I. Foreword

In February, 1983, a group of experts from government, industry, and academia in ten countries met in Punalu'u on the Big Island of Hawaii for a Workshop on Energy Fuels Trade on the Pacific Rim. The richness of the dialogue and the value of the shared information proved to be so fruitful and satisfying to the participants that the convener, the Energy Program of the Aspen Institute, established the Pacific Rim Energy Workshops, a series of annual meetings.

In subsequent years, workshops were held in six other countries as well as additional locations in the United States, and participation was broadened to include representatives of several additional Asian nations. As the availability of energy information increased during these years, the discussions in the workshops became progressively deeper and more policy oriented.

The objective of the workshop, as with all Aspen Institute policy programs, is, ultimately, to improve the quality of leadership and policy formulation. To achieve this goal, a group of participants, diverse in nationality, employment, and academic training, come together to analyze energy problems and solutions in an atmosphere that fosters the free exchange of opinions and information.

At the invitation of the Government of Brunei Darussalam, the 14th Pacific Rim Energy Workshop was held November 1-4, 1997, in Bandar Seri Begawan. Reflecting the current interest in developing additional electricity capacity throughout Asia and the recent improvements in gas turbine technology, the workshop took as its theme, Powering Asia: Is Gas the Answer? More broadly, the participants explored a range of factors affecting fuel choice in new power plants.

The workshop was ably chaired by Loren C. Cox, Associate Director of the MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research. His broad knowledge of energy issues and of developments in specific Pacific Rim countries allowed him to focus the discussion on key points and to elicit relevant information from the wide variety of participants. His firm direction, combined with good humor and an affable manner, resulted in a meeting that was efficient, participatory, and enjoyable. His innumerable contributions to the planning of the meeting helped ensure its success, and in this report he skillfully extracted the major themes from a wealth of valuable presentations and discussions.

To encourage candor and open discussion, the workshop was conducted under a not-for-attribution rule, with no quotation or identification of participants' views without their express permission. In addition, the participants were not asked to reach specific conclusions nor to agree on policy recommendations. The Moderator's report that follows thus represents only his attempt to capture the major points of the discussion.

A report on the workshop would not be complete without recognizing gratefully the support of the Bruneian Government and its Ministry of Development. By their initial enthusiasm and the high-level attention given to the meeting, they helped ensure a successful outcome. The graciousness of Pengiran Indera Wijaya Pengiran Dr. Haji Ismail Bin Pengiran Haji Damit, Minister of Development and Permanent Secretary Dato Paduka Haji Othman Bin Haji Yaakub in hosting dinners for the participants was appreciated by all who attended. Special thanks also go to the Ministry staff, and especially Dayangku Norliha, for the advance planning and attention to details that contributed to the pleasure and efficiency of the meeting.

The Aspen Institute also gratefully acknowledges those whose financial support made the workshop possible. Without the support of Brunei Shell Petroleum, who generously underwrote the hotel and meal costs for the workshop, the meeting would not have been possible. In addition, a grant from Exxon Gas International made it possible to provide transportation to the meeting for some Asian participants.

John A. Riggs, Director
Program on Energy, the Environment
and the Economy