Commentary

Powering ahead: Taiwan's renewable energy plan in focus
18 Jul 18
This commentary submission was co-written with Natalie Lau (Reed Smith), Lucia Yiou and Mindy Huang (LCS & Partners). ...
One Belt, One Road – An opportunity for regional cooperation
18 Jul 18
China’s reported trillion-dollar One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative is something we have all heard a great deal of, over several years now...
Solar policy, programs, and progress in Southeast Asia: Current status and future outlook
24 Apr 18
Widely known to have vast solar potential, Southeast Asian countries have used a variety of methods to drive solar deployment in the last several...
Taiwan set to join offshore wind's top table by 2025
16 Apr 18
The future of offshore wind energy will combine the application of global experience and local expertise to deliver projects tailored to the needs...
A guide to Singapore's recently announced Carbon Tax
6 Apr 18
Last year, while presenting Singapore’s budget for 2017, the Singapore Finance Minister announced that Singapore will impose a tax on...
What you need to know about utility-scale solar+storage in Southeast Asia
12 Feb 18
Utility-scale solar PV continues to grow at a breakneck pace, driven by continually falling prices, including 19.7 USD/MWh in the recent Mexico...
Water and PV plants: Why we may not be able to have both
15 Jan 18
One of the major issues in solar power that is usually overlooked and is so fundamental to our life is water.
3 reasons why utilities should not be so disgruntled over PV rooftops
1 Dec 17
I decided to stop my recipes on PV projects this month.
IoT in the power sector: Opportunities in Asia and the Pacific
15 Sep 17
Internet of Things (IoT) is billed as the next industrial revolution, Industry 4.0.
Renewable Energy recipes III – tariffs for PV projects
15 Sep 17
Continuing my series on recipes for procedures to support Asia to develop PV capacity I am devoting this one to the tariffs.
How the private sector can use Myanmar's strategic environmental assessment
12 Sep 17
For emerging economies in Asia and beyond, ‘business as usual’ is no longer enough for hydropower development.
Solar power development in Southeast Asia
8 Aug 17
As renewables markets mature, renewables investors are looking to new markets for their next source of growth.
Are small modular reactors the way to go for Southeast Asia?
18 Jul 17
Post-Fukushima, nuclear energy remains a strategic option to address energy security and decarbonisation for developing economies, especially...
Renewable Energy recipes II – feasible sites for PV projects
12 Jul 17
Continuing my series on recipes for procedures to support Asian countries in developing Renewable Energies, I am going to address the feasibility...
Renewable energy recipes: How PV projects are really developed
19 May 17
I am starting a series on recipes for procedures to support Asian countries in developing Renewable Energies.
Back to the future? – A shakeup in industrial solar
24 Apr 17
Michael Graetzel of Switzerland, is announced as the winner of the 2017 Global Energy Prize for his “transcendent merits in the development...
Will Singapore's power sector bear the brunt of its carbon tax?
20 Apr 17
Earlier this year, the Singapore government announced that it will impose a tax on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from 2019.
Building the business case for hydropower companies to employ more women
31 Mar 17
Hydropower is traditionally a male-dominated field.
Is net metering the right way forward for PV rooftops in Asia?
28 Mar 17
Net metering started by being a very sexy idea in regards to the development of rooftops.
Renewable energy outlook for the Year of the Fire Rooster
14 Feb 17
Welcome to the year of the fire rooster, a year unlike the previous year of the monkey which followed the path of curiosity, the rooster is...
Will the Rooster wake up Southeast Asia's energy markets?
13 Feb 17
Monkey proved to be a subdued year for the Southeast Asia energy sector – so will the Rooster wake up the region from its slumber?
Singapore looking to develop policy framework for energy storage
26 Jan 17
In order to fulfil its commitments under the Paris climate change agreement, Singapore’s climate action plan includes a number of strategies...
A new look at portfolio investing in renewables
25 Jan 17
Like a certain iconic dessert advertisement, “Nobody doesn’t like renewables”.
Is solar power really cheaper than wind power?
16 Jan 17
For those of us out there who are part of the Renewable Energy story of this century, we have seen PV dropping from more than 4 US$/W to the...
How a strategic environmental assessment could help change Myanmar's approach to hydro
24 Nov 16
Optimising project siting and configuration are the most effective environmental and social risk avoidance measures in hydropower development....
The hidden costs of Variable Renewable Energy – or just urban myths?
23 Nov 16
Almost all in this sector have already read many texts and technical reports on the hidden costs of intermittent sources or Variable Renewable...
How does South East Asia's coal plans fit with Paris commitments?
6 Oct 16
Just under a year on from COP 21, three of the main players – the US, China, and India – have now ratified the Paris treaty on climate...
Scaling Solar – a new way of doing solar PV
30 Aug 16
Many of the PV industry players have already wished for opportunities that were faster, easier, and better...
Electricity derivative market for the Philippines
9 Aug 16
Maturing into its ten years of commercial operations, the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) has seen its share of volatility and regulatory...
Hybridisation – energy sources, intelligence, and human consumption
26 Jul 16
Several months ago, I happened to see an NHK World's web-based documentary on a Japanese city called Kashiwa-no-ha (KNH) "Smart City...
Here's why solar parks are paying off
1 Jul 16
The solar park concept is similar to an economic zone dedicated to the generation of power through solar energy and also to the manufacturing of...
Educating electricity customers – One step closer to meet their expectations
15 Jun 16
Customers' satisfaction is now gaining vital importance at power distribution companies (DISCOMs) around...
Post-Paris: Taking another look at thorium nuclear
4 May 16
Goodbye to all that Being active in the renewable energy and climate change sector for over the past decade has meant...
Going beyond the meter means going beyond consumer expectations
29 Apr 16
Why your customers might not be the best guide to the future.
Missionary electrification subsidies in the Philippines
27 Apr 16
The electrification subsidy in missionary areas started on May 1, 1988 with the proclamation by the President of the Philippines that electricity...
Making business case for solar PV in Singapore happen
12 Apr 16
Two years ago a commentary about the future of...
"Is Paris burning?": Looking anew at the significance of the Paris Climate Change Agreement
2 Mar 16
While that question hung over the last days of World War II, on December 2015 the world media definitely projected a cheerful resolution for the...
Hydropower project development in Myanmar: Risk allocation
22 Jan 16
A specific objective mentioned in Myanmar's New Electricity Law 2014 is the intent to "increase foreign… investments in...
Humans, machines, and outcomes
23 Dec 15
On occasion of a Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident book-release...
In search of better power regulation for Hong Kong
3 Nov 15
Potential improvements to Hong Kong's present electricity regulation scheme can be made, but they may result in unintended outcomes....

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Sep 18
POWER-GEN Asia
Sep 19
Asian Power Awards 2018
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Oct 29
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