European and Southeast Asian scientists share expertise on renewable energy
European energy organisations and their counterparts in Southeast Asia have joined forces to help raise awareness of renewable energy technologies and to provide a platform for project opportunities through the 'PRESSEA-2' initiative. PRESSEA-2 has been developed to collect relevant information on renewable energy in Southeast Asia and Europe, and to disseminate this information to interested companies and individuals. PRESSEA-2 will create and maintain a renewable energy information network for exchanging information and ideas for the development, promotion and utilisation of renewables in Southeast Asia. This regularly updated information is now available on the Web at: URL: http://www.ace.or.id(opens in new window) From here, users can access detailed background information on the project and the project partners, useful links to other sites, events and contact information. The site also includes profiles of each of the countries involved with detailed on the current status of the technology as well as development plans for the future and possible areas and opportunities for investment. PRESSEA-2 is co-funded by the European Commission's ENERGIE sub-programme within the theme 'Energy, environment and sustainable development' under the Fifth Framework Programme. In Southeast Asia, the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) is the host organisation, while the AEA Technology (ETSU) from the United Kingdom is the European counterpart, supported by BCEOM of France and LDK of Greece. The participating ASEAN member countries are Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The European partners identify and provide appropriate advisory services in various areas of energy development and technology, manpower and investment for the development of projects, regional trade and manufacturing of renewable energy systems. This is in line with the strategic goal of the renewable energy component of the ASEAN plan of action for energy cooperation for 1999 to 2004, which the seventeenth ASEAN Ministers for energy meeting approved on 3 July 1999 in Bangkok, Thailand.