Green Grids Rising Playbooks Launched at Future of the Grid event during Singapore International Energy Week 2026 to accelerate a clean, inclusive and resilient energy future
Marina Bay, Singapore | 28 October 2026 — Three practical playbooks developed under the Green Grids Rising (GGR) initiative were launched at the Future of the Grid (FotG) event during Singapore International Energy Week 2026. They provide practical guidance to strengthen the flexibility and resilience of ASEAN’s power systems and support the region’s just transition towards a decarbonised power sector.
Supported by the UK Mission to ASEAN through the ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund, the playbooks were developed by the Green Grids Rising Consortium, led by Economic Consulting Associates (ECA) with Castlerock Consulting and KPMG Malaysia, with regional input facilitated by the Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities/Authorities (HAPUA):
- Facilitating the Cross-Border Provision of Ancillary Services in the ASEAN Power Grid
- Best Practices in Smart Grid Design for Local Flexibility Services: Lessons for ASEAN
- Developing Pre-Feasibility Studies for Grid-Connected Coal-Fired Power Plant Repurposing
The launch was opened by Chris Stark, Head of Mission for Clean Power at the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, who highlighted the scope of opportunities and lessons to be used from international experience while also honoring where ASEAN is and working with what is best for the region
Following a presentation introducing the three playbooks, a panel discussion featuring William Derbyshire (ECA), Sarah Love (UK FCDO) and Nick Ash (Arup) explored lessons from the UK’s power transition, how international experience can be adapted to ASEAN’s diverse national contexts, and the role of international cooperation in turning shared knowledge into practical action.
The playbooks address three interconnected areas of ASEAN’s power-sector transition:
Cross-Border Provision of Ancillary Services: explores how greater integration through the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) could support energy security, system resilience and emissions reduction, including through cross-border trading of ancillary services.
Smart Grid Design for Local Flexibility Services: examines how smart-grid technologies and local flexibility services can support the integration of variable renewable energy and distributed energy resources, drawing on international experience to identify potential pathways for ASEAN.
Coal-Fired Power Plant Repurposing: provides a framework for assessing options to repurpose grid-connected coal-fired power plants (CFPPs), including reducing emissions and reusing sites for alternative grid services while maintaining system security and reliability.
The playbooks draw on regional priorities and international experience and align with themes in the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2026–2030, including regional power integration through the APG, renewable energy integration and pathways for coal in the transition towards carbon neutrality.
Together, the three playbooks, which can be accessed here, aim to translate these regional priorities into practical approaches towards a cleaner, more integrated, flexible and resilient ASEAN power system.