Southeast Asia must urgently modernise its electricity grids to sustain its economic boom and unlock the full potential of renewable energy, according to a new report.
Without sweeping investment in digitalised “smart” networks, the region’s industrial competitiveness and climate goals are at risk, warns the report from the independent global energy think tank Ember.
Over the past decade, renewable capacity across the 10-nation Asean bloc has more than doubled, but this rapid growth has been outpaced by surging energy demand, making it harder to deliver steady, reliable power.
Rigid and outdated power grids are now the chief bottleneck, according to the Ember report released on Tuesday, unable to accommodate the intermittent nature of solar and wind.
Smart grids are no longer optional
“Smart grids are no longer optional, they are the backbone of Asean’s clean energy future,” said Ember energy analyst Alnie Demoral. “Investing in smart grid infrastructure is both an energy transition enabler and a driver of economic and industrial competitiveness.”
