Research Database

The development of energy generation by solar thermal has been rigorously highlighted worldwide, but efforts to extend this energy resource have yet to be made by ASEAN countries. This paper discusses the emergence of solar thermal applications in the ASEAN region and their challenges. The heat demand profile by temperature range in major industrial sectors in Malaysia to represent the region is also presented. Furthermore, this paper provides an industrial viewpoint regarding awareness and technical know-how required to implement solar thermal in the sector successfully. The results indicated that solar thermal offers vast opportunities for its integration with the existing industry, which operates in the low-temperature range of below 150 °C to the medium-temperature range of 150–400 °C for diverse applications, such as drying, cooking, cleaning, oleochemicals, and fertiliser manufacturing. The results showed that 26% of the respondents are strongly aware of solar thermal technologies. However, most respondents reported some barriers, such as costly solar collectors and lack of knowledge of solar thermal technology selection. Meanwhile, nearly 38% of the respondents believed that the technology could provide energy-saving and environmental benefits (25%), whereas 18% believed that incentives might increase the share of solar renewable energy in the energy mix.

The association between economic growth (EG) and environmental degradation (ED) has been highlighted extensively in prior studies. However, investigation regarding ‘technological innovation and clean energy role’ in dealing with environmental concerns has comprised limited context while considering the ASEAN economies under sustainable development goals. Therefore, the study attempts to investigate the phenomenon by using CS-ARDL analysis under short as well as long run. The findings through CS-ARDL in long- and short-run indicate that REN have impact carbon emission and ecological footprints negatively. Additionally, the EG in targeted economies is causing a higher level of CE and ecological footprints. Whereas, GDP2ofund to be significant in lowering the ED in the form of CE and ecological footprints. It is suggested that policies related to CE through EG should be developed in order to control the environmental issues in the future.

This study contributes to environmental degradation literature. It suggests that developing and implementing climate-focused policies by ASEAN economies help mitigate ecological consequences and sustain economic growth. Technological improvements and the adoption of renewable energy sources could provide avenues for lower GHGs emissions in ASEAN economies.

This study shows that ASEAN's environmental performance is gradually decreasing, especially Myanmar, Philippines, and Thailand that are caused from climate-related disaster.

Energy demand in transportation sector is increasing and the transportation sector currently emits high amount of greenhouse gases. Electric vehicles (EVs) were introduced to mitigate these emission of greenhouse gases. EVs are well-deployed at leading countries such as China, Europe, and United States due to EV-friendly policies and well-planned EV charging infrastructure. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is following these leading countries and aims to become the next EV hub. Effective deployment of EVs not only require involvement from governments but also willing consumers that push EVs into communities. A survey was carried out among policy makers, manufacturers, and academia to determine suitable policies and financial incentives to increase deployment of EV in the market. The survey also included the hurdles and issues faced by the community to adopt EVs, and identifies that high purchase cost and charging issues are hampering the deployment of EV in ASEAN. EV-friendly policies and financial incentives were suggested in the survey and will be a good reference material for EV manufacturers and policy makers in ASEAN.

Sustainable aviation fuels is a strategic long-term solution for zero-carbon aviation industry by 2050, thus underscoring the need to accelerate the deployment through reforms in the relevant key areas. Aligned to the agenda, this paper aims to study the policy opportunities for drop-in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) deployment in the ASEAN by considering the initiatives undertaken. by Indonesia and Malaysia. Four areas are used as coding framework to assess the current status, challenges, and policy opportunities, namely (1) policy, strategy, and reforms; (2) standards and certification system; (3) economic instruments; and (4) international integration. First, the current status and challenges within each country is assessed. Indonesia has shown a more command-and-control approach with an upfront SAF blending mandate. However, it needs to be supported by several compliance measures. Malaysia, on the other hand, has conducted country assessments but no SAF-specific policy has been issued yet. Both countries still lack the economic instruments, while international integration is still relatively under-explored with only limited inter-regional partnerships. As the biggest palm-oil producing countries, Indonesia and Malaysia possess enormous potentials to lead the region in deploying SAF, thus more initiatives are urged.

This study examines the causal relationship among technological innovation (TI), environment pollution (EP), energy consumption (EC) and sustainable economic growth (SEG) from selected South Asian economies. In order to identify the causal association between energy growth and nexus of CO2 emissions, this study is employed the premises of the EKC framework. This study has used annual time series data set from world development indicator (WDI), start from 1990 to 2019. The result of a fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS) method describes a significantly worsen the quality environment in the south Asian region. The individual country as Bangladesh shows a positively significant impact on the CO2 emissions and destroying the level of environment regarding non-renewable and renewable energy and technological innovation index. However, negative and positive values of growth (GDP) and square of GDP respectively confirm the EKC hypothesis in this region. This study has identified the causality between GDP growth and carbon emission and found bidirectional causality between economic growth and energy use.

Hydropower contributes a lot to electricity generation. Myanmar has enormous potential for water resources which can guarantee domestic electricity supply and export surplus power to neighbouring countries. This paper analyses the status-quo of water resources and obstacles of Myanmar’s hydropower development, and concludes that: (1) Myanmar harbours great potential for hydropower development and utilization; (2) the spatial distribution of hydropower stations and the supply of electricity are unbalanced; (3) main obstacles for hydropower development and utilization include weak governance over water resources, lack of fund and technology, natural disasters and environmentalism resistance. To achieve full electrification in 2030, it is essential for Myanmar to promote the construction of both small-scale and responsible large-scale hydropower stations.

Even though the existing studies have extensively investigated the impacts of renewable energy and real income on carbon emissions, the literature overlooks the role of their interaction effect in the level of emissions. In addition, the studies have usually chosen high-income and middle-income countries as focused group. To fill these gaps in the existing body of energy-environment literature, this study investigates the impacts of real income, renewable energy consumption and their interaction effect on carbon emissions in low-income countries by employing empirical estimations that control different econometric and economic issues such as heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence. The results reveal that renewable energy mitigates emissions; however, the interaction effect stays positive. The marginal effect of renewable energy on emissions varies with the levels of real income. Policymakers in these economies should implement policies and regulations to promote the adoption and use of renewable energy to mitigate carbon emissions. Besides, this study emphasizes that the levels of renewable energy and real income are not the only panacea to abating pollution, but the interaction effect should be considered in ensuring environmental sustainability.