The 2024 Meeting on Korea-ASEAN RD&D Cooperation Strategies in the Fields of Hydrogen Production and CCU was held from 5 to 6 September 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. Organized by the National Institute of Green Technology (NIGT), the meeting aimed to assess the status of cooperation between Korea and ASEAN member countries in the fields of hydrogen production technology and carbon capture and utilization (CCU) and explore further collaboration opportunities under NIGT’s Research, Development, and Demonstration (RD&D) program.
Dr. Saravanee Singtong, Director of Sustainability Policy Division at NXPO, and Ms. Jitsuna Darachai, Policy Analyst, represented Thailand’ national designated entity (NDE) at this meeting to provide inputs for fostering cooperation in hydrogen technology and CCU. Other ASEAN participants included the Deputy Secretary of National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) from Indonesia; the Principal Assistant Secretary of the National Nanotechnology Centre (NNC), MOSTI from Malaysia; and the Deputy Manager of the Environment and Development Department at the Institute of Energy in Vietnam.
The meeting brought together over 20 participants from four ASEAN member countries: Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Dr. Saravanee presented Thailand’s strategies to develop hydrogen technology and CCU, highlighting key initiatives led by NXPO and NDE Thailand in collaboration with various agencies, particularly Thailand’s Department of Climate Change and Environment, to advance the country’s net zero goals. These included the Saraburi Sandbox and the Net Zero Campus projects.
Dr. Saravanee also discussed the “Development of the National Hydrogen Strategy and Action Plan for Accelerating Thailand’s Net-Zero Target”, a project receiving technical assistance from the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). She concluded by reaffirming Thailand’s commitment to further cooperate with Korea and ASEAN countries in advancing hydrogen technology and CCU.