RECCESSARY’s “ASEAN Weekly” highlights Southeast Asia’s new energy and carbon market updates. (Image: RECCESSARY)
This week’s ASEAN sustainability roundup focuses on new developments in renewable energy and IPO activity. Vietnam’s first offshore wind project in Quang Ninh Province has received government approval, marking another step toward expanding the country’s renewable energy supply capacity. Meanwhile, Malaysian power systems contractor EI Power Bhd is set to list on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market next week. Below are ASEAN’s stories for May 11–17.
Thailand pushes green loans, one-stop permitting for 500 MW residential rooftop solar
Thailand is expanding its residential rooftop solar buyback program fivefold. The government is introducing green loan products and streamlined permitting reforms to address financing and approval bottlenecks that have constrained household adoption for more than a decade.
The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) is in discussions with state-owned and private banks to develop dedicated green loan products for households participating in the government’s rooftop solar buyback scheme. Read more here
How the Philippines’ 20% storage mandate helps protect large power users from fuel price shocks
Energy storage is becoming a required component of renewable energy projects in the Philippines. In recent months, the Department of Energy (DOE) has introduced a set of measures that directly shape how projects are designed. A new circular requires all variable renewable energy projects above 10 MW to install energy storage systems equivalent to at least 20% of plant capacity. The Energy Storage Systems Act establishes a national framework for storage deployment, while the upcoming seventh Green Energy Auction will require battery storage for all ground-mounted solar projects. Read more here
China’s clean tech exporters ride global energy shock as ASEAN becomes manufacturing base
A global energy shock triggered by the Iran war is accelerating Chinese exports of solar panels, electric vehicles, and batteries, as manufacturers seek to capture rising overseas demand while domestic profitability remains under pressure.
Across Southeast Asia, Chinese companies are simultaneously expanding factory investments and regional supply chains, reinforcing the region’s role as a long-term manufacturing base even before the current crisis began. Read more here
Vietnam ramps up circular economy push with stricter recycling obligations
Vietnam has introduced new regulations requiring producers and importers to meet mandatory recycling obligations. Starting from May 25, regulated entities must recover a proportion of products placed on the market, aiming to curb environmental pollution while incentivizing better product design and advancing a circular economy from the source. Read more here
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Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam has previously held waste sorting campaigns, helping businesses improve waste collection and recycling efforts. (Photo: iStock)
Thailand auto industry pushes 32% tax on imported EVs as trade-in plan faces delays
Thailand’s automotive sector is facing parallel policy discussions over EV imports and adoption. Industry groups are preparing to seek stronger protection for domestic EV manufacturing, including higher taxes on imported electric vehicles, as concerns grow over rising competition from lower-cost Chinese imports.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s proposed government-backed trade-in scheme, part of a broader policy push targeting an additional 300,000 EVs, remains under review as officials work through unresolved questions over used-car valuations, scrapping systems, and vehicle eligibility criteria. Read more here
Vietnam’s Quang Ninh advances wind energy push with first offshore project approval
Vietnam’s northern province of Quang Ninh is seeing a major surge in wind energy momentum. The government gave the green light to the province’s offshore wind project, the Quang Ninh 4 Wind Power Plant, on May 11. This follows the official groundbreaking of Quang Ninh 1 late last month—one of the North’s pioneering large-scale wind farms. Both projects are expected to significantly enhance the country’s renewable electricity supply. Read more here
Vietnam’s wind power development is gradually expanding from onshore to offshore. (Photo: iStock)
Malaysia’s EI Power heads for Bursa ACE listing on rising data center demand
Malaysian power systems contractor EI Power Bhd is set to list on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market next week, with nearly all of its first-quarter revenue tied to critical power infrastructure for data centers.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2026, EI Power reported net profit of MYR 6.03 million (USD 1.51 million) on revenue of MYR 20.75 million (USD 5.19 million). The company’s critical power segment contributed MYR 20.34 million (USD 5.09 million), equivalent to about 98% of total quarterly revenue. Read more here
Japan's Sojitz eyes Southeast Asia to cut rare earth reliance on China
U.S. President Donald Trump is on a state visit to China, where he is set to hold a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Market observers expect rare earth export restrictions to be among the key agenda items. With China dominating global rare earth supply, concerns extend beyond the United States, as Japanese firms are also accelerating efforts to secure alternative sources. Read more here
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