Between February 28 and August 31, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines announced 37 renewable energy and electrification policies, alongside 29 fossil fuel policies. Some were already in development before the war began. Zero Carbon Analytics found that most fossil fuel measures focus on short-term relief, with implementation periods under six months. By contrast, 24 of the 37 clean energy policies are scheduled to take around three years or more to implement, compared with six of the 29 fossil fuel policies.

The pressure is building as energy needs rise. Per-person energy demand in Southeast Asia has increased by nearly 30 per cent over the past decade, while crude oil production has fallen 40 per cent from its peak in the 1990s. The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects electricity demand to grow by around 5.4 per cent annually from 2026 to 2030, driven by cooling, industrial expansion and data centres. Its October report calls for stronger national preparedness and regional cooperation, as well as diversified supply routes, greater use of viable domestic resources, energy efficiency and electrification.

Across Asia-Pacific excluding China, renewable capacity is forecast to grow by more than 840 GW from 2026 to 2031, taking installed capacity to almost 1,700 GW. India is expected to account for nearly half of the increase, with Southeast Asia contributing around 20 per cent. The IEA raised its forecast for the region’s 2026–2030 additions by 15 per cent, or 87 GW, compared with last year’s projection. Solar photovoltaic power is expected to provide almost 80 per cent of additions, followed by onshore wind at 12 per cent and hydropower at 7 per cent.

The agency says ASEAN’s renewable growth could be 37 per cent higher than its main forecast if governments speed up permitting, strengthen grids and fully implement planned policies. Grid constraints, financing, permitting delays and land acquisition remain obstacles, particularly in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. More investment in grids, storage and system flexibility will be needed to turn policy targets into operating projects.