The global energy transition is shifting decisively toward Asia, with Southeast Asia poised to play a pivotal role in the future of clean energy. As the region’s electricity demand surges — nearly twice as fast as the global average — the question is no longer whether Asia will lead the energy transition, but how it will do so.
A recent series of climate events, including New York Climate Week, Bangkok Climate Action Week, and Shanghai Climate Week, underscored a critical reality: Southeast Asia is no longer just a passive consumer of Chinese technology and capital. Instead, it is rapidly becoming a laboratory for innovation. The focus is transitioning from a transactional model of trade and export to one of mutual partnership, co-creation, and shared innovation.
At the heart of this transformation lies the relationship between China and Southeast Asia. While China brings unmatched scale, capital, and supply-chain expertise, Southeast Asia offers a dynamic environment ripe for clean energy experimentation — from rooftop solar panels sold on installment plans to mini-grids designed for island communities.
Despite the growing potential, the connection between clean energy ecosystems in China and Southeast Asia remains underdeveloped. Too often, Chinese companies view the region solely as an export market, while Southeast Asian startups, despite being inventive, struggle with under-capitalization and fragmented regulations that slow their progress.
However, Bangkok and Shanghai Climate Weeks demonstrated a new approach. Instead of acting as mere exporters and buyers, Chinese and Southeast Asian innovators engaged as partners. At one notable event co-hosted by New Energy Nexus China, companies like TCL and LONGi showcased their efforts to digitalize factories and decarbonize supply chains, while Thai startups such as **Altotech** presented smart energy-efficient building solutions. This exchange of ideas and expertise marked a significant shift in how the two regions can collaborate to advance clean energy innovation.
The future of clean energy in Southeast Asia is not solely about importing technology. It’s about building resilient and adaptive systems together. This means fostering ecosystems where entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators from both China and Southeast Asia work together to create customized solutions for the region’s unique energy needs.
As Jie Xiao, Country Director at New Energy Nexus China, reflects, “Southeast Asia’s clean-tech future will be built on ecosystems of entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators working across borders.” While this ecosystem-driven approach may be slower and messier to start, it offers the best chance for creating a sustainable and resilient clean energy future.
Southeast Asia’s rapid energy demand growth and China’s vast expertise make the China-Southeast Asia partnership crucial for the success of the global energy transition. If the region moves from a simple supply-demand model to a co-creation model, the world will not only witness a clean energy transition but also see dynamic, entrepreneurial, and scalable solutions for the future.
The time for action is now. The future of clean energy in Asia will not be built on exports alone, but through strong partnerships that produce long-lasting, innovative solutions for both the region and the world.