Asia Energy

Hopes of a path towards energy independence in the Philippines are gathering pace thanks to encouraging steps forward at the Malolos-1 onshore well in Cebu. Australian oil firm Gas2Grid said in July it is in the process of applying to the Department of Energy (DoE) to increase production for a full appraisal of the field.

Changes to Mongolia’s mining legislation will open up vast new tracts of land for exploration and pave the way for new licence issuances. This should help restore the confidence of foreign investors made wary by government intervention in the sector.

The future of solar energy in Malaysia received a powerful boost on June 16 with the commissioning of the country’s largest solar power plant to date. The project’s operator, Malaysia-based Amcorp Group, awarded the production of the power plant’s solar panels to Chinese manufacturer Yingli Green Energy Holding Company. The project spans an area of almost 14 ha and will require some 40,000 photovoltaic (PV) units, which are estimated to produce 13.6m KWh of electricity annually.

A return to economic growth in Thailand is expected to drive greater demand for electricity, hastening efforts to look for alternative sources of energy, although continued political uncertainty could slow public investments in power plants and transmission lines.

Although declining oil production has had an effect on Brunei Darussalam’s recent economic performance, officials insist the reasons for the drop are short term in nature, while the country’s long-term prospects in the sector remain promising. Expansive government plans at home and a cooperation agreement with Timor-Leste abroad should give the sector a welcome fillip as well.

With demand for electricity on the rise, and a national drive to boost renewable power production gathering strength, investor interest in Mongolia’s fledgling wind energy industry looks set to grow.