IEA Opens 2025 Centre in Singapore to Boost Asia-Pacific Energy Cooperation
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is set to open a Regional Cooperation Centre in Singapore in 2025. This centre will focus on strengthening energy collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular emphasis on Southeast Asia. The region's heavy reliance on imported fuels, coupled with its rapidly growing electricity demand, makes this initiative crucial.
Southeast Asia's electricity demand is projected to double by 2050 due to urbanisation, industrial expansion, and improving living standards. In 2024 alone, the region's electricity consumption surged by over 7%, nearly twice the global average. This rapid growth, coupled with the region's heavy reliance on imported fuels, makes it vulnerable to global market volatility and supply disruptions.
However, integrating variable renewable energy sources in Southeast Asia is manageable with proven low-cost measures. The region has an estimated 20TW of untapped solar and wind potential. Even a fraction of this potential could significantly contribute to meeting the region's soaring demand and enhance energy security. Measures such as smart air conditioners and electric vehicle charging and storage can facilitate this integration and reduce consumer costs.
The ASEAN Vision 2045 and the upcoming renewal of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation support clean energy deployment in the region. Eight out of ten ASEAN member states have set net-zero emissions targets and are employing policy instruments to foster renewable adoption.
The IEA's Regional Cooperation Centre in Singapore will assist Southeast Asia in addressing renewable integration and energy transition challenges. By leveraging the region's vast renewable potential and supporting clean energy deployment, the centre aims to strengthen energy security and support sustainable growth in the region.
