The federal government will incorporate policies for the adoption of nuclear energy in the nation's energy mix under the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan, set to be implemented from 2026 to 2030, as part of its goal to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

India’s Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has concluded his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia wherein both countries agreed to look into improving ties in various fields, including clean hydrogen.

Britain faces a huge challenge to meet its goal of decarbonising the electricity system by 2030 with rapid reform required, the country’s National Energy System Operator (NESO) said in a report for the government on Tuesday.

Man-made methane can be cut by plugging leaky oil and gas infrastructure, experts say. But Southeast Asia is lagging in realising the decarbonisation potential of methane reduction as fossil fuel production ramps up.

The fifth round of the large-scale solar programme, of which the winners will be announced as early as November, received the lowest bidding prices ever under the competitive bidding programme that was first started in 2016, sources say. The tender for LSS5 opened in April this year and closed in July. This may not be surprising as the bidding prices for each iteration of the LSS programme have been trending downwards over the years.

Hong Kong has world-class clean energy ambitions. The government has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, by targeting electricity generation, waste reduction and transport. Having one of the most well-managed mass transit networks in the world, Hong Kong must also deal with transport’s sizeable share of carbon emissions – 18 per cent of the city’s total. To meet the goals set by the Paris Agreement, Hong Kong will have to cut transport emissions by 59 per cent by 2030.

The IEA’s latest World Energy Outlook 2024 shows solar overtaking nuclear, wind, hydro, gas and, finally, coal, to become the world’s single-largest source of electricity by 2033. This solar surge will help kickstart the “age of electricity”, the agency says, where rapidly expanding clean electricity and “inherently” greater efficiency will push fossil fuels into decline. As a result, the world’s energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will reach a peak “imminently”, the IEA says, with its data indicating a turning point in 2025.

Sarawak has made headway on several fronts in its plans to export renewable energy to fulfil its aspiration as the “Battery of Asean.” Commercial negotiations for power inter-connection with Singapore are progressing well following the completion of the technical studies with Singapore’s Sembcorp Utilities, according to Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Malaysia is ready to address two key challenges, namely establishing the region as a leading energy hub and finalising the Asean Power Grid (APG). Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the APG initiative would enhance energy supply, fortify the region and create new investment opportunities. "This is a major challenge, as the investment amount runs into tens of billions of ringgit. I believe Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) is drafting plans in this area and considering how we can achieve this.  

China is set to sign up next year to an updated version of a bilateral free-trade agreement with Southeast Asian nations, consolidating its role in the region by enhancing trade, new energy cooperation and supply chain connectivity. After a meeting on the sidelines of an Asean regional forum in Laos on October 10, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations announced the “substantial conclusion” of Version 3.0 of their free-trade agreement, following nearly two years of negotiations.

Cambodia plans to boost its capacity to import clean power from neighbouring Laos, Vietnam and Thailand by more than 600 megawatts, its energy minister told Reuters, a more than 50% uplift to currently agreed deals. Keo Rottanak said the move highlighted the potential for boosting interconnection in southeast Asia, and said it provided more options to diversify power supply amid rising volatility in hydropower output due to weather-related disruptions.

Vietnam will amend its national power development plan, known as PDP8, to include options for nuclear energy and hydrogen, the Minister of Industry and Trade said on Monday (Oct 21). The PDP8 will be amended in a way to also add more renewables to the mix, including solar and wind, Nguyen Hong Dien told the National Assembly at a meeting in Hanoi.