From Interconnectors to Innovation: Charting the Path Forward to Low-Carbon Energy Integration

The Singapore-IRENA High-Level Forum featured a panel session that examines how industry stakeholders across the energy value chain can collectively advance regional energy integration and the commercialisation of low-carbon technology.

The session is moderated by Ethan Zindler, Head of Countries and Policies, BloombergNEF. The panellists explored practical steps to accelerate investment flows and facilitate collaborative approaches needed to enhance the resilience of regional energy systems. Key highlights from the session include:

• Long-distance interconnectors emerging as key infrastructure: Sun Cable COO Mitesh Patel highlighted that declining solar costs and abundant land availability as catalysts for Australia to supply Southeast Asia with energy via undersea interconnectors. He added that rising energy demand from artificial intelligence (AI) use cases are making regional interconnectors an important asset class for infrastructure.
• Market pricing must reflect transmission costs: Dr Nor Azlan Bin Mostafa, Chief Strategy & Planning Officer, Single Buyer, shared that import prices set by buyers may not reflect transmission costs borne by energy exporters, potentially creating reluctance to trade.
• Delivering benefits beyond profits: MedcoEnergi Director and Chief Executive Officer Roberto Lorato observed that energy-exporting countries like Indonesia seek partnerships that generate broader socioeconomic benefits beyond financial aspects, taking into consideration such as local jobs creation, capacity building, and manufacturing growth.
• Bridge solutions are needed for supply gaps: Karpowership Executive Board Member Nuri Doğan Karadeniz emphasised on the significant role of mobile energy solutions like powerships, especially given Southeast Asia’s limited storage and grid infrastructure. These can be deployed quickly to meet urgent supply needs.
• Overcoming integration challenges: Mats de Ronde, Head of Energy Markets & Strategy in APAC for Energy Systems, DNV noted that regional integration is less about technology and more about navigating regulatory delays, secondary geopolitical impacts, and financing gaps. New financial and operating models are needed to unlock utility-scale capital
• Investors seek scalable solutions: Presenting the institutional investor perspective, Ravi Balasubramanian, Managing Director, Portfolio Development Group, Managing Director, Investment Group, New Energy and Industrials, Temasek, underscored the need to match capital deployment with technology maturity, while also nurturing early-stage innovation through partnerships.

Stay tuned as the conversation evolves throughout the day. Follow @SIEW_sg on Telegram and X (formerly Twitter) for the latest insights.