The country dubbed the ‘battery of Asia’ is turning to solar and other renewable energy sources to supply affordable power.
Tag: Battery of Asia
Unraveling the Mystery of Laos U-Turn from Renewables to Coal to Power the Battery of Southeast Asia
After years of hydropower supercharging Laos’ successful ambition to become the key power exporter in the region, Laos’ energy export market has taken a surprising turn … towards coal. According to most international analysis from Carbon Tracker to Bloomberg, carbon is dying. Yet in Laos, energy carbon production went from zero to half of all […]
Can tourism boost Lao’s economy?
Could tourism be a better road forward for Laos now that its hydropower development schemes are increasingly being called into question?
China’s Supply of Cheap Energy to Southeast Asia Could Stall Hydropower Development: Analyst
An abundance of cheap power from China could stall Laos’ plans to become the “battery of Southeast Asia.”
Recharging Asia’s Battery
Next week, Barack Obama will be the first sitting U.S. president to visit Laos, a poor, landlocked country whose large-scale efforts to dam the Mekong River threaten to destabilize the region. This concerns the United States because Southeast Asia is one of the country’s largest trading partners and a key security ally that can counterbalance China’s growing regional influence. Obama should seize this opportunity to help Laos make energy choices that, over the long term, can unify the region and preserve the Mekong.
Electricty Rates Spike in Laos, the ‘Battery’ for Southeast Asia
Electricity rates are skyrocketing in Laos, just as the hot season tightens its grip on a country that aims to be the “battery” that powers Southeast Asia with hydropower from river dams.
Some people have watched as their rates for electricity have more than tripled, and they are scratching their heads as to why they are suddenly paying so much for power when Vientiane has been touting the country’s power generating ability as a way to bring Laos out of poverty.