Low-Carbon Technologies for Energy Security in Asia

Rapid variable renewable energy (VRE) deployment remains a pillar of national climate targets across Asia and the Pacific, but many developing member countries (DMCs) are hitting hard operational limits: grid stability, spatial constraints, and an unmet need for stable baseload power. The IEA has underscored that dispatchable clean energy will be essential to balance grids rich in renewables, with nuclear capacity alone needing to double by 2050 to meet net-zero ambitions. The question facing policymakers is no longer whether firm low-carbon power is needed, but which technologies deliver it reliably, affordably and quickly enough.

To achieve regional net-zero emissions by 2050, Asia must confront the operational limits of relying solely on variable renewable energy. While solar and wind remain indispensable pillars of the transition, their inherent intermittency poses mounting challenges for grid stability, industrial reliability, and the rapid phase-out of baseload coal. Reaching 2050 climate milestones without compromising energy security requires dependable, high-density, round-the-clock power. In this context, nuclear energy stands out as one of the most prominent and proven solutions capable of delivering zero-carbon firm generation at the multi-gigawatt scale the region urgently demands.

This session evaluates the strategic role of nuclear energy within Asia’s firm carbon-free portfolio, examining safety governance, bankability, grid integration, and regulatory roadmaps to help countries chart a resilient, low-carbon future.