Ongedaol Nature Resort Palau seeks to create an innovative new model for sustainable, organic ecotourism, empowered by modern technology, that is completely off-grid and formed in partnership with local landowners. 23 eco-retreat suites amid a natural reserve will feature sustainable organic farming (agriculture and aquaculture) where visitors can experience living amid the jungles of Palau, taste locally-grown food, hike ancient trails, and enjoy nature on both lands and in the water.

The Blue-Cooking model looks to utilize electricity generated from floating solar energy panels integrated into aquaculture farms in order to enable the spread of clean cooking (using electric cookstoves rather than solid fuels). Initially focusing on three communities in Bangladesh, the project will work with aquaculture farmers to understand the barriers and benefits of floating solar system integration, including mechanisms to improve income and farming yield.

This project aims to use converted maritime tankers for floating fuel storage which will replace a land-based system that is vulnerable to sea level rise and more severe meteorological events exacerbated by climate change. Used tankers will be retrofitted by the Marshalls Energy Company (MEC) in accordance with industry best practices.

An industrial academic consortium from Japan is looking to harness the potential of Deep Open Water (DOW) and Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) to enable communities to create their own local power, farm, and fish more reliably, cool buildings with less electricity, and provide environmentally friendly desalination for water security.

The Decom2Green project aspires to catalyze the regenerative decommissioning of offshore platforms within Asia. It aims to engage with oil and gas operators in Thailand to explore the feasibility of repurposing decommissioned offshore platforms to allow them to support aquaculture and marine renewable energy operations.

Pak Andreas Dipi Patria, Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment Affairs Republic of Indonesia provide opening remarks which highlighted the action on maritime investment. The final event panel, titled Financing the New Ocean Energy and Blue Economies, was a highlight of the event with practical commentary. This panel sparked a discussion that extended after the forum. The ADB project officer, Steve Peters, provide a summation of progress on TA6619 to date and the event was closed By Dr. Priyantha Wijayatunga, ADB Chief of Energy, with a call to action.

Dr. Thuttai Keeratipongpaiboon from the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), Kingdom of Thailand, delivered the opening remarks which set the scene for the inclusion of all sea-space users. Inez Marquez shared what was happening in the green hydrogen space and possible inclusion in MARES-type projects.

Rear Admiral Nick Lambert (Retd) presented the concept of multifunctional sea space and MARES-type projects.

On 7th February 2023, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Centre for Indonesia[SSP1] -Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (CIMT-GT) hosted a High-Level Investor Forum in Kuala Lumpur with the theme of the “New Ocean Energy Economy”.

Over 150 participants discussed marine renewable energy and its use to regenerate ocean ecosystems with a Keynote Speech by Yang Berhormat Tuan Mohd Rafizi Bin Ramli, Minister of Economy, Malaysia, and representatives from Palau, The Philippines, CIMT-TG, and ADB.