On 23 March, the Biomass Energy Project was signed between ADB and SAEL Industries Limited for the construction of five 149-megawatt biomass power plants in the districts of Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jhunjhunu, and Sikar in the state of Rajasthan, India. The plants will use agricultural residue as feedstock and should help in the country’s bid for reducing its emissions as well as diversify its energy mix.

This handbook provides guidance for the economic analysis of energy sector investment projects supported by the Asian Development Bank. It provides practical advice on preparing the economic analysis document and explains, in detail, quantification and valuation of costs and benefits of typical energy sector projects.

Download it here: Handbook for Economic Analysis of Energy Sector Projects

ADB joined the governments of Tonga and Australia on 14 March to inaugurate the Vava’u hybrid mini-grid under the Tonga Renewable Energy Project that will supply clean, reliable, and efficient electricity to the population and businesses in Vava’u.

On 30 March, the Southeast Asia Development Solutions (SEADS) will be held in Bali, Indonesia with the theme: Imagining a Net-Zero ASEAN. There is also an option to join the symposium virtually. On the agenda is the region’s decarbonization and how this will be realized with 8 of the 10 ASEAN member states committing to net-zero emissions by 2050 at the COP26.

On 1 March, ADB and Monsoon Wind Power Company Limited signed a $692.55 million nonrecourse project financing package to install a 600-megawatt wind power plant in Sekong and Attapeu provinces in the southern part of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).

The Guidance Note on Large Hydropower Plants has been made public online since 13 February to generate comments from stakeholders in different sectors. The main objective of the note is to support project teams in ADB in the planning, design, and development of large hydropower plants according to the requirements set forth in the (i) ADB Energy Policy 2021, (ii) ADB Safeguard Policy Statement 2009 (SPS 2009), (iii) ADB Water Sector Directional Guide, (iv) ADB Paris Agreement Alignment (PAA) Guidance Note, and the (v) Common Principles of Climate Mitigation Finance Tracking.

On 7th February, ADB held a High-Level Investor Forum in Kuala Lumpur with a Keynote speech by YB Tuan Mohd Rafizi Bin Ramli, Minister of Economy, Malaysia.  The event was part of the broader ADB TA6619 - Marine Aquaculture, Renewable Energy, Reefs and Ecotourism for Ecosystem Services, or in shortform as MARES, that has been exploring how coastal and island states can blend marine renewable energy options with other, multi-function energy uses (from aquaculture to eco-tourism) to more effectively protect and draw bene

This study analyzes the exposure of energy and transport assets in Asia and the Pacific to climate change and earthquake hazards and highlights how multi-hazard assessment can help strengthen the resilience of crucial infrastructure.

Download it here: Climate Change and Earthquake Exposure in Asia and the Pacific: Assessment of Energy and Transport Infrastructure