SINGAPORE: Tropical Southeast Asia long had plans to harness the power of the winds to propel the next phase of their economic growth.
In 2015, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) set an ambitious target of securing 23 per cent of its primary energy from renewable sources by 2025 with energy demand projected to grow by 50 per cent.
Apart from solar, there is good reason to think wind energy could make a big part of this mix where in Southeast Asia, coastlines stretch as far as the eye can see.
Yet, despite the region’s wind energy potential being immense, nations have been slow to harness this wealth of clean energy. Instead, piecemeal wind projects sprouting across Southeast Asia have come to dot the landscape.
Part of the hesitance stems from wind energy projects remaining an expensive proposition where most Southeast Asian countries have access to cheaper energy sources.
Unlike conventional forms of power generation such as coal, solar and wind energy are best captured in areas away from obstructions like buildings. Islands that are not inhabited are good areas to capture strong solar and wind intensities.
However, as they are fragmented from city centres, they do not have direct access to national grid systems to transmit the energy captured.
While much has been said about the prospects of wind energy in Southeast Asia, a more realistic scenario is for each country to pick a mix of renewable energy sources combined with grid infrastructure reinforcements and technological innovation that keep pace with their energy needs, geographical strengths and cost concerns.