Technology, Innovation, and Circularity at Energy Asia 2025
Energy is an industry built on innovation, and that commitment to innovation will be vital to balancing our climate and energy needs in accordance with the Paris Agreement’s central aim of keeping global temperature rise this century below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The key theme Technology, Innovation and Circularity will explore the vital need to leverage innovation to build a more sustainable and circular energy ecosystem. This theme will touch on the transformative potential of AI and circular economy practices within the energy sector, the evolving range of next-generation green energy technologies, and what that means for the region.
The discussion at Energy Asia will cover the barriers to technology adoption, such as funding and commercial scalability, and the critical role of public-private partnerships in fostering innovation and sustainability.
The Disruptive Power of Technology in Energy
Technological innovation is a critical pillar in driving the energy transition, and one which can deliver remarkable benefits for the region.
The transformative power of innovation and adoption to drive the global energy landscape is evident. The remarkable fall in costs and improvement in efficiency of solar photovoltaic panels is a major success story in renewable energy innovation—with the average cost per watt produced falling from USD130 per watt in 1975 to just USD0.31 per watt by 2023.
New technologies are also providing fresh opportunities and challenges for energy transition. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies are currently the most broadly disruptive forces reshaping the energy landscape, creating new sources of demand but also powerful tools to enhance efficiency. It is expected that the power consumption of global data centres will double over the four years from 2022 to 2026, reaching 1,000 terrawatt hours annually. At the same time, AI offers remarkable potential for enhancement across Asia’s energy systems, including enhancing integration of a growing share of renewable energy sources.
However, innovation is not confined to digital technologies alone—it spans the entire energy spectrum from upstream extraction through to end-use energy efficiency. A dynamic innovation ecosystem offers substantial strategic opportunities for stakeholders to incorporate new methodologies into their operational frameworks.
For stakeholders to effectively harness these innovations, understanding successful models of technological development and deployment is crucial. This includes company programmes, research initiatives and startups, each playing a critical role in the advancement of technology.
Overcoming Challenges in Sustainability and Circularity
Innovative solutions focused on circularity and sustainability, such as carbon removal and advanced waste management technologies, face significant challenges. These include securing funding, achieving successful project deployment and scaling operations to reach commercial viability.
Circularity can provide a powerful platform to enhance global resource efficiency generally, with a study by the United Nations Environment Programme projecting that improved resource efficiency alone could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 19% by 2050. That is a powerful argument for reduced emissions at a time where economic growth and consumption are powering up in a vibrant modern Asia.
Some important solutions are already in development for our energy ecosystem. However, emerging clean energy technologies like low-carbon hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS) are still in nascent stages and are struggling to gain substantial traction within the region. CCS could play a particularly important role in Asia where gas is likely to provide a valuable bridging fuel to long-term net-zero energy ecosystems and is expected to feature prominently across conversations at Energy Asia 2025.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that investment in carbon capture, utilisation and storage would need an average USD1 billion in Southeast Asia alone between 2025 and 2050 to achieve regional climate targets and capture 200 million tonnes of CO2 by 2050.
These obstacles must be addressed to fully realise the potential of these innovative technologies.
Fostering Collaboration for Technological Advancement
The key to unlocking the potential of next-generation technologies in advancing Asia’s energy transition lies in fostering collaborative innovation and establishing strategic partnerships across both public and private sectors.
Building a supportive environment for innovation involves not only financial investment but also the development of green energy policy that encourages technological advancement and collaboration. By strengthening partnerships between governments, industries, and research institutions, Asia can accelerate the deployment of advanced technologies that are essential for a sustainable energy future.
As the future of energy solutions continues to evolve, it is clear that technological innovation and collaborative efforts are essential to propel Asia’s energy transition.
Be part of Energy Asia 2025, where industry leaders, innovators and policymakers will converge to discuss and develop strategies that leverage technology to meet our energy and climate goals. Don’t miss the opportunity to shape the future of a resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure for Asia and beyond.
