February 5, 2024

New book explores path to large-scale renewable energy development in Southeast Asia

Successful transition to greener energy will require a coordination of economics, technology, and policy

A groundbreaking new book is shedding light on how Southeast Asian countries can achieve large-scale deployment of renewable energy sources and leapfrog traditional energy models, with potentially transformative outcomes.

Large-Scale Development of Renewables in the ASEAN (Springer, 2024) brings together a range of international experts to explore how economics, technology, and government policies all play a crucial role in making renewable energy more accessible to ASEAN countries.

University of Wollongong (UOW) economist Associate Professor Rabindra Nepal said transitioning to greener energy is a complex process that the authors wanted to explore.

“A successful transition to renewable energy sources is neither a quick fix nor merely a matter of greener technological substitution through adequate financing,” Associate Professor Nepal said.

“Achieving large-scale renewables deployment inevitably requires combining the three distinct but interrelated forces of economics, technology, and policy.”

Associate Professor Nepal from the School of Business was a contributor and co-editor of the book. Other UOW contributors include Associate Professor Ashish Agalgaonkar from the School of Electrical, Computer and Telecommunications Engineering and UOW Energy Futures Network Director Mr Ty Christopher. Former SMART Infrastructure Facility Director Professor Pascal Perez and former Honorary Fellow Dr George Grozev also contributed to the book.

“We focus on delivering the environmental sustainability dimension of the energy policy trilemma by considering the role of economics, technology, and policy, in achieving green energy transitions,” Associate Professor Rabindra said.

“We document that technology is a necessary but not sufficient pre-requisite for facilitating greener energy transitions.

“Green technology deployment requires necessary policy support considering the public good characteristics of renewable energy which, if left alone to the market, will lead to underproduction and underconsumption of green energy.

“This book on energy economics and policy will be a valuable resource to the ASEAN governments and interested researchers including graduate students.”

More information

Large-Scale Development of Renewables in the ASEAN (Springer, 2024) is a result of a UOW administered grant funded by the Economic Research Institute of the ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). Associate Professor Nepal was a sub-project leader for this project.