The Joint Workshop for ERIA Energy Projects was held in Sultan Hotel on March 3rd, 2010. More than one hundred participants from Indonesia and overseas attended the workshop.

Three ERIA's Energy Working Group, namely, Energy Saving Potential, Biodiesel Standardization and Biomass Sustainability, and two sub-working groups presented their progress and research findings.

ERIA Executive Director, Mr. Hidetoshi Nishimura, together with Senior Officer of Energy Department of ASEAN Secretariat, Mr. Ky-Anh Nguyen and Head of Data and Information Center, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), Ms. Farida Zed, delivered opening remarks.

According to Mr. Nishimura, ERIA's contribution in the field of energy related research work has been appreciated by the Energy Ministers in the past two EAS EMM (Energy Ministers Meeting). At the second Energy Ministers Meeting held in 2008 at Bangkok, Thailand, the Energy Ministers welcomed ERIA's work on "EAS Energy Outlook", endorsed the 'Asia Biomass Energy Principles', and welcomed 'EAS-ERIA Bio-Diesel Fuel (BDF) Standards'. At the 3rd Energy Ministers Meeting held in 2009 at Mandalay, Myanmar, the Energy Ministers appreciated the series of studies conducted by ERIA on EAS Energy Outlook and noted the policy recommendations made in the Outlook.

ERIA's energy studies have also been highly appreciated by the EAS Economic Ministers in their 2008 and 2009 meetings. In particular, in the 2008 Singapore EAS Economic Ministers Meeting, Economic Ministers expressed their interests in the ERIA Energy Outlook which demonstrates the importance of enhancing energy efficiency for sustainable development. The Ministers agreed to report the outcome of ERIA's activities to the EAS Leaders.

Mr. Nishimura also mentioned that besides the three projects mentioned above, from this fiscal year, ERIA has undertaken another energy project under East Asia Summit Energy Cooperation Taskforce (EAS ECTF), namely, Energy Market Integration.

ASEAN Secretariat and the MEMR of Indonesia expressed their support and appreciation of ERIA's energy studies and policy implications.