Balancing Asia’s energy transition in a high-demand era
As the region’s power demand rises, Mitsubishi Power Asia Pacific CEO Akihiro Ondo shares why a pragmatic, system-wide approach is key to balancing reliability, affordability and decarbonisation.
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Across Asia Pacific, the energy transition is unfolding alongside growing demand for secure and reliable power. Countries are exploring solutions such as cleaner fuels and renewables, shaped by their local resource advantages, while ensuring power systems continue to operate reliably.
Against this backdrop, Mitsubishi Power’s Takasago facility in Japan offers an example of how these capabilities are brought together. The hydrogen park is designed to test integrated solutions spanning hydrogen production, storage and power generation. At its core is a 566MW, grid-connected T-Point 2 combined cycle plant, where gas turbine technologies undergo rigorous testing under actual operating conditions, running for 8,000 hours or more.
“This is equivalent to about one year of operation,” said Mr Akihiro Ondo, managing director and CEO of Mitsubishi Power Asia Pacific. “By delivering gas turbines with new technologies only after thorough validation, we have secured orders for more than 170 units of our J-Series and J-Series Air-Cooled (JAC) gas turbines, with over three million operating hours accumulated in real-world conditions.”
The J-Series and JAC turbines are Mitsubishi Power’s latest generation of high-efficiency gas turbines, designed for large-scale power generation with improved performance, reliability and readiness for lower-carbon fuels.
Mr Ondo noted that natural gas continues to play a key role in supporting energy security while complementing the growth of renewables in Asia Pacific. As electricity needs increase across the region, this is also contributing to higher global demand for gas.
In Singapore, Mitsubishi Power has been involved in several large-scale power projects in recent years, including three hydrogen-ready combined cycle plants for Keppel, Sembcorp Industries and PacificLight Power, as well as supplying gas turbines for Meranti Power’s open cycle facility.
FROM TODAY’S SOLUTIONS TO FUTURE FUELS
While meeting current energy needs, Mitsubishi Power’s JAC gas turbines are designed to deliver longer-term value. “As fuel accounts for the majority of operating costs, higher efficiency translates into lower fuel consumption and cost savings for operators,” Mr Ondo said.
The turbines can also co-fire hydrogen – up to 30 per cent today, with a pathway to higher blends.
“This ensures that as hydrogen supply chains and infrastructure mature, the technology is already in place to support a smoother transition,” he added.
ENSURING RELIABILITY IN A CHANGING POWER MIX
According to the International Energy Agency, Southeast Asia is expected to account for around 25 per cent of global energy demand growth by 2035. Demand from data centres alone is projected to increase five-fold by the mid-2030s, while overall electricity consumption could rise by close to 50 per cent by 2035. Together, these trends are placing greater strain on power systems already navigating geopolitical uncertainty and the transition to lower-carbon sources.
“Building more resilient and flexible systems offers the best path forward,” said Mr Ondo. “This includes deploying high-efficiency, lower-emission natural gas technologies to provide reliable baseload power in the near term, while supporting the continued growth of renewables by harnessing resources unique to each country, from geothermal and hydropower to solar and wind.”
Many countries in the region are working to ensure power remains reliable and affordable even as they reduce emissions. While renewable capacity is expanding, its intermittency means it cannot yet fully meet rising baseload demand – particularly from energy-intensive sectors such as artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Solar and wind generation requires flexible, dispatchable power that can be ramped up when needed. Grid readiness also varies across the region, and infrastructure for hydrogen and other lower-carbon fuels is still developing.
In this context, Mr Ondo emphasised the need for a phased, practical approach.
“Natural gas will continue to play an important role as a lower-emission, reliable energy source,” he said. “High-efficiency solutions such as gas turbine combined cycle systems can achieve up to 64 per cent efficiency and reduce emissions by around 65 per cent compared to coal-fired power plants.”
As older coal plants are retired, gas turbines can provide flexible power that responds quickly to fluctuations, helping to stabilise grids.
In addition to new builds, Mr Ondo highlighted the importance of operations and maintenance in keeping existing assets running efficiently. Through upgrades and long-term service agreements, operators can optimise performance, improve efficiency and extend asset lifecycles.
In Vietnam, the O Mon Power Complex – a major gas-to-power development in Can Tho – illustrates this approach. At O Mon 1, an existing thermal plant within the complex, Mitsubishi Power is upgrading infrastructure to support the conversion of the plant from oil to natural gas, and installing a selective catalytic reduction system.
“By leveraging our expertise as the original equipment manufacturer, we are extending the life of existing infrastructure while delivering meaningful nitrogen oxide emissions reduction,” said Mr Ondo.
At O Mon 4, a new high-efficiency combined cycle power plant, Mitsubishi Power will supply advanced gas turbine and generator technologies to support reliable power generation, strengthening energy security while contributing to longer-term decarbonisation goals.
PARTNERING FOR A PRAGMATIC PATH FORWARD
Beyond its own facilities and projects, Mitsubishi Power works with governments, utilities and research institutions across the region.
In Thailand, it is collaborating with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, the country’s state-owned power utility, to explore hydrogen co-firing in gas turbines. In Indonesia, it is supporting cleaner fuel studies with Perusahaan Listrik Negara and Institut Teknologi Bandung, while in Malaysia, the company is partnering with Tenega Nasional Berhad on clean energy research and knowledge exchange.
Energy demand in Asia Pacific is expected to remain strong in the coming years, alongside growing interest in scalable transition technologies such as high-efficiency gas turbines, hydrogen co-firing and carbon capture.
“Asia Pacific will remain one of the most dynamic energy markets globally,” said Mr Ondo. “The transition needs to be pragmatic and focused on execution.”
Learn more about how Mitsubishi Power partners governments, utilities and infrastructure stakeholders across Asia Pacific’s energy transition.
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