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APERC's main function is to conduct energy research to foster understanding amongst APEC economies of global, regional and domestic energy issues facing the region.
APERC's research themes are carefully chosen to address relevant issues in support of the objectives and priorities of APEC Energy Ministers and the Energy Working Group (EWG). APEC's Fourteen Non-Binding Energy Policy Principles, agreed at the First Meeting of APEC Energy Ministers in Australia in August 1996, have become APERC's broad guidelines for deciding research topics to support overall energy policy development of member economies. The selection criteria used by the Expert Group on Energy Data and Analysis (EGEDA) and the Energy Working Group (EWG) are: high priority for the majority of member economies, agreed policy principles, APERC's comparative advantage, business information needs, relation to other expert groups, and relevance to existing and ongoing studies in the region or in the world. In general the topics are categorised in the following areas:
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| ENERGY
DATABASE DEVELOPMENT |
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Energy data are essential for energy research. Building on the APEC Energy
Database and the data sets of other research organisations, APERC has developed
a comprehensive database covering major factors determining the region's
energy demand and supply. Through extensive contacts in APEC economies,
APERC expands, updates, and improves on a regular basis the quality of
regional energy database.
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| REGIONAL
ENERGY DEMAND AND SUPPLY OUTLOOK |
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The maintenance of the database is of paramount importance to energy research
as it provides a factual basis for understanding the way energy is produced,
transformed and used in the economy. The assessment of how much and what
kind of energy will be needed to sustain economic development and growth
are crucial for planning for the future. APERC has recently completed and
published its third APEC Energy Demand and Supply Outlook in 2006 which
has been regularly reviewed and updated as the major pillar of APERC's
work.
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| REGIONAL
ENERGY MARKET ANALYSIS |
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APEC energy markets are at a critical crossroads. The energy sectors of
APEC economies are undergoing gradual, but fundamental changes through
regulatory reforms such as privatisation of government energy supply services,
deregulation of energy markets and liberalisation foreign investment, and
enhancement of energy trade. Regulatory reforms and subsequent changes
in energy industry structure will enhance transparency and improve efficiency
of the energy markets in the region. Understanding the importance of shifts
in energy market structure, APERC has conducted studies on reforms and
liberalisation of electricity, natural gas and oil industries in APEC.
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| SUSTAINABLE
ENERGY DEVELOPMENT |
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Meeting energy demand growth in the APEC region poses two major challenges: securing adequate resources and at the same time protecting the environment. Development of environmentally friendly technologies and resources will provide the sustainable energy future of the APEC region.
Responding to these challenges, APERC tries to identify options for harmonising economic growth and environmental protection through its studies on energy efficiency improvements, new and renewable technologies, and the Kyoto Mechanisms such as emissions trading, JI and CDM.
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| ENERGY
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT |
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Timely energy supply will require substantial infrastructure for extraction, process, transportation and delivery of energy. A large amount of investment has to follow for the construction. Governments and the private sector need to ensure that investment and regulatory environments are equitable, transparent, non-discriminatory, and predictable.
Currently, less than adequate infrastructure has created bottlenecks in the energy supply chain, causing unexpected surges in energy prices. Delay in LNG terminal construction and insufficient investment in refineries, power plants, and transmission networks has been observed in a number of APEC economies such that economic growth has been negatively influenced by the apparent shortage of infrastructure investment. Over the last several years APERC has carried out studies on natural gas pipeline infrastructure development, power interconnections, and the outlook for energy investment in which APERC identifies the areas of investment need and potential benefits for enhancement of energy supply security from the cross border energy trade.
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| ENERGY
POLICY ANALYSIS |
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APEC economies, especially those undergoing rapid economic development,
face serious energy policy challenges as they attempt to build and maintain
the energy supply infrastructure needed to ensure national wealth creation
and social well-being. Energy policy must strike a balance between the
common - but sometimes conflicting - over-arching goals of economic growth,
security of supply, and environmental integrity. Through rigorous analyses,
APERC identifies important energy issues and policy priorities, and it
brings them to the attention of APEC policy-makers.
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(*) AGREED NON BINDING ENERGY POLICY
1. Emphasise the need to ensure energy issues are addressed in a manner
which gives full consideration to harmonisation of economic development,
security and environmental factors.
2. Pursue policies for enhancing the efficient production, distribution and consumption of energy.
3. Pursue open energy markets for achieving rational energy consumption, energy security and environmental objectives, recommending action in the appropriate forum of APEC to remove impediments to the achievement of these ends.
4. Recognise that measures to facilitate the rational consumption of energy might involve a mix of market based and regulatory policies, with the relative components of the mix being a matter for the judgment of individual economies.
5. Consider reducing energy subsidies progressively and promote implementation of pricing practices which reflect the economic cost of supplying and using energy across the full energy cycle, having regard to environmental costs.
6. The regular exchange of experience on the various policies being used by member economies to achieve a more rational energy consumption.
7. Ensure that a least cost approach to the provision of energy services is considered.
8. Promote the adoption of policies to facilitate the transfer of efficient and environmentally sound energy technologies on a commercial and non-discriminatory basis.
9. Encourage the establishment of arrangements for the development of human resource skills relevant to the application and operation of improved technology.
10. Enhance energy information and management programs to assist more rational energy decision making.
11. Encourage energy research, development and demonstration to pave the way for cost effective application of new, more efficient and environmentally sound energy technologies.
12. Promote capital flows through the progressive removal of impediments to the funding of the transfer and adoption of more energy efficient and environmentally sound technologies and infrastructure.
13. Promote cost effective measures which improve the efficiency with which energy is used but reduce greenhouse gases as part of a suggested regional response to greenhouse gas reductions.
14. Cooperate, to the extent consistent with each economy's development needs, in the joint implementation of projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the Climate Change Convention.
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