Southeast Asia’s digital age requires the right energy mix
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
Indonesia and Malaysia are powering Asian economic development. The former grew by 5% in the first nine months of 2025 and is projected to retain that growth through to 2027, according to the World Bank. The latter is projected to see similar growth levels, with real GDP growing by more than 5% in 2024, according to the OECD. Much of that growth is being accelerated by efforts to drive the digital economy. Malaysia is now Southeast Asia’s fastest growing digital economy, growing at 15% year-on-year. Indonesia is on track to have the region’s largest digital economy, exceeding $130b in 2025, according to the International Trade Administration. The IEA predicts electricity demand from d
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
