A RACE TO THE TOP: SOUTHEAST ASIA 2024 GLOBAL ENERGY MONITOR REPORT

This January 2024 report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes utility-scale solar and wind power capacity across ASEAN countries. It finds that while the region has seen a 20% increase in operating capacity since January 2023 and possesses a massive pipeline of prospective projects, actual construction rates are low, and the transition is hindered by continued reliance on coal and gas infrastructure.

• ASEAN countries have increased their operating utility-scale solar and wind capacity by 20% since January 2023, reaching a total of over 28 GW. This operating capacity represents 9% of the region's total electrical capacity. Wind capacity grew by 29% (2 GW) and solar by 17% (3 GW) during this period.
• Vietnam is the regional leader in operating utility-scale solar and wind, with over 19 GW of capacity, which is more than double the capacity of all other ASEAN member countries combined. This accounts for 25% of Vietnam's total energy mix.
• The Philippines and Vietnam dominate the region's prospective utility-scale solar and wind pipeline, contributing over 80% of the total. The Philippines has 99 GW and Vietnam has 86 GW of prospective capacity, ranking them 8th and 9th globally, respectively.
• There is a significant gap between prospective projects and actual construction in ASEAN. Out of over 220 GW of documented prospective utility-scale solar and wind capacity, only 3% (6.3 GW) is currently under construction. This is less than half the global average (excluding China) of 7%.
• ASEAN's collective target of 35% renewable energy capacity by 2025 is considered easily attainable, as the region has already reached 32%. To meet the goal, the region needs 17 GW of additional utility-scale solar and wind capacity, of which 6.3 GW is already under construction.
• The energy transition is stymied by a continued reliance on fossil fuels, with coal and gas each making up approximately 30% of ASEAN's total installed capacity. Coal-fired capacity has grown by 7% annually since 2017, and gas is often positioned as a "stepping stone," potentially making ASEAN nations net gas importers by 2025.
• Prospective offshore wind capacity in the region is exceptionally high at 124 GW, which is nearly double the current global operating offshore capacity of 69 GW. This represents almost five times more prospective capacity than onshore wind in the region.

APA

Smith, J., O’Malia, K., Prasad, S., Stylionou, N., & Behrsin, I. (2024). A RACE TO THE TOP: SOUTHEAST ASIA 2024 GLOBAL ENERGY MONITOR REPORT. Global Energy Monitor. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM_Race-To-The-Top_SE-Asia-2024_11.pdf

Chicago

Smith, Janna, Kasandra O’Malia, Shradhey Prasad, Nassos Stylionou, and Ingrid Behrsin. A RACE TO THE TOP: SOUTHEAST ASIA 2024 GLOBAL ENERGY MONITOR REPORT. Global Energy Monitor, 2024. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM_Race-To-The-Top_SE-Asia-2024_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Smith |first1=Janna |last2=O’Malia |first2=Kasandra |last3=Prasad |first3=Shradhey |last4=Stylionou |first4=Nassos |last5=Behrsin |first5=Ingrid |title=A RACE TO THE TOP: SOUTHEAST ASIA 2024 GLOBAL ENERGY MONITOR REPORT |publisher=Global Energy Monitor |date=January 2024 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM_Race-To-The-Top_SE-Asia-2024_11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{smith2024race, author = {Smith, Janna and O’Malia, Kasandra and Prasad, Shradhey and Stylionou, Nassos and Behrsin, Ingrid}, title = {{A RACE TO THE TOP: SOUTHEAST ASIA 2024 GLOBAL ENERGY MONITOR REPORT}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2024}, month = jan, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM_Race-To-The-Top_SE-Asia-2024_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }