Lao People’s Democratic Republic Partnership

Lao PDR is exploring pathways to reach ambitious electric vehicle (EV) deployment goals. To support this need, the Advanced Energy Partnership for Asia is working with the Laos Ministry of Energy and Mines to conduct analyses and capacity building on modeling tools that will identify EV supply equipment needs and siting. Building capacity for using open-source EV supply equipment modeling and siting tools will help pave the way for replication and scale-up of EV deployment across Lao PDR.

The Advanced Energy Partnership for Asia is also working with the Laos Ministry of Energy and Mines and other stakeholders to scope potential fleet electrification opportunities, build capacity of local partners to understand the fundamentals of EV deployment, and run analyses using appropriate tools to evaluate different fleet options.

Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: Business Model and Tariff Design To Support the Lao PDR, NREL Presentation, (2020)

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment: An Overview of Technical Standards To Support Lao PDR Electric Vehicle Market Development, NREL Presentation (2020)

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment: Tariff Design Support to the Lao PDR, NREL Presentation (2020)

USAID's Clean Power Asia program partnered with NREL to assess Lao PDR's power sector vulnerability to natural, technological, and human-caused threats and to develop a resilience action plan to address the highest-risk vulnerabilities.

An advisory group composed of representatives from the Laos Ministry of Energy and Mines, the state-owned utility (Électricité du Laos or EDL), and the generation company (Électricité du Laos-Generation), was established to lead and inform these activities. NREL and USAID Clean Power Asia worked with the advisory group and employed a participatory approach to assess power sector vulnerabilities and address the highest-risk vulnerabilities through effective resilience strategies that:

• Emphasizes the unique context of the power sector in Lao PDR
• Relies on extensive stakeholder engagement
• Involves detailed review of the latest scientific research to support a vulnerability assessment
• Draws on international best practices and expert input to develop resilience strategies and the implementation of an action plan for the Lao PDR.

Lao Power Sector Vulnerability Assessment and Resilience Action Plan, NREL Technical Report (2020)

Lao PDR has historically prioritized its hydropower resources to ensure a secure, reliable, and affordable supply of energy to support economic development. Diversifying its energy resources can provide for a more resilient power system.

In collaboration with the Laos Ministry of Energy and Mines, NREL explored how domestic renewable resources could be developed to complement the country's existing infrastructure. The Energy Alternatives Study, which was released as two task reports, assesses the technical potential of renewable energy and other energy resources and analyzes the cost of electricity generation. The study highlights a broader set of planning priorities, beyond least-cost investment, that include economic, social, and environmental factors.

Task 1 Report—Assessment of Data Availability To Inform Energy Planning Analyses, NREL Technical Report (2018)

Task 2 Report—A GIS-Based Technical Potential Assessment of Domestic Energy Resources for Electricity Generation, NREL Technical Report (2018)