Energy Insights speaks with Mark Hutchinson, the director and chair of the Southeast Asia Task Force at the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

In this interview, we delve into a recent report published by GWEC about the potential of offshore wind and its impact on South Korea's economy. We also explore the challenges facing offshore wind, the supply chain implications for the offshore wind industry in South Korea, the response to the pushback by local fishing communities, and strategies for wind developers to ensure the success of their projects with local populations.

Mark has over 30 years of experience in the energy sector. He is an expert in strategic advice, finance, M&A, contract negotiations, and due diligence in the power and, renewables and oil and gas sectors. Mark works with GWEC members in Asia and globally to represent the wind industry in regional policy and regulatory discussions. He is also an economist with a master's in public policy from Harvard University in energy regulation.

GWEC Website: gwec.net

APAC Wind Energy Summit Website: apacwindenergysummit.kr

GWEC is present on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads at @globalwindenergycouncil, and X is present at @GWECGlobalWind.

In this episode of Energy Insights, we recap the G7's climate commitments and the G7 environment ministers' meeting in Turin, Italy. Topics include the pressure leading up to the meeting and summit and what the world's most powerful economies were doing to tackle climate change.
Other topics include what the G7 is doing about coal, the worries around the G7's coal phaseout timeline, the continued endorsement of gas as a bridge fuel, the G7's climate finance commitments, existing climate finance goals, and what COP29 may hold.

Energy Insights speaks with Liming Qiao, the Asia Director at the Global Wind Energy Council.

Our conversation with Liming Qiao delves into a range of crucial topics. We explore the ambitious goal of tripling renewable energy capacity, the potential supply chain challenges for renewable rollouts in Asia, and the role of governments and the private sector in incentivising secure supply chains. We also discuss the complex issue of job losses in the fossil fuel industry as the world transitions to renewables and the potential of clean energy to offset these losses, and GWECs APAC Wind Energy Summit.

Liming has been working on climate and energy policy since 2003. She has worked with major industry and institutional stakeholders active in Southeast Asia in the renewable energy sector, which is advancing wind energy policy across the region. She's also worked with other international organisations and has participated in climate negotiations as an observer for several years.

LinkedIn: Liming Qiao
X (Twitter): @GWECGlobalWind
Web: GWEC

Energy Insights speaks with Sunil Dahiya, an analyst at the South Asia branch of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
We talk about many topics that revolve around the upcoming Indian election and where energy fits into that picture, including an overview of India's renewable energy capacity right now, how much Modi's BJP government can be credited with spurring clean energy growth, the dangers of India simultaneously walking down two energy pathways at the same time with renewables and coal, the development opportunities for renewables in the future and other topics.
In the past, Sunil has been an expert and voice on the implementation of emissions standards for coal power plants in India on issues ranging from research to policy support to coalition development, contributing to India's first National Clean Air Program. Sunil has also authored multiple reports and research papers on energy and air pollution issues.
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W: https://energyandcleanair.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-dahiya-b2272986/
X: https://twitter.com/sunil_s_dahiya

Energy Insights speaks with Farwa Aamer about all things women, energy, and climate change. Farwa is the director of South Asia Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York.
Prior to this, she led research on security, political, and socio-economic dimensions of transboundary river governance in the Himalayan region, along with other issues revolving around water, energy, climate change, and sustainable development across South Asia.
Topics included climate change and its disproportionate impacts on women; energy poverty and the impacts of energy poverty, just energy transition in the context of women, how women can play a larger role in addressing climate change and energy issues, and what barriers still exist for women in terms of climate and energy policy.

W: Asia Society Policy Institute - Farwa Aamer
Twitter: @Faamer
LinkedIn: Farwa Aamer

Energy Insights speaks with Afu Utami about the recent Indonesian elections and energy policy in one of Asia’s fastest-growing countries.

Afu is one of the founders of the technology-based political education movement Bijak Pemilu. This initiative aims to encourage voters to become politically engaged and educated, and it won the MIT Solve Global Competition in 2023.

Afu is also the founder and CEO of Think Policy, an organization that aims to encourage policy ecosystem improvement and innovation in public policy in Indonesia. It also supports the general public to understand public policy in an accessible way through an evidence-based approach.

Prior to these roles, Afu served as an environmental economist at the World Bank and a researcher at the World Resources Institute. She has also collaborated with the Indonesian government on several projects, including those related to energy and ecosystem management.

Topics include the recent Indonesian elections and the subsequent energy policies of the new incoming government, Indonesia’s coal use, nickel processing facilities, China’s influence, how young voters are perceiving the government’s energy policies and environmental issues in Indonesia and how voters are responding to current challenges and changes in Indonesia’s energy and political landscape.

X (Twitter): @Afutami

LinkedIn: Afu Utami

In this episode of Energy Insights, we speak with Janna Smith about all things renewables growth, challenges and opportunities in Southeast Asia. Topics include Southeast Asia's renewables potential, where countries are doing well, what countries are leading and the challenges associated with accelerating clean energy growth in the region.

Janna Smith is a solar and wind researcher with Global Energy Monitor and the lead author of the organization's latest Race to the Top: Southeast Asia report. She has a master’s in defence and development from the University of Durham and has researched Southeast Asia for the past two years. She continues to work at Global Energy Monitor as the primary researcher for solar and wind development in Southeast Asia and North Sea countries.

Web: Global Energy Monitor

In this episode of Energy Insights, we speak with Ulka Kelkar. Ulka is the Executive Director of Climate at the World Resources Institute India. She is an economist with 24 years' experience in climate change research, outreach, and capacity building.

Ulka works on low-carbon development pathways, sub-national climate action, and just transitions in small industry. Previously, she worked on climate change at the Asian Development Bank and has been involved in projects with several organisations that have worked on issues across India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.

Ulka's research has also appeared in journals such as the Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Global Environmental Change, and Climate Policy, and Mitigation & Adaptation Strategies for Global Change.

Topics included the recently concluded COP28 climate conference in the UAE's Dubai, including the controversy surrounding the appointment of Sultan Al-Jaber as the conference's president, the final adopted text that referred to transitioning away from fossil fuels, the new loss and damage fund, climate finance, and other topics.

Twitter: @UlkaKelkar
Web: World Resources Institute | Ulka Kelkar