Category: Mega Trends & Analysis Asia

Indonesian Electric Vehicle Boom: A temporary trend or a long-term vision?

Indonesian Electric Vehicle Boom: A temporary trend or a long-term vision?

March 24, 2025 | , ,

Indonesia is pursuing policies to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and build a thriving domestic industry. However, to maximize long-term benefits, the government must ensure foreign manufacturers do more than just sell cars—they need to invest in local jobs, supply chains, and technology transfer. While Indonesia’s EV incentive policies reflect a strong commitment to increase market adoption, there remain several risks to achieving the long-term goals of fostering investment, local job creation, and industrial development. The simultaneous application of potentially conflicting incentives—duty-free imports for CBU EVs and subsidies tied to local content—may create an uneven playing field.

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Southeast Asia’s Power Sector: Challenges and opportunities in a dynamic energy landscape

Southeast Asia’s Power Sector: Challenges and opportunities in a dynamic energy landscape

March 17, 2025 | ,

Southeast Asia is a rapidly growing economic powerhouse and a major player in the global energy sector. The region’s energy demand is set to rise significantly over the coming decades, second only to India. Since 2010, Southeast Asia has accounted for 11 per cent of the growth in the global demand for energy, and projections indicate it will contribute over 25 per cent to the total increase in demand by 2035 under the Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS). Southeast Asia stands at a crossroads in its energy transition. The region’s economic growth and industrialisation continue to drive energy demand, but its dependence on fossil fuels poses significant challenges for energy security, climate action and public health. While progress has been made in clean energy deployment, the pace remains insufficient to meet long-term climate goals.

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China’s Domination Over Global Solar PV Supply Chain

China’s Domination Over Global Solar PV Supply Chain

January 13, 2025 | , ,

China’s competitive edge in solar PV manufacturing over other countries comes from four key factors: economies of scale, supply chain vertical integration, technological innovation, and government support. In this list, economies of scale and supply chain vertical integration are the two most important factors. China managed better than any other country to reap these economies of scale. The recipe to maximize economies of scale is straightforward: the bigger, the better.

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Indian Made: Fueling renewables growth through domestic manufacturing

Indian Made: Fueling renewables growth through domestic manufacturing

January 6, 2025 | , , , ,

To promote domestic manufacturing and reduce India’s dependence on imports, the government has taken a number of policy initiatives in the renewable energy sector. REGlobal provides an overview of the status of domestic manufacturing in the solar, electrolyser, battery storage and wind energy segments. the country’s domestic manufacturing across various segments holds immense potential, bolstered by robust policy frameworks. However, the path forward depends on how effectively the government addresses the existing challenges and leverages this potential for sustainable growth.

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ASEAN Power Grid Update: Focus on expanding interconnectivity and regional trade

ASEAN Power Grid Update: Focus on expanding interconnectivity and regional trade

December 16, 2024 | , , ,

With rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, ASEAN’s energy demand is expected to continue increasing until 2050 and beyond. While the region remains dependant on fossil fuels to meet the growing demand, it is focusing on a sustainable transition to low-carbon energy sources along with energy security and economic growth. Renewable energy sources (RES) account for over one third of the region’s installed capacity, which is set to increase to over 39 per cent by 2025, surpassing the 35 per cent target for the year.

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Vision 2030: The way forward for clean energy transition in India

Vision 2030: The way forward for clean energy transition in India

December 9, 2024 | ,

India’s renewable energy capacity has expanded by an impressive 54 GW to reach 203.22 GW as of October 2024, which translates to almost 45 per cent of the entire installed power capacity of the country. This comprises 92.12 GW of solar power, which has singularly been responsible for around 45 GW of the total capacity additions over these past three years. Wind power capacity has now reached 47.72 GW, with 7 GW of capacity additions in the last three years and nuclear power installations have increased to 8.18 GW.

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Green Energy Potential Across Central Asia and the Caucasus

Green Energy Potential Across Central Asia and the Caucasus

November 25, 2024 | ,

This study analyses the current electricity mix, untapped renewable energy potential and energy transition commitments across Central Asia and the Caucasus. It highlights the role of green energy corridors in strengthening regional connectivity and enabling cost-effective expansion of renewables. Central Asia and the Caucasus represent a diverse region with vast potential for green energy corridors to enable large-scale renewable energy development. With the spotlight turning to Azerbaijan and its surrounding region as COP29 gets underway, one of the focuses would be ‘green energy corridors’, using interconnection and regional collaboration to enable renewables growth.

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Rooftop Solar Adoption in China and Japan

Rooftop Solar Adoption in China and Japan

September 16, 2024 | , ,

China has been pioneering the rooftop solar revolution. The country possesses a technical solar potential of 2,070 GW. The cumulative solar installations in China had reached 609 GW by the end of 2023. Japan has been a consistent performer in rooftop solar deployment. The country has consistently led in distributed solar deployment, with a 39 per cent contribution to the total installed renewable capacity as of April 2024.

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South Korea’s Power Plans: Ambitious expansion strategy for a sustainable future

South Korea’s Power Plans: Ambitious expansion strategy for a sustainable future

September 9, 2024 | ,

South Korea aims to achieve 14.3 GW of OSW capacity by 2030, contributing to its broader net-zero emissions goal by 2050. Overall, grid integration is crucial to facilitate the country’s energy transition. South Korea’s sole transmission and distribution grid operator, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), is expanding its network across the country, particularly along the western coast, to accommodate the increasing demand.

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EV charging infrastructure and battery swapping in India

EV charging infrastructure and battery swapping in India

September 2, 2024 | , , ,

India’s EV charging infrastructure is growing rapidly, driven by the growing uptake of EVs. As of February 2024, there were approximately 12,146 public charging stations (PCSs) in the country. The top three states in terms of charging infrastructure are Maharashtra (3,079), Delhi (1,886) and Karnataka (1,041). The public EV charging network in the country is growing with an increase in the deployment of both slow and fast EV chargers.

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Grid Enhancement: The Philippines’ focus on transmission and RES interconnection

Grid Enhancement: The Philippines’ focus on transmission and RES interconnection

August 25, 2024 | , ,

The Philippines aims to significantly shift its energy mix towards RES, which will dominate the installed capacity, supported by natural gas and BESS. Coal will see no additional capacity beyond the 2,305 MW planned from 2023 to 2028, natural gas capacity will substantially increase and oil capacity will remain largely unchanged. RES will see the most growth, with an addition of 13,791 MW by 2028 and an additional 84,712 MW by 2050.

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South Korea’s renewables deployment lags behind other nations: IEEFA

South Korea’s renewables deployment lags behind other nations: IEEFA

August 19, 2024 | , ,

South Korea’s renewable electricity — which includes wind, solar, conventional hydropower, and other sources— accounted for a mere 9.64% of the power generation mix in 2023, falling far short of the world (30.25%) and Asia (26.73%) averages. Meanwhile, the share of wind and solar generation was just 5.3% in 2023. Even with the inclusion of nuclear power generation, South Korea’s share of clean electricity (40.32%) falls short of the OECD average (49.96%).

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A Balanced Transition: Indonesia’s plans for a green energy future 

A Balanced Transition: Indonesia’s plans for a green energy future 

July 21, 2024 | ,

Indonesia, the world’s fourth-largest producer of coal and Southeast Asia’s largest gas supplier, has a strong connection to fossil fuels. However, the country’s population is increasingly supportive of climate goals, and the challenge for Indonesian policymakers lies in balancing the need for economic development, energy security, increased access to energy and affordability with the growing demand for a shift towards renewable energy sources (RES). The country’s reliance on fossil fuels and its abundant coal resources could prolong the use of existing infrastructure, complicating the energy transition.

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Offshore Wind Development in Vietnam and Philippines

Offshore Wind Development in Vietnam and Philippines

June 24, 2024 | , ,

Vietnam is a new offshore wind (OFW) market that has world-class wind resources, a long coastline, and strong fundamentals for growth which could make offshore wind a significant component of its future energy mix. The national Power Development Plan 8 (PDP8) targets 6 GW of offshore wind installations, projected to contribute approximately 4% to the total installed capacity. Philippines has emerged as a pivotal player in the offshore wind (OFW) industry, propelled by progressive policies streamlining permits, encouraging foreign participation, and the introduction of a marine spatial tool (MSP). The Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) aims for a 35% share of renewables in the power mix by 2030 and 50% by 2040. 

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A Win-Win Opportunity: Utilising China’s Spare Solar Capacity

A Win-Win Opportunity: Utilising China’s Spare Solar Capacity

June 17, 2024 | , ,

The manufacturing capacity of factories worldwide tripled from 2021 to 2023, and is set to reach 1,100 GW per year by the end of 2024. About 80-85% of manufacturing capacity is based in China, which is also the clear market leader in upstream parts of the supply chain. However, forecasts for deployment this decade suggest that more than half of this manufacturing capacity will lie unused, with neither government targets nor project pipelines running at a commensurate scale.

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Shifting Gears: Overview of EV market in South Asia

Shifting Gears: Overview of EV market in South Asia

June 10, 2024 | , ,

The EV market in South Asia is poised for substantial growth, driven by environmental imperatives, economic factors, and proactive government policies. Each country in the region presents unique opportunities and challenges, reflecting their specific economic conditions, infrastructure development, and market dynamics. Despite the challenges of infrastructure development, high initial costs, and the need for consumer education, the potential for growth in the EV market across South Asia is immense. With continued investment, supportive policies, and technological advancements, the region is well on its way to a sustainable and electric future.

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Renewables to keep rising and coal to peak by 2030 in China: CEF

Renewables to keep rising and coal to peak by 2030 in China: CEF

May 6, 2024 | , , ,

China will peak coal-use in 2023. CEF forecasts that China can peak then plateau in coal use over the six years to 2030, followed by a slow continued decline of 2% p.a. in coal use in absolute terms in China from 2030-2040, giving a 20% decline over the next decade. China’s electricity market is at the forefront of a transformative journey from traditional thermal power generation to robust expansion of renewable energy installations. China’s shift towards greener energy sources holds immense significance not only domestically but also in the global energy transition landscape.

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China could surpass a 50% EV sales share by 2025: IEA

China could surpass a 50% EV sales share by 2025: IEA

April 29, 2024 | , ,

China is also the global leader in terms of electric share of the 2/3W fleet, with over one-third of all 2/3Ws being electric today, and is expected to remain the leader in electric 2/3W sales in both the STEPS and APS. In the STEPS, the sales share of electric 2/3Ws reaches nearly 90% in 2035; in the APS, the share is slightly above that by 2035. In China there is no gap between existing policy frameworks and future targets, and even more ambition is conceivable.

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US Solar Market Remains Heavily Reliant on Imported Goods

US Solar Market Remains Heavily Reliant on Imported Goods

April 8, 2024 | , ,

The US currently has the makings of a strong solar manufacturing supply chain, but increased support is critical to regain solar manufacturing competitiveness. Filling these support gaps is possible, and in doing so, the US can improve its energy security and market leadership as the world increasingly looks to solar PV technology to generate low cost electricity in the face of the continuing climate crisis. Strong, consistent, and unwavering policy support for domestic solar manufacturing can lay the foundation to make the US, the nation that invented solar modules, a leader in modern solar energy manufacturing.

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South Korea’s transition away from fossil fuels is delayed

South Korea’s transition away from fossil fuels is delayed

April 1, 2024 | , ,

South Korea’s energy security policies and business strategies have been misconstrued to focus on securing fossil fuels for power supply stability and affordability.  South Korea’s transition away from fossil fuels has been slow, despite ambitious targets set in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to reduce fossil fuel use in the power sector to 23.7% and increase renewable energy to 30.6% by 2036. In 2023, fossil fuels still accounted for 58.5% of the power mix, while renewable energy contributed only 9.64%.

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