Working in Southeast Asia

The ten countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are home to over 660 million people. Its combined GDP of more than USD 3 trillion places ASEAN as the fifth largest economy in the world and is projected to triple by 2040. ASEAN countries stand at a crossroads in their collective energy journey. Growth brings its challenges as they strive to supply energy affordably, sustainably and securely. ASEAN and its member states have started to explore ways in which they can scale up the use of renewable energy and decouple energy demand growth from economic growth. Over the past decade, renewable energy has played a growing role in the ASEAN energy system. Under Phase II of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC), covering 2021-2025, ASEAN is committed to working together to achieve a 23% renewable share in the total primary energy supply and a 35% share in the total installed capacity by 2025.

Supporting this strategy to scale up renewable energy deployment and advance the energy transition to a sustainable energy future, IRENA signed an agreement with ASEAN in 2018, on the sidelines of the 36th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM).

The partnership, in close collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), works closely across a number of focus areas for implementation, including:

1. Energy planning in the context of integrating high shares of renewables in the ASEAN energy mix.
   • Flextool training for ASEAN (2 June 2020)
2. Assessments and roadmaps for accelerated renewable energy deployment, including updates to the ASEAN Renewable Energy Outlook.
   • Activities are under way
3. Knowledge sharing among regional policy makers to implement effective renewable energy policy and regulatory frameworks, and to capitalise on the social and economic benefits of scaled up renewables deployment.
   • IRENA-Singapore High Level Forum: Investing in an Inclusive and Just Clean Energy Transition (26 October 2021)
4. Support for the advancement of various renewable energy resources across ASEAN countries through detailed technology and innovation assessments and analysis of potential cost reductions.
   • Report on Scaling Up Biomass for the Energy Transition: Untapped Opportunities in Southeast Asia (2022)
   • IRENA Innovation Day in Thailand (4 September 2019)
5. Support for the development and facilitation of bankable renewables projects through IRENA’s project facilitation platforms.
   • Regional Project Facilitation Technical Training Workshop on Bankable Solar Energy Project Development in East ASEAN Countries (21-22 August 2019)
   • Regional Workshop on Accelerating RE Investments in Southeast Asia (20-21 May 2019)
6. Building capacity among policy makers, regulators, utilities and other key stakeholders in the region for renewable energy deployment through training and workshops.
   • Accelerating the Southeast Asian Energy Transformation (13 August 2020)
   • Regional Renewable Energy Policy Support Mechanism Workshop for Southeast Asia (21-22 November 2018)