Peralihan Tenaga Bersih Asia Tenggara

Bangkok’s response to the LNG price shock highlights a regional problem in which sustainable finance instruments are proliferating, yet clean energy projects remain harder to fund than fossil fuel projects.

Integrating the solar target into Indonesia’s power plan would coordinate investment in generation, grids and storage, as renewable costs fall and utility-scale solar becomes up to 44 per cent cheaper than coal, according to Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

Higher tariffs, grid guarantees and scrutiny of water use come alongside wider access to renewable power as Bangkok tries to balance digital investment with energy security.

A wide investment shortfall and weak archipelagic grids hinder efforts to deliver nonstop carbon-free power, particularly for data centres and other industries that need round-the-clock clean electricity, said nonprofit Global Renewables Alliance.

The United States-led partnership, that aims to position the country as a strategic hub for critical minerals, must embed climate justice, gender equity and community participation from the outset to ensure a just energy transition, warn women advocates.

The temporary suspension of activities leading up to the country’s first offshore wind auction is an extra move to make the market more investable, according to the Global Wind Energy Council and the Wind Energy Developers Association of the Philippines, amid concerns over high capital risks.

A new analysis by climate coalitions finds that 83 per cent of Indonesian executives want the government to step up investment in grid capacity and connectivity, while 89 per cent of Filipino executives say policy is lagging behind business electrification, despite Indonesia’s renewables push and the Philippines’ rapidly expanding clean energy pipeline.

The Philippines has lined up tens of gigawatts of offshore wind projects on in service contracts, is preparing to auction 3,300 megawatts more, and already has 178 megawatts in early development – strong signs of growing interest. How much of this will actually get built, however, is uncertain amid social implications, high costs, geopolitical tensions, and the unclear role of Chinese players.

Mismatched financing tenures, risk premiums and the demand profiles of data centre operators are among the many concerns of the country’s solar power providers.

The Philippines saw a 170 per cent surge in weekly installations while Thailand’s demand for solar training increased three times following the energy crisis that started in late February. But workforce systems and stronger local networks are needed to allow the industry to scale sustainably, says clean energy proponents.

Despite Southeast Asia being a major driver of global power demand, its biggest utilities are not neutral grid operators. They also buy and sell electricity, favouring new infrastructure and their own supply over small players like rooftop solar, according to an analysis by Agora Energiewende.

Ahead of the first ever international conference aimed to develop a roadmap to phase out fossil fuels, advocates urge Southeast Asian countries to meet their own power and fuel needs through domestic renewables.