12 January 2026
Unpacking Contestation in Southeast Asia’s Renewable Energy Development
Executive Summary
Southeast Asian countries are accelerating renewable energy development to meet increasing domestic energy needs and contribute to global decarbonisation efforts. With the move towards expanding renewable energy, tensions between the state and affected communities risk intensifying, which, if unmanaged, could undermine the legitimacy of the projects themselves and the long-term viability of the energy transition agenda. This challenge becomes even more salient in the context of cross-border power trade as importing countries will seek to ensure that their electricity purchases are not sourced from projects marred by social conflict and environmental controversy. Understanding the dynamics between the state and local contestation is essential for designing renewable energy development strategies and regional energy cooperation frameworks that facilitate the region’s transition to renewable energy sources in an environmentally, socially and politically credible way.
Executive Summary
Southeast Asian countries are accelerating renewable energy development to meet increasing domestic energy needs and contribute to global decarbonisation efforts. With the move towards expanding renewable energy, tensions between the state and affected communities risk intensifying, which, if unmanaged, could undermine the legitimacy of the projects themselves and the long-term viability of the energy transition agenda. This challenge becomes even more salient in the context of cross-border power trade as importing countries will seek to ensure that their electricity purchases are not sourced from projects marred by social conflict and environmental controversy. Understanding the dynamics between the state and local contestation is essential for designing renewable energy development strategies and regional energy cooperation frameworks that facilitate the region’s transition to renewable energy sources in an environmentally, socially and politically credible way.
