Mitsubishi Power Drives Progress in Asia Pacific’s Energy Transition in 2025

Maintaining energy security, ramping up investment in a range of clean energy technologies, and fostering collaboration will be critical to accelerate the region’s journey to net zero. 

The Asia Pacific region has been making strides with its energy transition. In the last few years, Asian investments in clean electricity have come to outweigh those in fossil fuels, with countries progressively moving away from coal and diversifying their energy mix. 

Yet at the same time, there continues to be great pressure on energy systems as urbanisation and electrification become more widespread and as industries boom particularly those that are energy-intensive such as data centres.

In an interview with Asian Power, Mr Akihiro Ondo, Managing Director and CEO of Mitsubishi Power Asia Pacific reflects on how countries in APAC are grappling with energy security and sustainability this year. “The good news is that a region as diverse as APAC is not lacking in potential energy solutions,” he said. “The focus now is on identifying the right solutions for each country and scaling them to ensure a stable and smooth energy transition.”

Prioritising Energy Security 

Energy supply disruptions have far-reaching consequences for communities and economies, and keeping the lights on is top of the agenda across APAC. While pathways to maintain energy security vary, natural gas remains a critical energy source for the region to be able to deliver baseload power while serving as a bridging fuel to cleaner energy sources. It complements renewable energy sources like wind and solar, which may be intermittent in nature, ensuring grid stability and a consistent power supply.

Indeed, as global gas demand is expected to expand further in 2025, much of this growth is set to come from APAC. This demand in turn has created a market for technologies that can harness the power of natural gas. 

High-efficiency gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plants are particularly well-suited for baseload operations. Equipped with systems to capture waste heat and use it for a secondary cycle of power generation using steam generators, these plants deliver greater output, improved efficiency, and lower operating costs compared to conventional power generation systems.

Mitsubishi Power has been driving the implementation of such power systems across the region. For instance, since 2021, the company has installed ten M701 J-Series Air Cooled (JAC) gas turbines across three power plants in Chonburi, Rayong and Ratchaburi provinces in Thailand. These gas turbines – the first of their kind anywhere in Southeast Asia – can operate with a combined cycle efficiency of over 64% and reduce the power plant’s CO2 emissions by up to 65% compared to conventional coal-fired plants. The project was completed with the tenth JAC gas turbine starting commercial operation at the Hin Kong Power Plant in January this year.

“The success of our projects in Thailand is testament to the efficacy of GTCC solutions in delivering power essential for development. APAC countries need such technologies for reliable electricity generation their economic growth ambitions,” Mr Ondo said.

Advancing Clean Energy Solutions

Another upside of GTCC systems is their ability to enable the introduction of cleaner fuels through co-firing. 

To this end, Mitsubishi Power’s gas turbines are designed to operate with blends of natural gas and zero-carbon energy sources such as hydrogen. Currently, its large-frame turbines can co-fire up to 30% hydrogen by volume, reducing emissions by an additional 10% compared to natural gas-only power generation.

“Co-firing in gas turbines is essential to drive the energy transition as it lays the foundation for hydrogen becoming a more ubiquitous fuel for power generation,” Mr Ondo noted. “The availability of such solutions means that even existing gas power plants can be retrofitted to seamlessly transition to cleaner fuels while continuing to meet today’s urgent energy demands.”

Already, Mitsubishi Power has partnered with Keppel Infrastructure, Sembcorp Industries, and Meranti Power in Singapore, as well as PETROS Power Sdn. Bhd. in Malaysia, to supply gas turbines capable of co-firing hydrogen. These projects are among the region’s first hydrogen-compatible natural gas power plants.

As part of its broader vision for a hydrogen-powered future, Mitsubishi Power has also made significant investments in its Takasago Hydrogen Park, a validation centre for hydrogen-related technologies. This facility in Japan covers the full hydrogen value chain, driving innovation from production to utilisation. Hydrogen-capable turbines developed and rigorously tested at Takasago are now being deployed globally, with plans to validate exclusive hydrogen firing in large-frame JAC gas turbines by 2030. 

Building Coalitions for Progress

Technology is only one part of driving the energy transition. Gaps in capital and regulation also need to be plugged.

In this regard, Mr Ondo emphasised the critical role of partnerships across private and public sectors. “The technology to achieve a clean energy future already exists, but scaling it fast enough is the real challenge. Government incentives and intervention will be important, and the private sector must also step up to share best practices and know-how,” he said.  

Mitsubishi Power actively engages with international platforms like the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) to support knowledge sharing, technology transfer and multilateral partnerships that drive progress across borders. In specific markets, the company works closely with local energy leaders such as TNB Genco in Malaysia, EGAT in Thailand and PLN in Indonesia to explore implementation of cleaner and more sustainable energy systems.

“Beyond providing technology, we believe our role involves partnering with governments, businesses, and communities to deliver solutions that are tailored to the needs of each country,” Mr Ondo added. 

To learn more about Mitsubishi Power and their technologies, visit Mitsubishi Power Asia Pacific.