Global energy think tank Ember said faster growth in clean electricity is urgently needed in Asean to keep up with increasing demand and to prevent power sector carbon emissions from rising further.
A study made by the group noted the need for Asean members including the Philippines to ramp up solar and wind projects to achieve global 2030 emission targets.
Ember’s report showed that among 10 Asean member states, five countries (Asean 5) — Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam — make up 89 percent of the region’s total electricity generation, making their contribution crucial to achieving clean energy transition in the region.
Based on Asean 5’s 2030 energy plans, solar and wind projects would rise to 11 percent of the region’s total electricity supply, with the Philippines expecting to generate 16.5 percent from these sources for the period which is still not aligned with the global net-zero goal.
Ember said recent trends also show that if clean energy cannot keep up with the rising demand, fossil fuels will again take over.
The group added that power from renewable energy (RE) only met 39 percent of electricity demand rise in the Asean 5 from 2015 to 2021 and 48 percent was met with fossil fuels.
“Governments should unleash the power of solar and wind, as is happening already in China, India, and across much of the world. As fossil fuel prices soar through the roof, solar and wind prices remain low, providing affordable, homegrown energy,” Achmed Edianto, Ember electricity analyst for Asia, said in a statement.
As of end-2021, the country’s total installed on-grid capacity of RE from hydro, geothermal, solar, biomass and wind sources was at 7,913 megawatts (MW) equivalent to 29.5 percent of the energy mix.
Its total installed RE off-grid capacity for the same period was at 51.89 MW equivalent to 8.2 percent of the mix. – Jed Macapagal
