Category: Mega Trends & Analysis Asia

Coal versus Renewables in Southeast Asia’s energy crisis

Coal versus Renewables in Southeast Asia’s energy crisis

April 13, 2026 | , ,

For energy-importing countries in Southeast Asia, the current oil and gas crisis has led to consumer curtailment and a scramble for affordable resources. Countries that have suspended operations or underutilised coal generation capacity now see it as a way to replace the LNG used for electricity generation. This demonstrates that coal is not insulated from geopolitical shocks: short-term switching pushes up demand, which in turn pushes up prices. Only renewables are immune to such immediate crises, as once installed, they do not require a constant supply of fuel to generate electricity.

Read More
AI to unlock the next wave of renewable integration in ASEAN: EMBER

AI to unlock the next wave of renewable integration in ASEAN: EMBER

March 16, 2026 | ,

ASEAN’s expanding digital economy and growing data centre capacity provide a structural foundation for AI adoption. The region’s digital economy is now at around $300 billion and it is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030. Data centres are crucial for efficient digitalisation in the power sector, enabling big data analytics, AI, and smart grid operation. However, infrastructure quality remains uneven across the region, with significant gaps in connectivity, data governance, cybersecurity and interoperability standards. Without deliberate regional coordination, ASEAN could develop pockets of digital sophistication rather than an integrated, intelligent power system.

Read More
State of Energy Transition in Bangladesh and Pakistan

State of Energy Transition in Bangladesh and Pakistan

March 9, 2026 | ,

For Bangladesh, the next phase of the energy transition will be shaped not only by domestic policy, but by regional energy flows, costs, and infrastructure. The immediate task is to scale clean capacity while managing near-term energy security risks. Pakistan’s RE landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by shifting policies, rising consumer adoption, and growing private sector interest. Hydropower remains the largest renewable source in RE generation, supplying over 11.5 GW, followed by 2.4 GW of wind and about 1.4 GW of utility-scale solar.

Read More
Cost economics and policy landscape for the Indian floating solar sector

Cost economics and policy landscape for the Indian floating solar sector

February 23, 2026 | ,

India’s floating solar segment is at a transition point. Having demonstrated technical feasibility through a limited number of large projects, it must now shift decisively towards more scalable deployment. The pace of deployment needs to pick up too. Achieving even 10 per cent of the 100 GW potential by 2030 would require annual additions of roughly 2 GW, a sharp increase from the current levels. Going forward, the real test for floating solar will not be how many projects are announced, but how quickly these can move from site identification to commissioning, under a standardised and reliable national framework.

Read More
EV Market and Charging Infrastructure Development in Thailand

EV Market and Charging Infrastructure Development in Thailand

February 9, 2026 | ,

Thailand’s transport sector is undergoing a major transformation. Vehicle registrations have maintained a CAGR of 3.7% since 2008, led by passenger cars at 5.2%. As of November 2024, the vehicle stock reached 46.8 million, dominated by motorcycles (52.2%) and passenger cars (42.6%), reflecting the sector’s heavy reliance on road transport, which accounts for 80% of freight and passenger movements. By 2035, total registrations are projected to reach 68.2 million, with a motorization rate expected to reach 886 vehicles per 1,000 population by 2050. The EV market continues to expand rapidly but unevenly across segments.

Read More
The China-Gulf Green Rush: Fueling Renewable Energy Cooperation

The China-Gulf Green Rush: Fueling Renewable Energy Cooperation

February 2, 2026 | ,

As the energy transition accelerates, China-Gulf relations are undergoing a profound transformation. Central to this shift is the evolution of energy partnerships, from the traditional fossil fuel exports that fueled China’s industrial rise, to strategic, mutually beneficial collaborations in clean energy technologies. Looking ahead, both sides should prioritize three interconnected initiatives: establishing a Middle East hydrogen hub, modernizing regional grids to enable seamless integration of renewables, and rapidly scaling EV infrastructure to promote sustainable transportation.

Read More
Electric Vehicle Market Trends in Indonesia

Electric Vehicle Market Trends in Indonesia

January 19, 2026 | , ,

Electric vehicle sales in Indonesia have experienced remarkable growth over the past few quarters. From fewer than 150 units sold in 2020, EV sales have surged in recent years, particularly during the first and second quarters (Q1 and Q2) of 2025. Quarterly sales reached approximately 22,000 units in Q2 2025. EV uptake has been concentrated in the passenger car segment; in contrast, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) have shown minimal electric model penetration to date.

Read More
Oman’s Green Ambitions: Scaling renewables and building a resilient national grid

Oman’s Green Ambitions: Scaling renewables and building a resilient national grid

January 5, 2026 | ,

Oman’s power sector is evolving rapidly, marked by substantial renewable energy deployment, large-scale transmission upgrades and a clear strategic vision underpinned by Vision 2040. The country’s forthcoming solar and wind projects, combined with the extensive grid reinforcements planned by OETC, including the landmark RABT interconnector, will enable Oman to integrate GWs of new clean capacity, strengthen nationwide system reliability, unlock resource-rich regions and meet growing demand across industrial and urban centres.

Read More
Japan’s Energy Transition: Balancing surging demand with decarbonisation ambitions

Japan’s Energy Transition: Balancing surging demand with decarbonisation ambitions

December 28, 2025 | ,

Japan is at a critical juncture in its energy transition. The country is pursuing an ambitious infrastructure expansion programme. Generation capacity is projected to expand from 327.27 GW in 2025 to 366 GW by 2034, driven almost entirely by solar and wind (accounting for 95 per cent of the total addition). To support grid stability amid rising variable generation, the country is witnessing unprecedented investment, not only in transmission but also in battery energy storage systems (BESSs), with at least USD2.6 billion committed to Japanese storage projects since December 2023.

Read More
India’s wind sector regains momentum, but challenges persist

India’s wind sector regains momentum, but challenges persist

December 15, 2025 | , ,

As per the National Institute of Wind Energy estimates, India has immense wind energy potential – about 695.5 GW at 120 metres above the ground level. As of October 31, 2025, India’s installed wind power capacity stands at 53.59 GW. The wind sector is entering a phase of meaningful but measured progress. Momentum is building through hybrids, RTC demand and a strong manufacturing base, yet execution bottlenecks, slow contracting and offshore uncertainties must be resolved for the country to stay on course toward its ambitious 2030 wind capacity target.

Read More
Moving from coal to clean energy in Indonesia

Moving from coal to clean energy in Indonesia

November 21, 2025 | ,

Instead of considering repurposing CFPP sites for clean energy, the newly released Indonesian National Electricity Master Plan (RUKN) 2025–2060 proposes retrofitting select CFPPs with CCS, ammonia co-firing, and biomass fuel switching. While these technologies may offer incremental emission reductions, they are expensive, complex, and often incompatible with aging infrastructure. Refurbishment costs could double, as expenses include installing CCS or co-firing technology and upgrading the existing coal plant to enable continued operation.

Read More
Energy Outlook for China 2025

Energy Outlook for China 2025

November 17, 2025 | ,

In the last five years, China has added more renewables and nuclear generation capacity than the rest of the world combined, and solar PV and wind now account for 18% of generation. Despite this, coal demand for electricity rose by more than 25% from 2019 to 2024. As a result, coal consumption in the electricity sector reached 2250 Mtce in 2024. This is more than the total energy demand from all sources combined – coal, gas, nuclear, oil and renewables – of any other country in the world, except the United States.

Read More
State of Solar PV and Grid Infrastructure in Southeast Asia

State of Solar PV and Grid Infrastructure in Southeast Asia

October 27, 2025 | , ,

The solar energy potential in Southeast Asia far exceeds its current deployment. The region boasts an estimated 16 TW of solar energy potential, yet as of 2023, only about 26 GW have been installed. To meet net zero targets, it is estimated that annual renewable energy capacity additions must increase sevenfold for solar energy, from an average of 5 GW per year between 2018 and 2021 to about 36 GW annually from 2030 to 2050. According to the AIMS III, 18 priority interconnection projects have been identified, aiming to increase the existing transmission capacity of 7.7 GW to 17.6 GW by 2040.

Read More
Electricity Generation Trends in China and India in 2025

Electricity Generation Trends in China and India in 2025

October 13, 2025 | ,

China, India, the EU and the US accounted for 63% of global electricity demand and 64% of CO2 emissions in the first half of 2025. Development in these countries therefore has a major influence on the global power sector. In H1-2025, fossil fuel generation and related emissions fell in China and India – a reversal of trends seen in the first half of 2024, as clean sources in both countries grew faster than electricity demand.  Meanwhile, fossil generation and emissions rose in the US as clean generation did not keep pace with demand growth.

Read More
The ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of China’s Clean Energy Transition

The ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of China’s Clean Energy Transition

September 17, 2025 | ,

For China, the clean electricity transition involves more than decarbonisation – it is a strategic pivot to reimagine development. As the fossil-fuelled growth model – once central to China’s economic rise – reaches its limits, the country is pioneering a pragmatic, phased path to “green growth,” where environmental and economic goals reinforce each other. This dynamic is creating self-sustaining momentum, towards China’s broader ambition to build an “ecological civilisation” – aligning long-term prosperity with sustainability.

Read More
Renewable Energy Development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region

Renewable Energy Development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region

September 8, 2025 | ,

The HKH region has the potential for nearly 2,200 GW and 750 GW of electricity generation, respectively, from  solar and wind sources. The HKH areas of China have the highest potential for electricity production from solar (1,772 GW) and wind (741 GW) sources. The HKH areas of India have the potential for 224 GW from solar energy. The HKH parts of Afghanistan have a solar energy potential of 80 GW and around 6 GW of wind energy potential. Pakistan and Nepal have, respectively, a solar energy potential of 56 GW and 24 GW. Myanmar and Bhutan also have significant potential for solar energy of 12.7 GW and 12 GW, respectively.

Read More
Status of Renewable Energy Development in Japan

Status of Renewable Energy Development in Japan

September 1, 2025 | ,

Every three to four years, the Japanese government updates its Strategic Energy Plan, a key policy document that guides the long-term development of the country’s energy sector. The latest plan, the 7th SEP, was finalized in February 2025. It aims for a power generation mix in 2040 that consists of 40%–50% renewable energy. Solar power remains the primary driver of Japan’s renewable expansion. In 2023, solar PV generated nearly 30 times more electricity than in 2010, accounting for 9.8% of the total electricity output. Wind power generation rose from 4,016 GWh in FY2010 to 10,492 GWh in FY2023.

Read More
Unlocking Regional Power Trade: Policy Pathways for the ASEAN Power Grid

Unlocking Regional Power Trade: Policy Pathways for the ASEAN Power Grid

August 11, 2025 | ,

Southeast Asia has made incremental progress: a few multi-country links are now operational, many bilateral arrangements exist, and multiple projects are planned. However, truly multilateral grid integration remains at an early stage. ASEAN’s goal of a unified grid by 2045 will require sustained political commitment, heavy investment and continued expansion of cross-border projects. The LTMS-PIP shows the way forward, but the coming decades will need further “building block” projects and regulatory harmonization to bring all ASEAN grids into one cooperative network.

Read More
India’s CBG sector gains momentum, but challenges remain

India’s CBG sector gains momentum, but challenges remain

July 28, 2025 | , ,

India’s CBG sector is gaining traction, backed by abundant biomass availability, supportive policy interventions, the need for sustainable waste management and a growing emphasis on domestic energy security. The sector is seen as a critical enabler of crude oil import reduction, soil health restoration, mitigation of pollution caused by biomass burning and advancement of India’s energy self-reliance goals. India possesses a vast and diverse biomass base that can support a distributed and robust CBG production model. The sector has been on a long learning curve; now, it seems set to leverage these learnings for larger overall gains.

Read More
EVN’s Efforts to Integrate Renewables into Vietnam’s Grid

EVN’s Efforts to Integrate Renewables into Vietnam’s Grid

July 21, 2025 | ,

Viet Nam’s electricity market is dominated by the state-owned utility, EVN, which is tasked by the government with the production, buying, selling, importing, and exporting of electricity, as well as investing in electricity projects and managing the national grid. EVN holds a direct monopoly on transmission and distribution, making the integration of new renewable energy capacity a major responsibility for EVN and its subsidiaries. EVN’s effort to upgrade the grid to accommodate renewable energy will need to be increased as Viet Nam has set ambitious climate and energy goals.

Read More