The 6^th ASEAN Energy Outlook (AEO6) is a flagship publication of the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) that serves as the primary source of energy information, analysis and projection in the region. As the development continues, the AEO6 report draft has been reviewed by the ASEAN Member States (AMS), through their representatives in each energy ministry, along with the ASEAN Sub-sector Networks (SSN), Specialised Energy Bodies (SEB), the ASEAN Secretariat and several other external reviewers. The key findings from this study have also been presented in the 38^th Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME) in August 2020.

The outlook that has been supported by the ASEAN-German Energy Programme (AGEP), a jointly implemented programme by ACE and GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), since its 4^th edition in 2014, also receives valuable support in this 6^th edition from the ASEAN Climate Change and Energy Project or ACCEPT (https://accept.aseanenergy.org/). ACCEPT is a joint collaboration between ACE and Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), under the Norwegian-ASEAN Regional Integration Programme (NARIP). The main objective of this project is to improve the coherence between the ASEAN energy and climate policies, while also contribute to more climate-friendly development of the energy sector. ACCEPT has been supporting the development of AEO6 by bringing in the knowledge and expertise to complement the outlook’s quality, foremost, the energy-related climate perspective.

Besides the AEO6, AGEP and ACCEPT also synergise their efforts for the ASEAN Energy Database System (AEDS), the official ASEAN source for statistical data, energy-related news and policies that helps the understanding of the energy landscape in ASEAN and each of its Member States (https://aeds.aseanenergy.org/). While AGEP has been supporting the improvement of AEDS for data collection, processing, guidelines and training since 2018, ACCEPT has also been enhancing AEDS content since 2019 by providing specific data and information on energy-climate change nexus for policy makers (or any stake holders) reference, so that they can build or design their own policy and plan comprehensively by understanding the linkage between energy and climate change.

Moreover, AGEP and ACCEPT will collaborate again at the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) Think Tank Roundtable 2020 session, organised by ACE, on the topic of Designing Affordable and Clean Energy for a Resilient Energy System in ASEAN Communities. The hybrid event (onset and online streaming), which is going to be held on 29 October 2020, will bring together experts to discuss the approach on policy, technology, and investment in strengthening energy system resilience and enhancing energy system reliability. In this roundtable, a sneak peek of AEO6 will also be presented as the region’s official source of strategic insight on the future of energy and the related impact on emissions, investments and job creations, before its official launching at the 38^th ASEAN Ministers of Energy Meeting (AMEM) in November 2020.

With the strong support from the two ongoing implemented projects under ACE, it is expected that ASEAN efforts will be strengthened to fulfill the sustainable energy development, especially with the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016-2025. Furthermore, the energy cooperation is envisaged to strongly support the region in achieving the aspirational target that have been collectively set: 23% Renewable Energy (RE) share in the Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) by 2025 and 30% Energy Intensity (EI) reduction by 2025 based on 2005 level, or possibly even more ambitious under APAEC Phase II later on in the future. (MW)