Energy Insights

In this episode of Energy Insights , host Stephen is joined by Flora Wu, Country Director for China at Asia Research & Engagement, to examine whether Asia is truly pricing the full cost of the climate transition.  Flora explores how climate risk extends beyond carbon, from extreme heat and flooding to water stress and institutional vulnerability. The conversation examines why these risks remai...

Solar panels and wind turbines are often criticised for creating a future waste problem. But the reality is very different. In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen explores why renewables are among the most recyclable energy technologies in the world. With up to 95% of solar and wind materials already recoverable, clean energy is moving towards a circular model where value is reused rathe...

In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen is joined by Ziqun Jia, Junior Consultant at Perspectives Climate Group, to explore China’s rising influence in Southeast Asia’s energy sector. Ziqun dives into how China’s leadership in clean technologies, from solar to batteries and EVs, is reshaping energy systems across the region. The discussion also covers how China’s investments and energy di...

In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen speaks with Zhou Yu, Program Manager at New Energy Nexus, to explore China’s fast-growing clean-tech ecosystem and what it means for Asia’s energy transition. Zhou explains how China’s leadership in solar, batteries, EVs and energy storage is reshaping regional supply chains and driving down global technology costs. He discusses the policies, innova...

In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen speaks with Sam Reynolds, Research Lead for LNG and Gas at IEEFA, to unpack how a global turbine shortage is slowing Southeast Asia’s LNG expansion. Sam explains how long delivery backlogs, higher costs and supply constraints are delaying major LNG projects in the Philippines and Vietnam. This slowdown is raising doubts about gas as a reliable bridg...

In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen sits down with Wai-Shin Chan, Director of Research at Asia Research and Engagement (ARE), to unpack what COP30 really means for climate finance, investment signals and economic decision-making across Asia. COP30 was expected to be an implementation COP, yet countries left Belém with weak NDCs, unclear finance arrangements and no fossil fuel transiti...

In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen sits down with Joel Chester (Cheng) Pagulayan, Climate Justice Portfolio Manager at Oxfam Pilipinas, to explore what COP30 means for climate justice in Southeast Asia and the growing gap between community needs and global delivery. Despite years of warnings from frontline communities, the region continues to face stronger storms, rising seas and wid...

In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen sits down with Katherine Hasan, Analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), to unpack Indonesia’s latest power plan — and the widening gap between climate ambition and reality. Despite strong public messaging on renewables, Indonesia’s RUPTL 2025–2034 places fossil fuels at the centre of the next decade, delaying meaningful re...

Across the world, wind and solar power are often accused of harming public health and disrupting communities — but the science tells a different story. In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen takes a closer look at one of the most persistent myths in the energy debate: that renewable projects threaten wellbeing. Drawing on studies from health authorities and real-world data, the discussio...

Southeast Asia stands at a defining moment in its energy transition. While renewables have become cheaper and more reliable than ever, governments across the region continue to expand gas infrastructure — risking costly lock-ins and delayed climate progress. In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen unpacks the findings from BloombergNEF’s latest analysis, which reveals how renewables like...

In this episode of Energy Insights , we speak with Mia Watanabe, Climate Campaigner at Oil Change International, about the real costs of Australia’s gas strategy and its wider implications for Southeast Asia’s energy future. Australia has become one of the world’s largest LNG exporters, but this dependence on fossil fuels raises serious concerns over environmental, social, and economic impacts. Mi...

In this episode of Energy Insights, we sit down with Amy Kong and Yu Sun Chin, from Zero Carbon Analytics. Together, they provide valuable insights into the complexities of Southeast Asia’s energy future, where the shift towards clean energy is both an opportunity and a challenge. Amy and Yu discuss the region’s clean energy investment trends, the ongoing role of fossil fuels like LNG, and the pol...

The global energy shift towards renewables is gaining momentum, but what role does investment play in this transition? In this episode of Energy Insights, we explore the key findings from the World Energy Investment 2025 report. From the rapid growth of renewables to the continued dominance of fossil fuels, we discuss the challenges and opportunities in scaling up clean energy investments. As the...

In this episode of Energy Insights, we speak with Joel Chester (Cheng) Pagulayan, Climate Justice Portfolio Manager at Oxfam Pilipinas, about the Philippines’ energy shift. Despite the government’s clean energy goals, continued reliance on liquefied natural gas (LNG) poses serious risks to both the climate and economy. Cheng discusses the need for a just transition, policy gaps, and the importance...

China has emerged as a global leader in renewable energy, rapidly scaling its solar, wind, and hydropower capacities. But what does this mean for Southeast Asia, which is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels? China's energy transition is shaping the region's energy future—pushing for clean energy investments, cross-border cooperation, and regulatory reforms to move away from coal depend...

In this episode of Energy Insights, we speak with Dr. Utkarshaa Varshney, a leading energy transition consultant specialising in solar, wind, and hydrogen projects. With over five years of international experience, she shares her journey and insights into the challenges and opportunities for women in energy leadership. Dr. Varshney discusses the critical role of gender inclusivity in energy transi...

Japan has secured a historic LNG deal with the United States, a move positioned as a step towards greater energy security. However, this decision raises pressing questions about its alignment with climate commitments and its broader influence on regional energy policies. As the world accelerates towards decarbonisation, is this agreement a necessary short-term measure or a prolonged dependence on...

In this episode of Energy Insights, we explore the critical issue of captive coal power in Indonesia, a significant obstacle to the country’s 2040 coal phase-out target. Captive coal plants, which operate off-grid to supply energy to industries like nickel production, are expanding rapidly, locking industries into long-term fossil fuel dependency. This episode examines the environmental and public...

This episode of Energy Insights critically examines the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), an initiative aimed at advancing decarbonisation across 11 countries in Asia and the Pacific. While AZEC aspires to promote regional collaboration and sustainable energy development, its dependence on fossil fuel-based technologies, including LNG, CCS, and ammonia co-firing, raises important questions abou...

This episode of Energy Insights explores the contrasts shaping Asia’s renewable energy landscape. With surging energy demands and immense potential for renewable transformation, Asia is both a challenge and an opportunity in the global energy transition. The discussion focuses on the successes of countries like China, India, and Vietnam, where ambitious policies and investments are driving renewab...

COP29 has concluded in Baku, Azerbaijan, leaving the global community to grapple with its outcomes. In this episode of Energy Insights, we take a deep dive into the critical takeaways from this year’s UN Climate Change Conference. Was it the pivotal moment we hoped for, or yet another missed opportunity in the fight against climate change? The discussion covers the ongoing challenges with climate...

Energy Insights speaks with Teresa Anderson, the global climate justice lead at ActionAid International, about all things climate finance in the run-up to COP29 in Azerbaijan. We talked about a broad range of climate finance-related topics that include the $100 billion a year promise, loss and damage finance, the contentious relationships between countries at climate negotiations, expanding the pu...

Energy Insights speaks with Abdul Waheed Bhutto. Abdul Waheed Bhutto is an academic researcher and the Pro Vice Chancellor at Dawood University of Engineering and Technology in Pakistan.  He has authored numerous publications and secured significant research grants, in the field of sustainable energy, renewable resources, and biomass utilisation. He established the Biomass Conversion and Green Che...

Energy Insights speaks with Mark Hutchinson, the director and chair of the Southeast Asia Task Force at the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). In this interview, we delve into a recent report published by GWEC about the potential of offshore wind and its impact on South Korea's economy. We also explore the challenges facing offshore wind, the supply chain implications for the offshore wind in...

In this episode of Energy Insights, we recap the G7's climate commitments and the G7 environment ministers' meeting in Turin, Italy. Topics include the pressure leading up to the meeting and summit and what the world's most powerful economies were doing to tackle climate change. Other topics include what the G7 is doing about coal, the worries around the G7's coal phaseout time...