Country and Regional Projects in South Asia and the Pacific

NREL supports initiatives across South Asia and the Pacific that enhance resilience, reliability, security, and affordability through advanced energy systems and data-driven decision-making tools.

Bangladesh

NREL supports efforts in Bangladesh to promote the adoption of innovative energy systems and support a market-driven energy sector. Through initiatives such as the Bangladesh Wind Resource Mapping and Renewable Energy Zones studies, NREL provides essential data and decision-making tools to improve grid management and integrate new energy technologies. In addition, NREL provides training to local stakeholders on topics such as advanced mobility, grid modernization, energy security, and resilience.

Bhutan

Bhutan is exploring solar energy to diversify its energy mix and address hydropower challenges caused by reduced water availability and extreme weather. NREL provided technical expertise and training to Bhutan’s power system operator to help integrate solar energy into the grid.

Building Capacity: Solar Photovoltaics Site Assessment and Feasibility Study, NREL Technical Paper (2024)

We have also developed wind and solar resource maps for Bhutan, incorporating key data on transportation, transmission, and land use to support renewable energy development.

India

NREL has played a key role in supporting energy sector development in India, collaborating with many partners to advance grid integration, energy systems modeling, and energy resource assessments. NREL and our partners—including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy—have worked on studies to assess the impacts of high wind and solar penetration on India’s power grid, focusing on large-scale renewable energy integration and challenges related to distributed energy resources. These efforts have addressed critical grid management issues, such as balancing generation and demand, power procurement, and integrating solar energy, battery storage, and electric vehicles into distribution systems. Additionally, NREL has supported the development of forecasting tools to improve solar plant dispatch capabilities and worked on projects in biofuels, wind, and energy efficiency.

As part of the U.S.-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership, NREL also supports the accelerated deployment of emerging energy technologies, focusing on green hydrogen, long-duration energy storage, and geothermal energy.

Through the Global Power System Transformation Consortium (G-PST), NREL is supporting India’s power system operator, Grid-India, in implementing advanced control room tools to detect network oscillations, improving grid stability and reducing renewable energy curtailment. NREL also provided training on resource adequacy tools, helping Grid-India conduct regional analyses to ensure a reliable power system. NREL continues to support Grid-India on market-clearing methodology, transmission constraints, and integrating emerging technologies for a resilient energy system.

Indonesia

We are supporting Indonesia’s efforts to enhance energy resilience and economic development for its remote islands. In collaboration with Texas-based TQ Automation and other partners, NREL has conducted feasibility assessments for hybrid minigrids and large-scale energy and storage projects and provided technical assistance for long-term energy system planning and the deployment of advanced technologies.

Through G-PST’s partnership with Indonesia’s state-owned electricity provider, Perusahaan Listrik Negara, NREL provided technical input for the Java-Bali grid control center and developed a control room roadmap for Sulawesi’s power system. 

Lao People's Democratic Republic

We worked with the Laos Ministry of Energy and Mines to enhance the country’s transportation system and grid resilience. Using open-source modeling tools, we assessed EV supply needs and siting while also exploring how renewable energy could complement Laos' hydropower infrastructure to strengthen the power system.

NREL conducted an Energy Alternatives Study to assess the technical potential and cost of renewable energy generation. We also collaborated with a local advisory group to develop a power sector resilience action plan, identifying vulnerabilities and implementing strategies for a more secure energy future.

Pacific Islands

We collaborate with the U.S. Department of the Interior to support Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands in deploying energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions.

NREL is also working with Tonga and Fiji to improve transportation efficiency and strengthen energy security. In Tonga, we helped develop a policy framework to improve mobility efficiency and electrify their transportation systems and provided support to enable the framework’s implementation. In Fiji, we’re assessing fleet electrification opportunities and providing recommendations for vehicle emissions standards while supporting efforts to plan and deploy electric vehicle infrastructure.

Pakistan

By developing wind and solar resource maps and geospatial data products, NREL is helping stakeholders in Pakistan integrate key infrastructure considerations, such as transmission corridors and load centers, into energy planning. We are also providing technical assistance on forecasting, dispatch modeling, and integrated resource planning with the National Transmission and Dispatch Company and the National Power Control Center.

Through G-PST's partnership with Pakistan’s system operator, the National Power Control Center, NREL is helping modernize its control center and improve operational resilience. Additionally, we’ve helped develop a market monitoring system for Pakistan’s electricity market to enhance transparency and system efficiency.

NREL is also supporting Pakistan in achieving the transportation goals outlined in its 2019 National Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy. This includes developing regulations for EV charging stations, providing standards guidance on electric two- and three-wheelers, and contributing to the development of the New Energy Vehicles Policy 2025–2030.

Philippines

Together with the Philippines Department of Energy, NREL is helping to enhance the country’s power system planning through advanced modeling, resource assessment, and grid integration analysis. The Philippines Competitive Renewable Energy Zones process identifies the most cost-effective resource areas for development, helping streamline transmission planning and reduce investment risks.

As part of this effort, Philippine energy modelers worked with NREL to develop a modeling framework that informs transmission development plans, which were approved for implementation in 2023. The transmission development plans, as well as solar and wind resource data for the entire country, can be found on RE Data Explorer. Additionally, NREL contributed updated assessments of wind energy potential, incorporating high-quality data and methodologies to refine previous estimates and attract investment.

NREL also collaborated with the Philippines Department of Energy to enhance long-term load forecasting and scenario planning, strengthening the country’s ability to predict electricity demand and optimize infrastructure investments.

Singapore

NREL and other partners are supporting Singapore in the development of investment models for a cross-border energy trade network in Southeast Asia, enhancing regional energy security and connectivity.

Sri Lanka

We worked with the Ceylon Electricity Board to assess Sri Lanka’s grid operations and identify technical requirements for integrating variable renewable energy. These activities included evaluating control center capabilities, identifying hardware and software needs, and developing strategies for maximizing renewable energy absorption while maintaining grid stability.

Thailand

NREL collaborated with partners in Thailand to enhance technical capabilities in energy storage, electrification, and power system planning. This included analysis and capacity-building support to advance deployment of battery energy storage systems, performing economic feasibility assessments, training for grid operators, and development of regulatory frameworks for storage integration. Working closely with the Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand, NREL also evaluated the role of storage in improving system flexibility, deferring transmission upgrades, and optimizing grid operations.

NREL also partnered with Thailand’s Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency to assess the economic impacts of electric vehicle adoption on the biofuels industry. Using the International Jobs and Economic Development Impact (I-JEDI) tool, this collaboration provided insights into potential job and revenue shifts, enabling policymakers to design policies that account for industry and workforce impacts.

Additionally, previous studies conducted with Chulalongkorn University and other partners have informed distributed photovoltaic policy by analyzing the effects of customer-sited solar on utility revenues, regulatory structures, and consumer rates.

Vietnam

We're working with Vietnam's ministries, electric utility, and private sector to strengthen grid management, improve power sector planning, and mobilize investment. NREL's support includes technical analysis on grid integration, direct power purchase agreements, and system modernization strategies. NREL and partners have also facilitated policy alignment through ministerial meetings, regional dialogues, and peer-learning initiatives. Additionally, we're collaborating with Vietnam’s Institute of Energy to develop tailored implementation pathways for a secure and modernized energy system.

Regional Support

The United States-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Solutions Hub supports countries in Asia with achieving their energy system and economic growth goals. We provide technical assistance for eligible countries in Asia to support energy security and resilience efforts. Through G-PST and its partner countries, NREL has also worked with the ASEAN Centre for Energy and the Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities/Authorities to convene power system operators and policymakers, build regional capacity, and support efficient system operations and long-term energy sector planning.

Previously, NREL also supported ASEAN cities build in building resilience in their energy, water, and food systems through the Integrated Urban Services program.

In collaboration with the ASEAN Centre for Energy, NREL contributed to the ASEAN Interconnection Master Plan Study III, offering power system modeling insights to inform multilateral electricity trade. To complement this effort, we partnered with the University of Minnesota and ASEAN Centre for Energy to assess the air quality and human health impacts of different grid integration and transmission scenarios.

NREL also evaluated floating solar photovoltaics (FPV) deployment potential across Southeast Asia by analyzing waterbodies, infrastructure, and energy resources to identify optimal siting locations. These findings, available through the RE Data Explorer, provide developers and policymakers with insights into how FPV could complement existing hydropower assets and enhance grid reliability.

The RE Data Explorer also supports energy planners by providing high-resolution, publicly available resource datasets to inform decision-making and project feasibility studies. NREL has contributed wind resource data with a 3-km spatial and 15-minute temporal resolution and 2-km spatial and 10-minute temporal resolution solar resource data. These datasets equip stakeholders with tools to compare technology options and evaluate investment opportunities, ensuring energy infrastructure planning is guided by accurate, data-driven analysis.

NREL assessed what challenges and opportunities might arise from increased cross-border electricity trade in the South Asian region, inclusive of Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Check out the South Asian Cross-Border Electricity Trade and Cooperation Study for more information.

NREL worked with countries in South Asia—such as India, Nepal and Bangladesh—to evaluate the policy and regulatory environments for storage deployment as well as determining the best methods for understanding the technical, economic, and policy drivers for energy storage in the rapidly evolving region through the South Asian Energy Storage Study.