ASEAN must quadruple annual green power additions to hit 2030 goals—wind body

MANILA — The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) on Friday welcomed new renewable energy commitments from Southeast Asian nations, urging deeper regional cooperation to unlock offshore wind potential and strengthen energy security.

Speaking following the 44th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting in Manila, the international trade body highlighted regional targets to achieve 45 percent renewable energy in installed power capacity by 2030. Meeting the target will require adding roughly 26 gigawatts of clean power annually—four times the expansion rate of the past decade, according to the 9th ASEAN Energy Outlook.

“ASEAN has taken encouraging steps towards a more connected and energy-secure region,” said Ann Francisco, GWEC Asia Pacific director. 

“These commitments matter because they are about what people and businesses need: reliable and affordable electricity, stronger local industries and more jobs.”

Discussions at the concurrent ASEAN Energy Business Forum focused on how offshore wind development could drive industrial growth across Southeast Asia. GWEC noted that cross-border coordination could unlock investments in regional infrastructure, including ports, shipbuilding, manufacturing, and marine services, while shielding economies from volatile fossil fuel import costs.

The group also praised progress on the ASEAN Power Grid, designed to facilitate cross-border electricity trade and balance regional supply and demand.

Invoking the Filipino concept of “bayanihan” or community cooperation, Francisco stressed that no single nation needs to build every component of the wind sector alone. Continued collaboration between governments, lenders, and industry players will be essential to translate policy goals into lasting jobs and infrastructure, she added.