Regional cooperation can advance smart grid adoption

Smart grid investments in ASEAN could create up to 650,000 jobs and attract global industrial investment by providing reliable, low-carbon energy. To scale from current pilot projects to a regional system, the report suggests a dual-track approach: regional harmonisation of technical standards and national focus on financial cost recovery. The total investment need for the region is estimated at $4-10.7 billion.

• Smart grid investments in the ASEAN region have the potential to create between 243,000 and 649,000 jobs, supporting roles in design, engineering, IT integration, digital meter installation, and operations, as well as local supply chain opportunities.
• While ASEAN member states have implemented pilots for smart meters, battery storage, and updated grid codes, scaling these initiatives is currently hindered by fragmented standards, investment gaps, and varying levels of national commitment.
• To accelerate deployment, a dual-track policy approach is recommended: at the regional level, the priority is harmonising grid codes and technical standards to enable interoperability and power trade; at the national level, the priority is securing financial viability through cost recovery.
• Smart grids provide socio-economic benefits beyond energy security, including attracting global firms in the automotive, electronics, and textiles sectors that require low-carbon supply chains, and reducing urban air pollution by decreasing reliance on diesel backup generators in countries such as Myanmar and the Philippines.
• The estimated investment requirement for smart grids in ASEAN is between $4 billion and $10.7 billion.

APA

Ember (2025). Regional cooperation can advance smart grid adoption. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/regional-cooperation-can-advance-smart-grid-adoption/

Chicago

Ember. Regional cooperation can advance smart grid adoption. 2025. https://ember-energy.org/chapter/regional-cooperation-can-advance-smart-grid-adoption/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=Regional cooperation can advance smart grid adoption |date=14 October 2025 |url=https://ember-energy.org/chapter/regional-cooperation-can-advance-smart-grid-adoption/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember2025regional, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{Regional cooperation can advance smart grid adoption}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2025}, month = oct, url = {https://ember-energy.org/chapter/regional-cooperation-can-advance-smart-grid-adoption/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }