Context
The growth in manufacturing, industry, and services sectors in Southeast and South Asia is driving increased energy demand. Many companies in the region have ambitious, near-term clean energy targets, but they face significant economic, structural, and social challenges to achieving these goals.
Objectives
Representatives from leading corporations, manufacturers, and governments discussed emerging strategies and near-term opportunities to achieve clean energy goals in Asia. On day one, participants showcased corporate clean energy goals, explored country policies to enable private investment, shared successful examples of large-scale corporate renewable energy procurement, and engaged in peer-to-peer learning on emerging approaches. Day two featured dual tracks for private and public sector leaders, with interactive sessions to develop actionable energy strategies that enable corporations to meet their sustainability goals as cost-effectively as possible.
Summary of the Workshop
On March 27-28, 2017, 87 leading private sector and government representatives attended the regional workshop in Bangkok, Thailand, to discuss near-term opportunities to scale up clean energy (CE) investment in the region. At the meeting, corporate leaders showcased their companies’ commitments to CE, globally and in the Asia region, that are building momentum for a CE economy. Participants also engaged in peer learning on emerging strategies to implement large-scale CE development and procurement in Asia.
Executives from leading Asian, American, and European corporations and government officials from India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the United States who represented stakeholder groups at the meeting, committed to take action within their organization based on momentum from the workshop. The workshop report for this event is now ready for download. A high-level summary of private sector recommendations that was used to supplement this report can also be accessed here.
Participants
- Leading corporations that have clean energy targets and a manufacturing footprint in Asia, their factory owners, and their Asia-based teams responsible for project development and energy procurement
- Project developers, banks, financial institutions, and insurance companies active in developing business and financing models for renewable energy
- Officials from countries in Southeast and South Asia committed to mobilizing private investment for clean energy development
- Donors and development partner organizations that can help unlock private capital for clean energy
Outcomes
Sharing best practices, this two-day meeting resulted in “Buyers’ Principles” policy recommendations for clean energy investment in key Asian markets – including India, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam – and identification of opportunities to aggregate corporate demand into bankable deals for financing solar, energy efficiency upgrades, and other clean energy solutions at scale.
Organizers
This meeting was convened by the Asia Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDS) Partnership; United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Climate Economic Analysis for Development, Investment and Resilience (CEADIR) activity; Allotrope Partners; World Resources Institute (WRI); National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); and Private Financing Advisory Network-Asia (PFAN-Asia).