Southeast Asia has long relied on fossil fuels to meet the energy demand of its rapidly growing population. Many countries in the region continue to rely on coal for their power, as much of the world moves away from the highly polluting energy source. But now several governments are showing increasing interest in developing their green energy capacity to help ensure their energy security as the world undergoes a green transition.
In August, Malaysia and Indonesia revisited a two-decade-old plan aimed at power sharing. The two governments signed an agreement to explore 18 potential locations for the development of cross-border transmission lines. In 2017, cross-border power purchases contributed just 2.7 percent of the region’s power capacity. However, developing new power-sharing infrastructure could help some countries in the region to rapidly reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.