A new series on Insight looks at the energy transition that is happening in Asia. For decades Asia’s growth has been powered by fossil fuels, but that could soon change.
In Laos, the government is on a dam building spree, targeting to have 100 hydropower dams by 2030, and selling the generated electricity to its neighbours.
In Indonesia, a new bill could finally make nuclear power a reality, after the idea was first mooted in the 1950s.
And in India, Prime Minister Modi has committed to a five-fold increase in solar power. Producer Tamal Mukherjee filmed at the world’s third-largest solar park, the Pavagada. “Its vastness was breathtaking. A sea of solar panels stretched into the horizon. We drove along the park’s perimeter fence that never seemed to end,” Tamal describes.
So very soon, the device you are reading this on could be powered by carbon-free electricity. But the clean energy transition isn’t without challenges. From environmental degradation to land disputes to safety concerns, there are many obstacles in Asia’s clean energy push – all of which are explored on Insight.
Daniel Heng
Executive Producer, Insight
