Energy Consumption and Cooling in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Asia is developing rapidly in every possible way. Shifting standards of living are leading to higher resource consumption, with higher energy consumption and resulting emissions. The focus of this chapter is to provide an overview of energy consumption trends in Southeast Asia, first by considering the region as a whole and projections for its growing energy demand, then by placing this in relation to questions of access to energy and carbon emissions. Four case studies will be presented to further explore the question of household electricity consumption in relation to energy sources and carbon emissions: the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. City temperatures and cooling needs in these countries will be discussed, providing a general overview of cooling trends in the region’s mega-cities. The electricity sector will be explored in more depth for the Philippines, followed by an overview of renewable energy developments in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.