The Asia Climate Finance Podcast
Ep81 A Roadmap for Financing Clean Energy in Southeast Asia with Dinita Setywati and Alnie Demoral, Ember
Mar 17, 2026
Episode 81
Joseph Jacobelli
Comments/ideas: ACFpod@outlook.com
ASEAN requires a staggering $280 billion annually to meet its clean energy targets, placing the mobilisation of global capital at the heart of the regional agenda. In this episode, Dinita Setywati and Alnie Demoral, two experts from the energy think tank Ember explain why a modernised power grid is the essential backbone for Southeast Asia’s green transition. You will learn how to de-risk renewable energy projects and evaluate competing financing models from China, Japan, and the US. Discover how better regional coordination and multidisciplinary education can bridge the investment gap to secure Asia’s climate economy.
ABOUT DINITA AND ALNIE:
Dr Dinita Setyawati analyses electricity policy across Southeast Asia and promotes the use of clean power in electricity, transportation and industrial sectors. She holds a PhD in Global Environmental Study from Kyoto University of Japan, and a Master’s in Southeast Asian Studies from SOAS, University of London. She is often consulted and has published on topics related to energy justice and sustainable development. She is an author of peer-reviewed publications and a book including State-of-the-Art Indonesia Energy Transition.
Alnie Demoral is experienced in energy modeling and policy assessment. She has worked with various national and regional organizations across the Philippines and Southeast Asia to advance sustainable energy development and strengthen energy security through modeling and data-driven analysis. Her work focuses on identifying policy gaps and providing evidence-based recommendations to address them. She holds a Master of Science in Energy Engineering and is currently pursuing her PhD in the same field at the University of the Philippines.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
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Sexy Killers. An Indonesian documentary examining the environmental, social, and political impacts of coal mining and coal power investment in Indonesia [Note YouTube erroneously flags the documentary as having inappropriate content].
Dr Dinita Setyawati, State-of-the-Art Indonesia Energy Transition: Empirical Analysis of Energy Programs Acceptance (Springer 2023). A book on Indonesia’s energy and societal transition.
Trump & Iran: Strategy or Instability? - Inside America. A TRT World documentary exploring recent US–Iran tensions and their geopolitical implications.
Bitter Rivals: Iran and Saudi Arabia, Part One – FRONTLINE. A Frontline PBS documentary series on the history and evolution of US–Iran relations, providing context for current conflicts.[Not available in all countries]
HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli | MUSIC: Ep76 onward excerpts from Vivaldi’s La Follia, played by Luca Jacobelli.