The keynote speech will address the Philippines’ energy strategy, the role of energy storage in the country’s energy transition, and the government’s efforts to accelerate clean energy solutions for a sustainable future in Southeast Asia.

In March, the Philippines Department of Energy (DOE) launched the fourth round of the Green Energy Auction (GEA-4), the first to include energy storage alongside renewable energy. With results expected to be finalised by October, this session comes at a pivotal moment for assessing how well the auction has delivered on its promise to accelerate storage deployment, and what needs to evolve as the DOE prepares for a potential fifth round.

This interactive panel discussion will dive into the outcomes of GEA-4 and zoom out to identify auction design best practices from across Asia that can ensure future rounds are even more impactful.

1. What do the GEA-4 results tell us about the effectiveness of current auction structures in driving storage deployment?
2. How did regulators determine tariff levels—and did those mechanisms succeed in attracting serious market players?
3. What design features could help GEA-5 better match market realities and investor expectations?
4. Which regional policy frameworks and auction models offer the most compelling lessons for the Philippines?
5. How can future auctions support revenue certainty for solar-plus-storage projects, especially in island and off-grid settings?

Across Asia, rapid growth in renewable energy capacity is outpacing grid readiness, resulting in widespread congestion and curtailment challenges. Countries like India, China, the Philippines, and Thailand have seen solar and wind curtailment rates as high as 10–15% in congested zones, while transmission constraints have stalled new clean energy deployment in key markets.

1. What regulatory models are emerging across Asia to incentivise battery energy storage systems (BESS) and grid-enhancing technologies?
2. How can demand-side management and flexible load solutions be more effectively integrated into national power planning?
3. What lessons can be drawn from Asia’s most advanced flexibility markets in addressing congestion and reducing renewable energy curtailment?
4. How can regional collaboration and cross-border energy trade enhance grid stability and unlock stranded generation assets?
5. What’s the role of transmission upgrades versus digital flexibility solutions in solving near-term grid bottlenecks?

1. India: How did government-backed tenders and viability gap funding support early-stage energy storage investments, and what role does the National Energy Storage Mission play today?
2. Australia: What are the key takeaways from the co-optimised energy and ancillary services markets that have helped monetise storage flexibility and drive commercial viability?
3. Japan: How did long-term policy commitments and support for hybrid systems (e.g. solar-plus-storage) facilitate integration into existing grid infrastructure?

1. What are the biggest technical and financial challenges facing energy storage deployment?
2. How can energy storage improve grid stability and renewable energy integration?
3. What policy or regulatory changes are needed to accelerate energy storage adoption?
4. How can emerging technologies like solid-state batteries and flow batteries shape the future of energy storage?
5. How can developers overcome the regulatory and financial barriers to deploy large-scale energy storage?
6. What are the key technologies driving the evolution of energy storage systems in Asia?

1. What policy and regulatory changes are necessary to incentivise large-scale hybrid-BESS deployment across Asia?
2. How can energy storage be leveraged to improve energy access in remote and off-grid areas of the Philippines?
3. How can distributed energy storage be optimised to manage peak load and reduce stress on the grid?
4. What are the biggest barriers to hybrid-BESS adoption, and how can they be overcome?

1. What were the most significant challenges between speed, cost, and long-term operational efficiency, and how can these be mitigated?
2. How can regulatory frameworks and permitting processes impact project timelines, and what strategies can be used to navigate potential bottlenecks?
3. In what ways do public-private partnerships contribute to the feasibility of BESS projects, and how can these collaborations be structured to enhance future large-scale ESS deployments?
4. How can BESS projects remain adaptable to future shifts in grid requirements and policy changes?
5. How to build projects and improve openness, transparency and fairness whilst respecting local regulations and authorities?

1. What are the biggest barriers to establishing microgrids in South Asia, and how can they be addressed?
2. What is the unrealized potential of microgrids to solve community and economic development issues?
3. What role do policy frameworks play in accelerating or hindering microgrid deployment?
4. How can technology providers and investors collaborate to make microgrid projects more viable?

The keynote speech will address Malaysia’s energy strategy, the role of energy storage in the country’s energy transition, and the government’s efforts to accelerate clean energy solutions for a sustainable future in Southeast Asia.

1. How will BESS projects help Malaysia hit the 70% renewable energy in the mix by 2050 target?
2. What technical, financial, and regulatory hurdles must be overcome to ensure the successful deployment 400MW/1600MWh BESS capacity?
3. What strategies should be employed to ensure that the BESS systems maintain their effectiveness and continue supporting the grid over their operational lifespan?
4. How can Malaysia leverage international best practices to overcome potential challenges and accelerate the successful integration of energy storage systems?

1. How can the most common fire risks in energy storage systems be mitigated?
2. How do current fire safety regulations vary across Asian markets, and what best practices should be standardised?
3. How can collaboration between developers, regulators, and emergency responders improve fire safety protocols?

1. What are the degradation profiles of batteries due to climate and how to adapt technology to mitigate this?
2. What technology is round the corner?
3. Looking towards long duration capacity markets, is this possible for the climate in Asia?
4. What role do non-rare earth materials play in the future of energy storage technology?

1. What role do Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) play in the future of commercial and industry energy procurement?
2. How and why should offtakers evolve to become self-sufficient in their energy needs in the next decade?
3. How can commercial and industrial energy users avoid supply chain disruptions, especially when sourcing power from remote or less developed regions?

1. How can developers build energy storage systems with innovative financing from multilaterals?
2. When will hybrid-BESS projects compete with the coal and gas market?
3. How do private financing and innovative financing differ in supporting energy storage projects?
4. What strategies can be employed to ensure that multilateral partnerships mitigate the financial risks associated with energy storage investments?

Insights from Experienced Bankers

1. How do financial institutions assess the long-term value and resilience of hybrid-BESS projects in emerging markets?
2. How can developers mitigate concerns around project scalability?
3. How do revenue diversification strategies increase the bankability of hybrid-BESS projects?
4. What metrics can be used to assess different revenue strategies and their long-term viability?

1. What are the key factors driving high energy prices in Asia?
2. How has the decline in battery prices affected overall development costs?
3. What policies or market mechanisms can help bring down energy costs for consumers?
4. What role can technology and efficiency improvements play in reducing energy prices?