Energy Transition in Southeast Asia: How Multi-Level Governance Systems Affect Renewable Energy Projects

Most research related to energy transitions concentrates on OECD countries. Yet, the developing world shows high potentials for a shift towards low carbon energy systems. Renewable energy could play an important role in Southeast Asia where persistent economic growth leads to increasing energy demand. Current literature on the region identifies economic and technical barriers, but lacks political insights. Therefore, this paper poses the following question: How do multi-level governance systems affect renewable energy projects and their link to energy transitions in the Philippines and Indonesia? Both countries are characterized by heavily decentralized political systems with relevant authorities on the national and sub-national levels. The empirical part is based on interviews and field trips. Development aid projects function as case studies to highlight links between local experiences and national frameworks. This paper applies the transition management approach to contribute to the understanding of energy transitions in decentralized systems in developing countries.