ACEF 2026 takeaways

The just concluded four-day Asia Clean Energy Forum or ACEF 2026, sponsored by the Asian Development Bank  (ADB) and held at its headquarters in Mandaluyong this week, highlighted the global need to build a sustainable and resilient energy system that should include more renewable energy sources from solar, wind, hydro and geothermal, as the world moves to lessen its  dependence on energy sources that may be volatile and affected by conflict, and from  traditional but environmentally-polluting sources of crude oil and coal, and the still controversial nuclear energy.

It was acknowledged during the forum that nuclear energy continues to  draw strong interest  as several countries assess how to keep their power systems reliable and affordable, while lowering the carbon intensity of their grid. Speakers were clear that nuclear is back in the conversation, but also careful not to present it as a quick or easy answer.

It was pointed out by Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, that “the Philippines is on a serious roadmap toward nuclear power. Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are all looking at what nuclear energy can do for them. What we see is diversification in practice. Why? Because being able to rely on different energy sources improves energy security.”

However, Keith Mitsuhashi, energy director of the ADB, during a briefing on the Pan Asia Power Grid Initiative (PAGI), was careful to explain that  ADB’s support for nuclear energy  would likely be focused on capacitating the government to adopt nuclear energy rather than extending financial assistance for a specific project.

At a pre-forum event on the first day of the ACEF on Accelerating Offshore Wind in the Philippines sponsored by the Norwegian Embassy, it was a surprisingly a full-house event attended by foreign and local firms exploring ways to invest, participate as suppliers and providers, and harness the potential of offshore wind resources in various parts of the country.

In his opening speech on Tuesday, ADB president Masato Kanda described a region dealing with global shocks, fragile supply chains, rising demand, heatwaves, AI, data centers and rapid electrification. He emphasized that energy security can no longer be addressed country by country. Through the Pan-Asia Power Grid Initiative, or PAGI, ADB aims to help countries move toward more coordinated, region-wide power trade.

Fatima Yasmin, ADB vice president for sectors and themes, highlighted the need for a more diverse energy mix, stronger transmission networks, storage, cross-border power trade and policies that can support investment. She also noted AI’s dual role as both a major source of new electricity demand and a tool for improving energy system management.

It was also interesting to learn from some of the sessions that adoption of Artificial Intelligence or AI and the increasing demand for data centers is increasing the demand for more reliable energy and a more integrated power grid not just in the  Association of Southeast Asian Nations through the ASEAN Power Grid, but also  through an even wider PAGI.

The succeeding panel discussion emphasized that energy security can no longer be treated only as a response to crises. It must be built into planning, investment and system design from the start. As noted by Muaviyath Mohamed, minister of state, tourism and environment, Maldives, the region must move from “short-term crisis management to long-term resilient development.”

Henri Paillere of the IAEA commented that “Building a nuclear power program is not just about building a plant. It’s about building an entire national infrastructure.”

He explained IAEA’s approach and the 19 infrastructure issues countries need to work through — from safety and regulation to financing, workforce development and public engagement.

ADB’s Hideaki Iwasaki, for his part, explained that nuclear power is now included as a financing option under ADB’s updated Energy Policy, but stressed that any support would need to be grounded in safety, readiness, institutional capacity and compliance with IAEA standards. It was emphasized that ADB’s role is to help countries evaluate and understand the economic, financial and technical issues, so they can make informed decisions.

In the panel discussion, it was acknowledged that nuclear energy should be considered as one of the technology options in energy planning, but not pursued without careful preparation.

The ACEF 2026 makes me appreciate more the presence of the ADB headquarters in the Philippines, in bringing more awareness to various global issues that otherwise we would not appreciate without having the opportunity to participate and interact with other foreign participants on common topics that truly affect all of us in a global embrace.

It is also heartening to have the ADB take on  its global role in addressing issues that  may have been temporarily sidelined by other multilateral agencies following the withdrawal of vital financial support from its previous donor.

The ADB is leading a multi-partner fund to finance critical project preparation work for cross-border energy and transmission infrastructure within the ASEAN. The Regional Connectivity Fund for Energy in Southeast Asia will advance the development of the ASEAN Power Grid, the regional bloc’s flagship initiative to achieve fully integrated electricity grid operations by 2045.

The APG, as envisioned, would provide  energy security for nearly 700 million people and power the region’s growth, but on an even greater scale, it is also envisioned to be part of the PAGI.

PAGI will connect national and regional power systems so energy can flow across borders, shifting away from small-scale, country-to-country projects toward a coordinated and regional power trade. By 2035, PAGI will mobilize $50 billion, with ADB providing half. The initiative is expected to connect 22,000 circuit-kilometers of transmission lines, integrate 20 gigawatts of renewable energy into a regional system, slash power sector emissions by 15 percent and help create 840,000 jobs.