.jpg)
RECCESSARY’s “ASEAN Weekly” highlights Southeast Asia’s new energy and carbon market updates. (Image: RECCESSARY)
This week in ASEAN, Google announced a USD 160 million investment in water infrastructure to support its data center expansion in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s ongoing forest fires are putting Singapore’s anti-haze law to the test, raising questions about its effectiveness and enforcement. Here are the key ASEAN stories from Nov. 2–8.
Google invests $160 million in Malaysia water infrastructure
Google announced on Nov. 2 that it will provide USD 160 million to develop shared water infrastructure in Malaysia's Negeri Sembilan state, supporting its planned data center operations and expanding local water supply.
The investment will fund an off-river storage reservoir and water treatment plant along the Linggi River. Once operational, the facilities are expected to supply 65 million liters of treated water per day for both Google's upcoming data center campus in Port Dickson and public use. Read more here
Nike, CMA CGM launch first electric barge in Vietnam
Nike, French shipping group CMA CGM and Vietnamese port operator Gemadept have launched a fully electric inland barge service in Vietnam, aiming to reduce emissions from cargo transportation between Ho Chi Minh City and the Cai Mep port area.
The barge operates on a 180-kilometer round trip between Nike's inland drop-off location in Ho Chi Minh City and Gemadept's Gemalink deep-sea terminal in Cai Mep. The service is expected to avoid approximately 778 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. Read more here
Can biochar become a viable business in Taiwan? Lessons from Thailand and Europe
Taiwan’s biochar industry has a new policy target. Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) proposed a vision of removing 1 million metric tons of carbon through biochar by 2030 at the Biochar Industry Cross-Sector Exchange Forum on Sept. 15. But turning that vision into a commercial industry will require support from carbon prices and market mechanisms.
For the same metric ton of biochar, should developers register under a Thai methodology or an international standard such as Verra, Puro.earth, Isometric or Carbon Standards International (CSI)? How do different methodologies affect market opportunities and project revenue? This article examines developers’ market entry strategies through three lenses: international frameworks, carbon storage durability and business models. Read more here
Singapore expands energy investments, cross-border power trade at SIEW 2026
Singapore is accelerating efforts to diversify its energy supply, announcing new projects in geothermal energy, energy storage, low-carbon technologies and power infrastructure as Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) opened on Oct. 26.
The city-state is also strengthening cross-border electricity cooperation, renewing an energy agreement with Malaysia and granting conditional approval to Sembcorp Utilities for a 1.3 GW regional electricity import project. Read more here
Singapore’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) granted conditional approval to Sembcorp’s cross-border electricity import project during Singapore International Energy Week. (Photo: SIEW)
‘Influence without enforcement’: Indonesia’s fires test Singapore’s anti-haze law
Singapore became the first Asean country to pass a law allowing it to punish firms responsible for unhealthy air quality within its borders over a decade ago. But no charges have been brought to date, spurring legal experts and advocacy groups to call for updates to the act. Read more here
As Europe tightens forest rules, can East Asia plug ‘sustainability leakage’?
As global markets tighten deforestation standards, South Korea and Japan face growing pressure to address the environmental footprint of their imports. Emerging policies and corporate initiatives offer opportunities for the region to help establish more responsible supply chains. Read more here
Differences in import standards risk shifting deforestation pressures between markets, highlighting East Asia’s role in addressing ‘sustainability leakage.’ (Image: Magnific)
Philippines halts U.S. e-waste imports but struggles to police customs-free zones
The Philippines has stopped accepting electronic waste imports from the United States, following months of campaigning from activists who said the country risked becoming a dumping ground for hazardous foreign waste. Read more here
Why the Philippines’ ‘solar surge’ leaves many Filipinos behind
Despite the spike in interest in solar power adoption, it remains inaccessible to many in the Philippines.
A single solar panel unit capable of powering direct current devices like lights and mobile devices could cost PHP 4,000-6,000 (USD 63-94) each, according to John Mark Napao, an electrical engineer and founder of Solar Hope, a non-profit that provides off-grid electrification to rural and Indigenous communities through solar power. Read more here
Microplastics pollute nearly two-thirds of corals in Malaysia’s marine protected area, study finds
A study by Universiti Malaysia Terengganu found microplastics in 64% of coral fragment samples taken from sites at Pulau Redang Marine Park. The primary plastic identified was PET, a polymer commonly used in single-use drinking bottles. Read more here
Track ASEAN energy and carbon markets with clarity. Subscribe to RECCESSARY for policy intelligence and business-ready insights across Asia-Pacific.
