With approximately 840 million people still without electricity access, the world is failing to meet energy targets in the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030. Globally, it was deemed as one of the most important indicators for measuring livelihood quality with the world aiming to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services by 2030.
Smart grids are set to take Southeast Asia by storm. According to a 2018 report by Telcoms and Computing Market Reports, the smart grid market in the region has continually grown and demonstrated significant benefits to consumers and large-scale vendors.The increasing number of people gaining access to electricity in member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has prompted respective governments to look into smart grids deployment.
Since sanctions by the United States (US) and European Union (EU) were lifted, Myanmar has enjoyed relatively strong economic growth. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Myanmar’s economy has grown at an average of 7.5 percent between 2012 and 2017.
Southeast Asia has been touted as one of the most dynamic regions which is projected to enjoy increased development and high economic growth rates in the coming years. To keep the cogs of industry turning within the region, there must be adequate supply of electricity.Electricity demand in member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected to grow between 5 to 6 percent yearly from 2016-2020.
As of 2015, out of the total population of 630 million people living in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states, 107 million do not have access to electricity. Those affected live mostly in remote areas and are far off from electricity grids.Rural electrification is a major challenge for regional development. As rapid urbanisation sees more and more rural towns develop, what undergirds such a shift is access to electricity.
