To break their dependence on volatile imported fuels, Asian nations should prioritize building regional power grids and rapidly expanding domestic renewable energy sources like solar and wind. According to the authors of the newly released report, these strategies involve shifting away from planned liquefied natural gas expansions and instead investing in energy storage and cross-border electricity sharing to ensure long-term stability.
The report suggests that countries can “reshape their energy landscape by increasing the share of clean technologies, reducing fossil fuel imports, stepping up energy efficiency, expanding storage and grid infrastructure, accelerating electrification and integrating renewables at scale.” Furthermore, it emphasizes that “boosting investment in regional renewable energy sources and strengthening supply chains in clean technologies can keep crises at bay.”
In simpler terms, instead of relying on expensive fuels shipped from abroad, Asian countries can generate their own electricity using natural resources like the sun and wind. To ensure this power is always available, they need to build “super-highways” for electricity that connect different regions and countries, allowing them to trade power back and forth. By adding large-scale batteries to store this energy, they can create a stable system that protects their economies from global price spikes.
The report “Overcoming fossil lock-in is pivotal for Asia to buffer against energy shocks” was published by the UK-based energy think tank Ember on March 23, 2026. Authored by senior energy analysts Dinita Setyawati and Muyi Yang, the briefing explores how recent geopolitical conflicts are exposing the vulnerability of Asian economies to fossil fuel price volatility and supply disruptions.
