CCG in Lao PDR

Overview

The Lao PDR CCG Network began in October 2021 as CCG’s second partner country network, with the Faculty of Engineering of the National University of Laos leading as the institutional partner in the county. Through the Lao PDR country network, the CCG programme collaborates with key policy makers in Lao PDR, including planners from the Ministry of Energy and Mines and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, along with leading domestic researchers from Lao academic institutions.

In Lao PDR, we are working to empower the Government of Laos (GoL) to devise and implement inclusive, low-emission, resilient economic policy. To reach this goal, we are conducting a range of research and collaboration outputs, including co-creation workshops and capacity building events.

So far, the research papers we have produced for Lao PDR include:

Plugging into green growth: Towards e-mobility and renewable energy integration in Lao PDR which presents a study of how the barriers to, and enablers for, e-mobility and renewable energy integration in Lao PDR and the wider Southeast Asian region are viewed by different groups of stakeholders

The Lao PDR CCG Network Special Interest Groups

The Lao PDR CCG Network is made up of Special Interest Groups (SIGs), which are populated by a group of country and CCG experts (academia, government, development banks, among others) that have a defined interest and/or expertise on a theme relevant to CCG research, and together, each SIG works collaboratively. The aim of a SIG is to catalyse a collaborative community of practice and identify areas of policy or innovation that could be bolstered by CCG resources and/or capacity.

The Lao PDR CCG Network currently contains three SIGs:

SIG 1: Energy Systems Modelling in Lao PDR

In 2022, CCG responded to a Rapid Response Facility (RRF) request from the Government of Laos for support in the development of a “Techno-Economic Pre-Feasibility Study for Renewable Firm Power”. CCG’s offer as an implementing partner within the project is to co-create a regional electricity model with the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) using OSeMOSYS, alongside other open-source tools that may be required. Similarly, CCG is seeking to collaborate with NUOL to develop an “energy modelling unit” within the university.

Achievements:

Training: Three co-creation workshops to date, starting in May 2022
Tools: A regional OSeMOSYS model for Lao PDR populated with GoL data
Embedding: Development of a core, collaborative OSeMOSYS modelling group comprised of government, energy utility and academic planners
Embedding: An “Energy systems basics” training course co-delivered by CCG and NUOL researchers to government planners in 2022
Embedding: A Lao language version of the CCG OpenLearn course “Energy and Flexibility Modelling: OSeMOSYS and FlexTool”

Current Activities: The co-development of the power sector model is progressing and further training workshops on OSeMOSYS will be delivered over the next year. SIG activities continue to strengthen data sharing and collaboration between academic and government energy planners.

A new collaboration has begun with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where the current OSeMOSYS model will be expanded to include the transport sector. NUOL hopes to integrate CCG energy modelling training course material into the Faculty of Engineering’s Masters courses.

Training: five co-creation workshops to date, starting May 2022

SIG members: National University of Laos (NUOL), Ministry of Energy and Mines, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, USAID, New Zealand Renewable Energy Facility, Electricite du Laos (EdL), Imperial College London.

SIG 2: Resource Efficiency in Industry in Lao PDR

This SIG aims to identify the resource efficiency opportunities in industries that can concurrently increase productivity, create jobs and reduce emissions. In turn, it seeks to identify the associated investment requirements to realise these opportunities and increase dialogues between financiers and industry actors accordingly.

Achievements:

Training: training programme with NUOL researchers to use Python and create Sankey diagrams to model resource flows
Report: “Resource efficiency in Lao PDR industry: guidelines for a sustainable industrial development” co-published with the Global Green Growth Institute.

Current Activities: A key long-term aim will be to support industry actors to secure funding for resource efficiency improving interventions. Two ongoing FRF projects are active within this SIG, focussing on cooling technologies and promoting energy efficiency in Lao industry.

SIG members: Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Global Green Growth Institute, NUOL, University of Cambridge, Lao Bureau of Statistics.

SIG 3: Low-Emission transport

The Government of Lao PDR is increasingly looking towards electric vehicle roll-out as a response to the country’s growing reliance on fuel imports. Accordingly, this SIG aims to explore realistic and inclusive low-emission transport scenarios for Laos, taking into account the current and possible future pattern of mobility demands, the price and availability of different forms of transport, and the wider policy environment.

Outputs:

Data: Laos Transport-Energy Database
Paper: “Plugging into green growth: Towards e-mobility and renewable energy integration in Lao PDR” in collaboration with NUOL

Current Activities: An ongoing SPF project being undertaken by government planners and NUOL researchers aims to collect a range of data and contextual information relating to reducing the carbon footprint of passenger transport. It covers both the introduction of electric vehicles and the opportunities to encourage the long-term growth of public transport and non-motorised transport. It is anticipated that the study will provide a useful input into a later, detailed household survey of passenger transport in Laos that can inform the GoL’s wider energy and transport planning policy and financing efforts.

SIG members: Ministry of Public Works and Transport, NUOL, USAID, Vientiane Sustainable Urban Transport Project, University of Oxford

The Lao PDR CCG Team

Lao PDR-based:

Prof Khamphone Nanthavong
(khamphonen1958@gmail.com)

Dr Sounthisack Phommachanh
(sounthisack@fe-nuol.edu.la)

Ms Orlavanh Sonesouphap

(sonesouphap86@gmail.com)

UK-based (Centre for Global Equality and University of Cambridge):
Dr Beth Tennyson [profile] elizabeth.tennyson@centreforglobalequality.org
Dr Kirsty Mackinlay [profile] kirsty.mackinlay@centreforglobalequality.org
Dr Lara Allen [profile]

Research

All research for Lao PDR can be found on the CCG Research Index here.

Publications

Resource efficiency in Lao PDR industry: guidelines for a sustainable industrial development

Network Engagement

On 15-16 November 2022, CCG and NUOL researchers, accompanied by representatives from the Lao PDR Government’s Ministry of Energy and Mines (Department of Energy Policy and Planning, and the Department of Planning and Cooperation) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Department of Environment), convened for the NUOL CCG Multi-Faculty Workshop 2022. This event marked the first ever multi-faculty event hosted at NUOL.

*Lao PDR CCG Network Annual Workshop – November 2023*

The third Energy Systems Modelling for Lao PDR workshop took place in Vientiane, hosted by the CCG Laos Network’s coordinating institution, the National University of Laos (NUOL). The workshop was opened by then HMA John Pearson from the British Embassy in Lao PDR and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somchanh Bounphanmy, the Vice President of NUOL. During the week of the workshop, energy modellers from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, NUOL, EDL and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment developed an OSeMOSYS model for Lao PDR, using Laos-specific data.