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Southeast Asia is a significant stakeholder in the global action against climate change, given its growing population, rising greenhouse gas emissions, and vulnerability to climate change impacts. Public policy makers in this region are faced with the challenge of transitioning to cleaner energy sources to enable the attainment of Paris Agreement goals, while also expanding access to affordable and reliable energy supplies. Southeast Asia has one of world's fastest growing rates of greenhouse gas emissions due to rising fossil fuel combustion, second only to South Asia. As such, it is imperative to decouple its energy consumption from emissions growth. This paper reviews Southeast Asia's energy sector trends, with a focus on electricity supply and demand vis-à-vis global decarbonization efforts. Based on global and regional best practices, the paper highlights the crucial role that governments and public policy can play in accelerating the region's clean energy transition, namely through the establishment of mandatory long-term climate and renewable energy targets and binding policies; use of iterative and adaptive power system planning; support for effective market development; financing of pioneering investments and trunk infrastructure; and support for a just and equitable transition. • Countries of Southeast Asia need to accelerate the clean energy transition. • Governments and public policy play a key role in the energy transition. • Policy prescriptions provided based on global and regional best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural gas is a finite resource that may be estimated directly, through geophysical methodologies, or indirectly, through historical production data. The rapid growth in consumption of this limited natural resource, strictly connected to the oil economy, may lead to its imminent depletion and a related economic crisis. The transition to a new economy, based on renewable and sustainable energy resources, is a crucial challenge for the next decades at world and regional levels, with different dynamics. Therefore, an accurate forecast of the availability of natural gas is important to ensure a sustainable energy policy, providing essential information about the timing of this transition. Postulating a finite life cycle of recoverable resources, in this paper we investigate the natural gas production of four neighboring South Asian states: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and Pakistan. We use a number of homogeneous diffusion models, with convenient extensions, and check the model validation in terms of prediction capability. The results indicate that India and Myanmar have already extracted more than 50% of their ultimately recoverable natural gas resources (URR), whereas good prospects for natural gas extraction remain in the near future for Bangladesh and Pakistan. The four neighboring Asian states can build a sustainable power reserve system for natural gas to meet their increasing demand within a medium-term horizon. Some further policy implications are also suggested in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically examines the literature on the grid-offgrid debate and discusses the role of and the relationship between different electricity access options through a synthesis and critical reflection. This paper finds that models using greater resolution and capturing low voltage distribution infrastructure appear to recommend decentralised electricity solutions, whereas central grid extension emerges as the preferred outcome of more aggregated analysis, concentrated population clusters and for higher demand scenarios. However, model results are seriously influenced by assumptions, data limitations, technology choice options, and model flexibility. Exclusion of cost of generation for grid systems, lack of village level information, inherent bias towards scale and type of technology, and absence of social equity considerations in the analysis remain major weaknesses of the existing models. Universal electrification requires a strong leadership and an enabling environment. An appropriate organizational set-up, a robust regulatory framework with reporting and evaluation oversight and a more inclusive approach to promote alternative options are vital ingredients. Power sector decarbonization pathways may affect electrification choices but our understanding is limited or lacking. Further work is required to develop a programmatic approach to delivery and more affordable and fairer outcome for all. • The paper presents the up-to-date review of the debate on grid and off-grid electrification. • We find a strong leadership and an enabling environment is essential for universal electrification by the year 2030. • Appropriate organizational set-up, robust regulatory framework and shift from grid-centric focus to a more inclusive approach to promote alternative options is equally important. • Important to develop a programmatic approach to delivery and more affordable and fairer outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extensive canal irrigation network in South Asia has developed over the past 170 years that consists of thousands of kilometers of constructed channels and distributaries. These canals cut across many energy-poor regions along their paths. In India, this canal network provides a unique opportunity for renewable energy generation that is yet to be realized. Existing technologies for energy generation on canals include small hydropower on canal falls and, recently, canal-top solar panels. In addition, opportunities for hydrokinetic generation in irrigation canals have received limited attention. This paper develops a novel canal-network level framework for energy planning that integrates generation with local energy needs in a canal-corridor. This framework for integrated spatial assessment analyzes the supply of renewable energy generation potential and the demand of unmet energy needs in a canal-corridor, using the Upper Ganga Canal in Uttar Pradesh, India as a case study. We consider the theoretical and technological potential of hydropower and solar power generation and develop three indices to assess the agricultural, domestic, and composite unmet power demand of the canal-corridor. Our results show an overall theoretical potential of 149.1 MW and 13,213 MW for small hydropower and solar power, respectively, which could more than help meet the current 18 hours per day electricity service standard in Uttar Pradesh. The framework uses standardized irrigation and census datasets and therefore is generalizable for canal networks across India and South Asia more broadly. • Irrigation canal energy technologies include small hydro and canal-top solar power. • Novel canal-network level framework for energy planning. • Integration of generation potential with local energy needs in a canal corridor. • Theoretical and technological potential of energy generation on canals. • Three indices for agricultural, domestic, and composite unmet power demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]