: USAID Clean Power Asia by Abt Associates Inc.
: Other / อื่นๆ
: 1278
: 15 June 2020
26 June 2020
Consultant Opportunity
Grid Codes and Regulations Consultant
USAID Clean Power Asia program, implemented by Abt Associates
The primary objective of USAID Clean Power Asia is to work with Lower Mekong Countries and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) developing member states to encourage power sector investments in environmentally friendly, clean energy sources, specifically focusing on scaling up investment in grid-connected renewable power. USAID Clean Power Asia is a program funded by USAID and implemented by Abt Associates. When any reference is made to approvals or authorizations, it will be stipulated whether those decisions are contractually made by USAID or Abt Associates as implementer. As the client, any decisions made by USAID and communicated to Abt Associates are final.
Abt Associates is supporting the Head of ASEAN Power Utilities/Authorities (HAPUA) through the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) on the first step in moving towards a multilateral power market, through the ASEAN Interconnection Master Plan Study (AIMS). To complement this study, the International Energy Agency (IEA) conducted a feasibility study for developing a voluntary multilateral power market in Southeast Asia, and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and SE Asia (ERIA) conducted a study on institutional arrangements required for developing this market.
The purpose of AIMS III is to determine the combined generation and transmission needs for Southeast Asia, the opportunities for increasing bilateral and multilateral power trade, and the potential for increasing the amount of variable renewable energy (VRE) on the ASEAN power grid. This process includes three phases. Phase 1 includes an RE resource assessment, capacity expansion planning, production cost modeling, and a socio-economic-environmental assessment. A second phase to analyze the impact on the system’s reliability may also be completed. The ultimate goal is to identify the transmission interconnections to be included in an updated ASEAN Power Grid plan.
After Phases 1 and 2, a Phase 3 is planned which includes developing harmonized regulatory frameworks, grid codes, and technical standards among the ASEAN member states. As a first step in this process, Abt Associates intends to understand the gaps that need to be addressed for harmonizing grid codes in Southeast Asia, followed by addressing the gaps.
The HAPUA Secretariat and ACE will present the results of the AIMS III study to the HAPUA council at the 36th meeting of the HAPUA Council, followed by presenting the results of the study to ASEAN preliminary decision-makers at the 38th Senior Official Meeting on Energy (SOME) currently scheduled for August, and the ASEAN Ministers of Energy Meeting (AMEM), expected by November 2020. To reach the aforementioned objectives, Abt Associates is seeking a consultant on grid codes and regulations who can achieve the tasks as outlined below.
The consultant will conduct a desk study of various international reports, studies, and publications related to grid codes in Southeast Asia, focused on facilitating interconnected systems and power trade as well as integrating more variable renewable energy into the grid. Documents to review include, but are not limited to:
The consultant will synthesize the information; prepare a gap analysis of Southeast Asian grid codes in terms of facilitating bilateral and multilateral power trade as well as increasing the share of variable renewable energy in power production in each country; provide recommendations to Abt Associates on critical issues to be addressed; and make technical recommendations on grid code changes and institutional changes required to implement the recommendations. While the focus is on all Southeast Asian countries, particular attention should be paid to remaining gaps for the Lower Mekong countries.
S/he is also expected to provide a framework for improving grid codes to facilitate expanded bilateral power trade among Southeast Asian countries, i.e., developing a strategy for providing technical assistance to Southeast Asian countries and to ASEAN to improve grid codes and strengthen relevant institutions. The consultant will work with a transmission planner consultant to coordinate with JICA and prepare presentations on the analysis. Lastly, s/he will write a scope for a firm to analyze all relevant technical and regulatory barriers to bilateral and multilateral trade.
The consultant will review donor programs supporting Southeast Asian countries to upgrade grid codes and other regulations to support power trade and integration of variable renewable energy, and summarize contact information and the focus of their assistance.
Deliverable: Donor analysis review and summary
The consultant will conduct a desk study and literature review and prepare a report highlighting the technical and institutional gaps for improving and implementing revised grid codes. Services sought include:
Deliverable: A report on existing grid codes in LM and Southeast Asian countries, in comparison to international standards, and recommendations for improving grid codes to facilitate power trade and integration of VRE, including appropriate institution(s) to lead the change.
The consultant shall develop a strategy to implement the grid code improvements in SE Asia to facilitate power trade and VRE integration. The objective is to prioritize opportunities to support harmonizing codes to facilitate bilateral trade between Southeast Asian countries. The strategy should include a criteria for screening/grouping the countries where the USG could provide support, as well as evaluating the readiness of pairs of countries for increasing or enabling power trade, in particular grid to grid vs gen-ties, and make recommendations on which pairs of countries are highest priority for assistance based on the criteria. The services sought include:
Deliverable: A report on the strategy and framework for future assistance to Lower Mekong and SE Asian countries on improving grid codes to promote power trade and increase VRE on their systems
The consultant will prepare presentations on results of tasks 1-3 above, including donor assistance, the desk study and strategy/framework for future assistance at various venues.
Deliverable: Presentations for various venues which could include meetings of ASEAN or LM countries and other venues as to be determined later
The consultant will coordinate with a power system planning consultant, in cooperating with JICA and ADB GMS on grid code harmonization in Lower Mekong countries.
Deliverable: Monthly memo summarizing meetings and calls with the power system planner, JICA, and ADB
The consultant will draft a scope of work for a firm to conduct a study and analyze all political and regulatory, institutional and technical barriers to bilateral and multilateral trade in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on the Lower Mekong countries and propose a program to address these barriers.
Deliverable: A scope of work for a firm to analyze all relevant barriers and prepare implementation plan to improve grid codes and regulations to promote power trade and increase VRE integration in LM and SE Asian countries
Interested candidates may express their interest by emailing a CV and expression of interest to recruitment@usaidcleanpowerasia.com no later than June 26, 2020. To be complete, your application MUST INCLUDE the following information:
Please be prepared to provide upon request proof of education and/or degree attained (transcript or diploma) and proof of annual salary or daily consulting rate as stated in the EBD (acceptable forms include employment agreement, pay stubs, employer verification letter).
Abt Associates is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse workforce and provides market-competitive salaries and comprehensive employee benefits.
Disclaimer: Abt Associates will never ask candidates for money in exchange for an offer of employment.
