage: The opportunity for CCUS in Southeast Asia’, a special report recently released by the IEA on 22 April,　states that CCUS will play a significant role in the Southeast Asian region, where demand for fossil fuels will remain high. In the ASEAN region CCUS is expected to capture around 35 million tons in 2030, and will need to exceed 200 million tons by 2050. To achieve this level of CCUS deployment, it is estimated that by 2030 investment of more than US$1.0 billion per year is required.

In this context, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) is holding ‘the 1st Asia CCUS Network Forum’ on 22 and 23 June 2021. On 22 June, Minister Kajiyama and President Nishimura announced the launch of the ‘Asia CCUS Network’ as an international industry–academia–government platform aimed at knowledge sharing and improvement of the business environment for the utilisation of CCUS throughout the Asian region at the opening session of the forum. It was also announced that 13 countries (all ASEAN member countries, the United States, Australia, and Japan) and more than 100 international organisations, companies, financial and research institutions that share the vision of CCUS development throughout the Asian region have expressed their intention to participate in its activities.

In his keynote address, Prof Hidetoshi Nishimura took this special opportunity to reiterate the vision of the Asia CCUS Network that aims to contribute to the decarbonisation of emissions in Asia through collaboration and cooperation on development and deployment of CCUS. The mission of this network is to facilitate deployment of CCUS through: (i) promoting knowledge sharing through holding an annual forum, conferences, workshops, and meetings; (ii) conducting research studies on technical, economical, and legal standards of CCUS in the EAS region; and (iii) holding capacity building training workshops to bridge the knowledge gap on CCUS.

Prof Nishimura also added that the Asia CCUS Network Forum provides opportunities for countries in the region to work and collaborate together on the low emission technology partnership that will eventually help to build countries’ capability to lower the cost of CCUS technology and its deployment through collaboration of research and innovation. Key messages and discussions have highlighted the need to accelerate the development and deployment of CCUS technologies.

This forum provides the most up-to-date information about countries around the world as well as countries in our region that have already started CCUS demonstration projects. Some countries in EAS region such as the United States, Australia, Japan, and the Republic of Korea have already started CCUS demonstration projects, and are actively working on the modalities of the future deployment of this technology.

With government support and the involvement of all stakeholders, it is possible thatCCUS technology will become commercially viable and scalable and therefore attract investment from private companies around the world. CCUS technology is expected to play big role in achieving net zero emission. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that almost half of the global emission reduction will need to come from technologies such as CCUS to achieve global carbon neutrality.

During the discussions three key issues were raised by policymakers and experts about the development and deployment of CCUS technology. First, there is a need for countries to create a favourable policy environment to facilitate the development and deployment of CCUS, especially about the development of a CCUS business model that private companies will need to invest in. Second, it is very important that countries will collaborate to build the CCUS value chain in terms of matching emissions, transportation, and storage capacity, Third the CCUS technology cost will need to come down to a level that can be afforded by many countries.

At this forum, honourable Ministers from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Philippines (proxy), Singapore, Thailand (proxy), Australia, and the United States attended the ministerial session and expressed their congratulations　on the launch of the Asian CCUS Network. They also sent a strong supporting message to the leadership of METI and ERIA for setting up the Asia CCUS Network Forum. It will serve as a platform for cooperation and collaboration on low emission technology partnerships that will eventually accelerate the deployment of CCUS to achieve carbon neutrality in the foreseeable future.

On the second day session on 23 June, not only Japan's CCUS initiatives but also the future work plan of the Asia CCUS Network will be presented. In addition, participants from government, international organisations, the private sector, and financial institutions will discuss how to stimulate investment and financing for CCUS.

Video of the Main Participants

• Prof Hidetoshi Nishimura, President of Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia

• HE Hiroshi Kajiyama, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan

• HE Mr Suy Sem, Minister of Mines and Energy, Cambodia

• HE Mr Arifin Tasrif, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Indonesia

• Mr GAN Kim Yong, Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore

• HE Dr Daovong Phonekeo, Minister of Energy and Mines, Lao PDR

• HE Mr Angus Taylor MP., Minister for Energy and Emission Reduction, Australia

• Dr Jennifer Wilcox, Acting Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Department of DOE, United States of America

• Mr Jesus T Tamang, Director of Energy Policy Planning Bureau on behalf of HE Mr Jesus Cristino P. Posadas Undersecretary of Department of Energy, Philippines

• Dr Twarath Sutabutr, Chief Inspector-General on behalf of HE Dr Supattanapong Punmeechaow, Minister of Energy, Thailand

• Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director of International Energy Agency

• Mr Brad Page, CEO of Global CCS Institute

• Mr Bjorn Otto Sverdrup, Executive Committee Chair of Oil and Gas Climate Initiative

• HE Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Hussein, Minister of Energy, Brunei Darussalam

Day 2 - 23 June 2021

• Report on the Working Plan of the Network in 2021-22 and 2022-2025, by Dr Han Phoumin, Senior Energy Economist of ERIA, the Asia CCUS Network Secretariat

• Japan’s CCUS showcase in the Asia region

  • Tomakomai CCUS Platform Project
    Mr Tetsuya Enomoto, Senior Manager, Global Business Strategy and Public Policy Team Leader, Energy Unit, Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting (DTC)

  • Tomakomai CCS Demonstration Project – Achievements and Future Outlook
    Mr Yoshihiro Sawada, Corporate Adviser, General Manager of International Affairs Department, Japan CCS Co., Ltd. (JCCS)

  • Gundih CCUS Project - International Collaboration between Indonesia and Japan
    Mr Mitsutake Kudo, Director, Japan NUS Co., Ltd. (JANUS)

  • Japan Petroleum Exploration (JAPEX) Recent Activities toward Implementation of the CCUS Project in Indonesia
    Mr Hiroto Harata, General Manager of Environment Business Department, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. (JAPEX)

  • Developing and Demonstrating CCUS Technologies for Industrial Deployment
    Dr Ziqiu Xue, Chief Researcher/Group Leader, CO2 Storage Research Group, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE)

• Panel Discussion 2 - Promoting private sector investment into CCUS projects in ASEAN region, and expectations to the government.
  Moderated by Dr. Tony Zhang, Senior Client Engagement Lead, Global CCS Institute

  • Mr Hajime Wakuda, President of Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC)

  • Ms Noriani Yati Mohamad, Head of Resource Development & Management – Sarawak, PETRONAS

  • Ms Dewi Mersitarini, Lead CCUS, PT Pertamina (Persero)

  • Mr Mikel Erquiaga Aguirre, Director (Exploration), Repsol S.A.

  • Mr Stephen Jones, Development Planner, Global Carbon Capture and Storage Projects, ExxonMobil Corporation

• Panel Discussion 3 - Financing Scheme for Deployment of CCUS in Asia Moderated by Ms Kikuko Shinchi, Senior Researcher, Climate Change Solutions Group, Sustainable Division, Policy Consulting Unit, Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI)

  • Mr Jinmiao Xu, Energy Specialist, Energy Sector Group, Department of Sustainable Development and Climates Changes, Asian Development Bank (ADB)

  • Mr Shon Fletcher, Manager, Resource Division, Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER), Australia

  • Mr Juho Lipponen, Coordinator, Clean Energy Ministerial CCUS Initiative (CEM)

  • Ms Yukimi Shimura, Director, Solution Products Division, MUFJ Bank

  • Mr Masaki Nemoto, Deputy Director, Global Environment Division, New Energy and Power Finance Department â…¡, Infrastructure and Environment Finance Group, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)

• Closing Remarks by Prof. Hidetoshi Nishimura, President of ERIA

Related material

The First Asia CCUS Network Forum 

Related link

• News Release by METI, Japan
• Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage: The opportunity for CCUS in Southeast Asia published by IEA
• ‘Japan, Southeast Asia launch emissions-cut project’ by NHK World ‘Clean tech an ‘urgent need’ in Cambodia’s climate battle’ by The Phnom Penh Post
• ‘The Hydrogen Stream: Off-grid hydrogen power solution based on alkaline fuel cell from Israel, first green hydrogen production in Russia’ by PV Magazine
• ‘China ‘needs a future coal industry, not a future without coal’ by Hellenic Shipping News
• ‘Japan drives co-operation on carbon capture’ by Argus Media
• ‘Acting Assistant Secretary for FECM Dr. Wilcox Gives Remarks at First Asia CCUS Network Forum’  by Office of Fossil Energy
• ‘Clean tech an ‘urgent need’ in Cambodia’s climate battle’ by The Phnom Penh Post