Red tape slows Southeast Asia’s renewables growth

Pace of deployment to leave Indonesia and the Philippines heavily reliant on coal through end of decade, analysts say

Administrative holdups are hampering the expansion of renewable power in Indonesia and the Philippines—the first- and third-biggest economies in Southeast Asia respectively. The trend is expected to leave both countries heavily reliant on coal through to the end of the decade despite a drop-off in available finance for fossil fuel projects. Land approvals are the biggest holdup when it comes to developing renewables in Indonesia, as land-use administration is fragmented between national, regional and local governments, according to Ken Lee, senior power modelling analyst at consultancy Wood Mackenzie. This means project developers must collect more permits for land use than for any other typ