Clean energy’s surge in 2025 wasn’t a fluke. It is set to roar through 2026, with the International Energy Agency forecasting that renewables could overtake coal as the world’s top electricity source next year, led by solar and wind.

For entrepreneurs, 2026 is the moment to scale solutions and take the lead. Here are four trends that make it clear why now is the time to act.

Workers walk in between rooftop solar panels installed at a chain grocery store.

1. Renewable energy demand is creating urgent opportunities for skilled entrepreneurs

Global renewable capacity is projected to expand rapidly, with renewables expected to become the world’s largest source of electricity by 2026. Solar and wind are driving most additions, while electricity demand is forecast to grow around 3.7 % in 2026, highlighting growing markets for skilled technicians and engineers.

Why it matters for founders

Strong technical skills combined with entrepreneurial ability allow founders to launch and scale businesses in solar, distributed energy, and local clean energy services. Programs like our New Energy Academy give aspiring entrepreneurs the training and confidence needed to start their ventures. Entrepreneur Jimmy Ricohermoso leveraged the program to launch SolarXEnergy, installing tens of kilowatts across three Philippine cities and building a growing pipeline:

“The difference with studying at New Energy Academy is that you have more confidence in taking on solar installation projects… It’s not only a great training experience, but it’s also beneficial if you want to learn how to start a business.” — Jimmy Ricohermoso, Founder, SolarXEnergy

Liberate Minerals wins Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge #3.

2. Battery and storage innovation are unlocking new market potential

Energy storage is forecast to reach 123 GW globally by 2026, about 33 % higher than in 2025. Storage and recycling innovations are critical to balance intermittent renewable output and reduce environmental impacts.

Why it matters for founders

Startups improving battery efficiency, flexibility, or recycling can access high-demand markets and partner with utilities, investors, and corporates. In Australia, the Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge supports entrepreneurs with mentorship, investor exposure, and corporate partnerships. Renewable Metals used the program to accelerate their breakthrough recycling technology, which recovers over 95 % of materials at lower cost without toxic byproducts:

“[The Supercharge Australia Innovation Challenge] has created great momentum for our current capital raise.” — Luan Atkinson, CEO, Renewable Metals

Ima Rida, founder of Magi Farm, handles compost made by Black Soldier Fly larvae.

3. Inclusivity in clean energy is driving innovation and impact

Inclusivity is increasingly being recognized as a strategic priority in clean energy. Women only make up about 32 % of the renewable energy workforce globally, and remain underrepresented in technical and leadership roles. Diverse and inclusive teams enhance innovation, decision-making, and adoption of new solutions.

Why it matters for founders

Inclusive entrepreneurship opens new markets and strengthens networks. Communities like the Bali Women Leaders Network, supported by New Energy Nexus Indonesia, provide mentorship, funding, and community support to women-led startups. Magi Farm scaled its food waste upcycling solution through this network, reducing emissions and creating community impact:

“This collaboration with [NEX] has expanded our network. This chain of networks is valuable to us, allowing us to connect with stakeholders, catalyze progress, and achieve even more together.” — Ima Rida, Co-founder & CMO, Magi Farm

In August 2022, the first batch of TCL solar-powered low-carbon campuses was established in Xixiang County, Hanzhong, Shaanxi. This project is showcased on the Small Money, Big Change casebook.

4. Financial innovation is expanding clean energy access

High upfront costs remain a major barrier to solar adoption. Innovative financing models and institutional capital flows are essential to scale deployment. In the Asia Pacific region, more than two-thirds of green bond proceeds go to renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects, while blended finance attracts private investment where local capital is limited.

Why it matters for founders

Entrepreneurs can use innovative finance models to expand market access and scale quickly. New Energy Nexus China’s report Small Money, Big Change shows how modest, targeted investments can unlock larger funding flows and deliver outsized impact, giving founders practical pathways to attract capital, reach underserved customers, and build financially sustainable businesses.

Download the report here.

Be in the driver’s seat of the clean energy shift in 2026

Clean energy in 2026 and beyond will be defined not only by technology but by how founders build inclusive, scalable, and financially innovative solutions. Renewable growth, storage innovation, diversity, and smart financing create opportunities across the ecosystem. With the right skills, networks, and programs like those offered by New Energy Nexus, founders can scale impact and shape the energy transition while building resilient businesses.

Ready to kick off an even stronger 2026? Explore how we can back your clean energy solution today at join-nex.co/programs.

As Pakistan’s climate tech boom accelerates, entrepreneurship is pushing it even further. Founders across the country are turning real community challenges into practical climate tech and resilience solutions.

Their work follows a historic market shift: in the first half of 2024, Pakistan imported over 13 GW of solar panels, a surge that could bring the country ahead of its 2030 renewable energy targets (The Great Solar Rush in Pakistan, 2024). But scaling this transition will require more than panels; it demands innovators who can tailor technologies to local needs.

That’s why New Energy Nexus and Renewables First launched Climate Innovation Pakistan (CLIP): a national platform designed to support climate tech founders, build a skilled clean energy workforce, and strengthen the policies that unlock long-term impact.

“Pakistan’s startup ecosystem must urgently propel the climate tech vertical, as the need for locally developed solutions has never been more critical,” said Zeeshan Ashfaq, CEO of Renewables First. “Through our collaboration with New Energy Nexus, we aim to demonstrate that with appropriate support, investing in climate tech is both essential and economically viable.”

CLIP’s mission is clear – equip founders with the tools to shape a cleaner, more resilient economy, and ensure Pakistan’s climate tech momentum becomes a long-term engine for growth. And it starts with the first-ever CLIP Incubator.

The Clip Incubator journey. Image from Climate Innovation Pakistan

Why the CLIP Incubator Matters

The Incubator is a 12-week, equity-free program helping entrepreneurs validate products, run pilots, refine business models, and connect with investors and partners across Pakistan. It’s built for startups working in the country’s realities, where infrastructure, affordability, and community impact matter as much as technical performance.

“Pakistan is the world’s fifth most populous nation, with its largest industries in high carbon-emitting sectors… Here lies an immense opportunity to ignite the development of groundbreaking climate tech innovations,” said Stanley Ng, Global Partnerships Director of New Energy Nexus.

The CLIP Incubator’s first-ever cohort.

These 11 startups comprise the Incubator’s inaugural cohort, representing the ambition and ingenuity behind the country’s climate innovation wave. Meet them below.

Nimbus Labs

The Problem
Pakistan faces severe gaps in weather monitoring and forecasting. Extreme events disrupt lives and livelihoods, but limited infrastructure prevents accurate early warnings.

The Solution
Nimbus Labs deploys AI and IoT-driven weather stations and machine learning models, powered by low-cost sensor networks, to deliver hyper-local precipitation nowcasts and medium-range forecasts. Their systems strengthen climate resilience and support data-driven decision-making for agriculture, cities, and disaster response.

The Founder
Sarwan Shah is an electrical engineer specializing in Embedded Systems and Machine Learning. His experiences – from founding the Karachi Water Project to Fulbright research and award-winning embedded systems – led him to start Nimbus Labs, aiming to improve Pakistan’s weather monitoring and forecasting infrastructure.

Power Sodium

The Problem
Energy storage in Pakistan remains dependent on expensive lithium imports or polluting diesel generators.

The Solution
Power Sodium builds next-generation sodium-ion and sodium–lithium hybrid batteries with long cycle life and ultra-fast charging, providing clean and reliable power for telecom towers, microgrids, data centers, and renewable energy systems.

The Founder
Ahmad Ghauri brings expertise in aerospace engineering, R&D, and clean energy project management. He co-founded Power Sodium to develop sustainable, locally-manufactured sodium-ion and hybrid batteries that reduce reliance on imported or polluting energy storage systems.

PakPlug’s app interface. Screenshots from PakPlug

PakPlug

The Problem
EV adoption is constrained by a severe shortage of public chargers, despite thousands of unused private chargers across cities.

The Solution
PakPlug allows homeowners to list chargers, while EV drivers book and pay through the app. Their QR-enabled smart switch ensures secure access, accurate metering, and reliable payments — unlocking affordable charging where it’s needed.

The Founder
Roha Rehan, an Electrical Engineering graduate from LUMS, founded PakPlug to make EV charging accessible and community-driven. Her team leverages technical and strategic expertise to connect private chargers with EV users across Pakistan.

Nayab Raza, Founder of Algaverse. Photo from Algaverse

Algaverse

The Problem
Farmers depend heavily on chemical fertilizers that degrade soil, raise input costs, and worsen emissions.

The Solution
Algaverse’s bio-fertilizers offer a climate-resilient, lower-cost alternative aligned with global soil restoration goals, helping farmers improve yields while reducing synthetic fertilizer use.

The Founder
Nayab Raza, a PhD candidate in Environmental Biology at the University of Manchester, founded Algaverse to develop CO₂-capturing bio-fertilizers. Her goal is to provide farmers with sustainable, low-emission alternatives that improve soil health and reduce dependence on chemicals.

SustainAgro by Verdora Ventures

The Problem
Pakistan faces water scarcity, pesticide overuse, and reliance on imported produce.

The Solution
Verdora’s modular greenhouses use climate-smart irrigation that cuts water use by 90%, reduces pesticides, increases yields, and localizes production of crops like cherry tomatoes. This lowers the costs for consumers and businesses.

The Founders
Syed Mahd has over a decade of experience in strategy, investments, and project management. At SustainAgro by Verdora Ventures, he works closely with Asad Shamsi, a finance and strategy professional with expertise in research, consulting, and FMCG. Together, they are integrating climate-smart agriculture practices to improve sustainability and productivity in Pakistan’s horticulture sector.

Pani Express

The Problem
Unreliable municipal supply forces cities to rely on informal tanker operators, which results in waste, high emissions, and inconsistent pricing.

The Solution
Pani Express uses mobile ordering, IoT water-level sensors, and optimized tanker routing to reduce water waste, improve reliability, and provide fair pricing – all while lowering emissions and supporting local livelihoods.

The Founder
Ali Yar draws on years of operational, finance, and HR experience in startups to build Pani Express, a smart water logistics platform. His mission is to make urban water delivery reliable, efficient, and climate-conscious.

Moiz Bhatti presents at an investor summit. Photo from Moiz Bhatti via LinkedIn

EPO (Environmental Productivity Organization)

The Problem
Water scarcity and rising energy costs threaten agricultural productivity in Pakistan.

The Solution
EPO’s closed-loop farming systems use renewable energy and recycled water to produce consistent, high-quality crops while reducing water and energy consumption, offering a resilient solution in water-stressed regions.

The Founder
Moiz Bhatti, an environmental advocate and founder of National Incubation Center Islamabad, co-leads EPO with a team of environmental scientists. They focus on AI-driven solutions for efficient, sustainable urban and agricultural productivity.

MycieBlue

The Problem
Plastic pollution is growing, and sustainable alternatives are either costly or hard to access.

The Solution
MycieBlue produces compostable, lightweight materials using mycelium grown from organic waste, offering low-carbon solutions for packaging and future construction applications.

The Founders
Yumna Ali, an architect and environmentalist, is advancing regenerative biomaterials through mycelium, turning waste into nature-inspired products. She partners with Ameerah Rizwan, a product and interaction designer who brings user-centered design and community insight. The architect–designer pair is pioneering mycelium-based materials and accessible bio-design research in Pakistan.

Commercial deployment of 500 Ecobricks Eco-Tiles at F9 Park, Islamabad. Photo from Ecobricks

Ecobricks

The Problem
Millions of tons of plastic end up in landfills or incinerators due to a lack of recycling infrastructure.

The Solution
Ecobricks transforms hard-to-recycle plastics into construction materials supported by AI quality control, reducing waste and enabling circular construction practices.

The Founder
Kashaf Akhtar leads Ecobricks, a team with deep expertise in engineering, AI, and business development. Their focus is on converting difficult-to-recycle plastics into durable, environmentally-friendly building materials.

Screengrab from the Greenova8 website

Greenova8

The Problem
Only large investors typically fund solar and wind projects, leaving everyday citizens out.

The Solution
Greenova8 tokenizes renewable projects, allowing small-ticket investments with real-time tracking. Smart contracts automate payouts, while carbon credit monetization strengthens returns.

The Founder
Ibrahim Afridi started Greenova8 to democratize renewable energy investment using blockchain. He aims to give everyday citizens access to solar and wind projects through fractional ownership.

Recycle Bin

The Problem
Mixed waste contaminates recyclables and sends valuable materials to landfills.

The Solution
Recycle Bin offers digital door-to-door collection with a rewards system, sending materials to verified processors, reducing landfill use and emissions.

The Founder
Adeela Ali, a pharmacist turned entrepreneur, founded Recycle Bin to solve local waste management challenges through technology. She applies her scientific and analytical skills to create scalable, sustainable solutions.

From left: Zeeshan Ashfaq, CEO of Renewables First, and Stanley Ng, Global Partnerships Director at New Energy Nexus

Building Pakistan’s climate future, and taking it global

The founders joining the first CLIP Cohort reflect Pakistan’s growing role in the clean energy transition, and the power of local innovation to reshape a national drive toward a more sustainable future.

This is exactly the kind of work we’re supporting at New Energy Nexus. We’ve backed more than 10,000 clean energy entrepreneurs worldwide. Through CLIP, we’re expanding this mission in Pakistan: helping founders scale solutions, build resilient businesses, and contribute to a cleaner, more inclusive economy.

Pakistan is having a historic climate and clean energy moment. Now it’s time to turn this momentum into long-term transformation, powered by entrepreneurs who understand Pakistan’s needs and are ready to build solutions the world can learn from.

Ready to scale your innovation in Pakistan and beyond? Visit climateinnovate.pk for more climate tech opportunities and updates.

Giang Hoang represents HKG Energy at a 2024 AIS4EE event.

When we first met Giang Hoang, she wasn’t just leading a startup – she was building one from the ground up.

Giang is the CEO and co-founder of HKG Energy, one of New Energy Nexus Vietnam’s corporate partners, which hosted interns through our NEXGen 2024 and Youth Internship Pilot 2025 programs. But even as she helped give young innovators hands-on experience in the country’s fast-growing clean energy, she was still in the process of learning herself; particularly on how to find success in one of the most challenging corners of climate tech.

Giang launched HKG Energy on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2024, and it proved to be more than a coincidence. Working in tech, an industry where women hold only a quarter of CEO positions globally, she has faced her fair share of challenges.

“Being a founder is hard, especially in deep tech,” she said. “In my first three months, most people told me I’d quit within a year. No one trusts you until you deliver. But while some of those voices have since been laid off in today’s tough job market, we’re still here, growing and gaining traction.”

HKG Energy lab in South Korea

Faster charging, better EVs

HKG Energy’s core innovation, Terra Silicon, is a patent-pending nanomaterial that increases battery energy density by up to 80%, helping electric vehicles drive farther, charge faster, and cost less. Beyond mobility, the technology can improve energy storage systems, consumer electronics, and even robotics, expanding access to cleaner, more efficient power.

Since its founding less than two years ago, HKG Energy has moved fast: entering proof-of-concept phases with global OEMs and battery makers, securing millions in LOIs, and receiving clean energy grants from both Vietnam and the US. Moreover, they’re now a member of Greentown Labs, a leading climate incubator based in Boston.

Sample cells made by HKG Energy

But her journey didn’t start in America. Giang’s career began in Vietnam, working her way up toward a leadership position in the Vietnamese EV company VinFast and managing a US$2-billion supply chain.

Now, through HKG Energy’s partnership with New Energy Nexus Vietnam, Giang is paying it forward by opening doors for young people to enter the clean energy sector.

“We’re truly grateful for [New Energy Nexus Vietnam]’s commitment to building a sustainable startup and talent ecosystem. Your support goes beyond programs; it’s a belief in the potential of founders and future leaders.”

Vietnam on the rise

For Giang, success isn’t just about building a company; it’s about building capacity for a nation ready to lead in deep tech.

“Vietnam has a unique window to leap ahead, not just as Southeast Asia’s gateway, but as a global hub for deep-tech manufacturing. The key is not waiting for the ecosystem to mature, but actively building it: invest early in high-quality startups, fund national labs and pilot lines, and de-risk commercialization. It’s not a burden, it’s an opportunity to lead.”

Her vision for Vietnam’s role in the clean energy transition is bold, drawing from her experience managing a US$2 billion supply chain for Vietnamese EV company VinFast.

“From my time at VinFast… I saw Vietnam’s speed and scale. But to lead globally, we must shift from assembly to deep-tech leadership. HKG Energy brings that shift – building homegrown IP and advanced battery materials that can power Vietnam’s rise in the global battery value chain.”

Giang Hoang presents HKG Energy to Julien Guerrier, European Union Ambassador to Vietnam.

Giang’s story goes beyond her success in her tech. She is one of many women and Southeast Asian leaders breaking glass ceilings across the globe. As they do this, more innovators can bring forth solutions that can make the clean energy transition go faster – ensuring a better, more sustainable future for everyone.

“Clean energy isn’t just necessary for the planet, it’s a sound investment. It’s already cheaper than fossil fuels and will define the future of industry. For the next generation, stepping into this space isn’t just a mission – it’s a smart, strategic move.”

Looking for more clean energy stories in Vietnam and beyond? Or are you a founder searching for opportunities? Find out more from New Energy Nexus Vietnam here.

Written by Jie Xiao, Country Director at New Energy Nexus China

I’ve just come back from three of the world’s biggest climate gatherings — New York Climate Week, Bangkok Climate Action Week, and Shanghai Climate Week — and one thing is crystal clear: the center of gravity in the global energy transition has shifted decisively to Asia. Everywhere I went, the same figures echoed: half of the world’s electricity is already consumed in this region, with Southeast Asia on course to account for 25% of global energy demand growth between now and 2035. The question is no longer whether Asia will lead the energy transition, but how.

And here’s the problem. Much of the conversation still focuses on supply and demand — China providing the technology and capital, Southeast Asia absorbing and applying it — rather than on what they can build together. That picture is badly outdated.

If Asia is to decarbonise at the speed required, this relationship must become a partnership of ecosystems, not just markets. What I saw across these climate weeks was the urgent need for entrepreneurship, collaboration, and shared innovation, not simply more shipments of solar panels across borders.

Asia already sits at the centre of this shift. Southeast Asia’s electricity demand is surging, growing nearly twice as fast as the global average. If these countries choose to lock in new fossil infrastructure, the world loses. If they leapfrog straight to clean energy, the world wins.

From left: Jason Dong, Executive Director of the Shanghai Climate Week Climate Lighthouse Professional Committee; Peter du Pont, Board Member at New Energy Nexus; Leo Horn-Phathanothai, Founder & Convenor of Bangkok Climate Action Week; Jie Xiao, General Manager of New Energy Nexus China; Ian Shih, Member of the Shanghai Climate Week Executive Committee, and International Advisor to the UNITAR Prosperity Alliance (Shanghai); and Dr. Manaswee Arayasiri, Sanitary Engineer at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

That is why the relationship between China and Southeast Asia is so pivotal. What the climate weeks in Bangkok and Shanghai showed me is that Southeast Asia is not a passive recipient, but a laboratory for innovation. Local entrepreneurs are building new business models: rooftop solar sold on installment plans, mini-grids designed for island communities, efficiency solutions adapted to local commercial buildings.

And yet, the connective tissue between China’s and Southeast Asia’s clean energy innovation ecosystems remains thin. Chinese companies bring unmatched scale, capital, and supply-chain sophistication. But too many still see Southeast Asia as another export market due to limited understanding of local markets and policies, rather than a partner in co-creation. On the other side, Southeast Asian startups are inventive but often under-capitalised, locked out of manufacturing scale, and slowed by fragmented regulation. Both sides would benefit from deeper integration: shared accelerators, joint venture funds, mutual performance guarantees, and training exchanges that allow ideas to flow in both directions.

One moment in Bangkok captured what cross-border collaboration can look like in practice. At an event co-hosted by organisers of Shanghai and Bangkok Climate Weeks with New Energy Nexus China, we saw Chinese and Thai innovators meet not as exporters and buyers, but as partners in the clean energy transition. Corporates like TCL, LONGi, and Saint-Gobain showed how they’re digitalising factories and decarbonising supply chains, while startups such as Brick Technology, i2Cool, and Thailand’s Altotech shared solutions for smart, energy-efficient buildings. In that exchange, a new ecosystem took shape — built on trust, shared learning, and the belief that Asia’s net-zero future will be co-created, not imported.

Altotech (Bangkok) provides an integrated AIOT energy management platform for building cooling and air-conditioning system management. It automates building management all in one place, reducing electricity cost by potentially 20-30%. Altotech participated in our Smart Energy Hackathon, Smart Energy Accelerator, the Decarbonize Thailand Sandbox, as well as the NEX COP28 Climate Tech Startup Accelerator.

What struck me most after these three climate weeks is how stark the choice is. Asia can double down on a transactional model — hardware shipped one way, demand absorbed the other — or it can step up to build a genuine partnership of entrepreneurs and innovators. The former may look efficient, but it risks a brittle transition that cannot withstand shocks. The latter is harder, messier, slower to start. But it is the only way to build the resilient and adaptive clean energy systems that can carry half the world’s population into a decarbonised future.

Noel Rosal, Governor of Albay Province, Philippines, at Bangkok Climate Action Week 2025, discusses how local communities and institutions across the Asia Pacific are driving climate adaptation and mitigation through finance, leadership, and practical solutions.

China has much to gain from this shift: opening new markets, diversifying demand, and learning from the hard realities of diverse Southeast Asian geographies. Southwest Asia, in turn, gains access to proven technology and capital, while embedding its own innovators in global supply chains. This is not dependency; it is mutual advantage.

What New York Climate Week – with its big names and Western donors – offered was the view from the top: big finance, global politics, systemic frameworks. But it was Bangkok and Shanghai that offered the view from the ground: dynamic, entrepreneurial, urgent. If we want this to be the Asian decade of climate leadership, that is where our focus must be.

The lesson is simple. Southeast Asia’s clean-tech future will be built on ecosystems of entrepreneurs, investors and innovators working across borders, taking risks together, and co-creating solutions suited to the region’s realities. That was the palpable change I felt in Bangkok and Shanghai, and it is the change we must now scale.

New Energy Nexus CEO Andrew Chang talks about three emerging themes he observed at Bangkok Climate Action Week, during The NEX Gigawatt event on October 2, 2025.

The clean energy transition is well underway, and nowhere is this clearer than in Asia. From China’s record-breaking renewable capacity to Pakistan’s fast-growing solar movement, this side of the Pacific is setting the pace for the global shift.

But as the region races toward Net Zero, one thing is clear: solutions are needed faster than ever, and collaboration among leaders and innovators will determine how quickly we get there.

With this urgency in mind, New Energy Nexus convened leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors from across Asia-Pacific at the first-ever Bangkok Climate Action Week – spotlighting the people and partnerships at the forefront of this transition.

“This is an incredible time for New Energy Nexus to represent the chapters, the solutions that are happening on the ground,” said Andrew Chang, CEO at New Energy Nexus.

From the week’s panels and startup pitches, Andrew observed three emerging themes: each a driving force toward Asia’s clean energy future.

Attendees listen intently to a talk during the Climate Lighthouse Asia Kickoff event on September 29, 2025.

Convergence: A transition beyond borders

“Convergence of technology, convergence of people, convergence of collaborators all across the board.” — Andrew Chang

In a region separated by the sea but bound by shared challenges, no country should face the clean energy transition alone. Convergence can usher in progress faster and together.

This narrative shaped the discussion at Climate Lighthouse Asia Kickoff: Scaling Innovation for Sustainable Cities & Industries, where leaders from Shanghai and Bangkok came together to demonstrate what cross-border collaboration can do for the region’s energy transition.

The session highlighted end-to-end decarbonization, showcasing clean energy tech from East and Southeast Asia, and calling for stronger ecosystems supporting Asia’s innovators.

“I think [Shanghai and Bangkok] share a sense that the energy transition is not something that any city or country can achieve on its own. It only makes sense if you look at the challenge regionally and come together to address this together.” — Leo Horn-Phathanothai, Founder & Convenor of Bangkok Climate Action Week and Founder & Executive Director at Just Transition Incubator

New Energy Nexus China General Manager Jie Xiao highlighted how events like these generate opportunities for intersectional collaboration:

“We brought the whole Shanghai Climate Week crew, including founders, big corporates, and small startups, to Thailand to share best practices on green supply chains, industrial parks, and green buildings.”

For startups like i2Cool, a Hong Kong-based venture developing electricity-free cooling solutions, this convergence opens doors to scale their impact.

“From building sectors to the industrial sectors, they all suffer from the heat problem. That’s why we need the cross-border collaboration… so that [our] technology can be well applied in different parts of the world.” — Martin Zhu, CEO and Co-founder of i2Cool

From left: Jason Dong, Executive Director of the Shanghai Climate Week Climate Lighthouse Professional Committee; Peter du Pont, Board Member at New Energy Nexus; Leo Horn-Phathanothai, Founder & Convenor of Bangkok Climate Action Week; Jie Xiao, General Manager of New Energy Nexus China; Ian Shih, Member of the Shanghai Climate Week Executive Committee, and International Advisor to the UNITAR Prosperity Alliance (Shanghai); and Dr. Manaswee Arayasiri, Sanitary Engineer at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Pragmatism: A transition that works for everyone

“Being pragmatic, and understanding… who’s our audience, the communities that we want to support, making sure our solutions can connect with them.” — Andrew Chang

Clean energy capacity growth is already outpacing fossil fuels, but ensuring a just, equitable transition requires more than breaking records. It demands pragmatism, a focus on solutions that work on all fronts: policy, economics, and for people.

At Small Money, Big Change: Catalysing Solutions for a People-Centric Energy Transition, co-hosted by New Energy Nexus, AVPN, and The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), speakers emphasized that financing, inclusion, and agency are just as crucial as innovation.

“When we think about people-centric [energy transition], the word that comes to mind is agency… We really need to be thinking about what resources are already there in these communities and what they’re already doing to help champion for themselves.” — Natasha Allen, Southeast Asia Programme Expert at the Alliance for Rural Electrification

“The lack of knowledge, lack of awareness… makes it difficult for people to really invest in this. Energy workers actually need the reskilling and upskilling in order [for us] to support them, and to be included in the future workforce planning.” — Patrick Yeung, Director, Climate Action at AVPN

“We talk about carbon, investment, communities… but in the end, that is all to make sure all the people are benefiting from the energy transition – by getting affordable access to clean energy,” — Lucky Nurrahmat, Indonesia Country Lead at GEAPP

The discussion reinforced a simple truth: the clean energy transition relies on hard decisions rooted in the lived realities of local communities. Pragmatism isn’t just a buzzword; it’s an approach that will shape how quickly and fairly the transition occurs.

For more on how clean energy can be realistic while centering communities, read New Energy Nexus China’s casebook, Small Money, Big Change: A Casebook on Rural Revitalization through PV Poverty Alleviation, Village-owned Wind Power Projects, and Youth and Women Empowerment.

From left: Patrick Yeung, Director, Climate Action at AVPN; Warisa Sihirunwong, Regional Project Advisor for the Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy Programme, GIZ; Jirapat Horesaengchai, Country Manager at New Energy Nexus Thailand; Natasha Allen, Southeast Asia Programme Expert at the Alliance for Rural Electrification; and Korbinian Stinglhamer, Project Leader at Boston Consulting Group.

People Power: A transition shaped from the ground up

“Last one is people power… People science is just as important as technology science.” — Andrew Chang

At our last event, The NEX Gigawatt: Tapping into ASEAN’s Clean Energy Innovation Ecosystem, people power took center stage.

Entrepreneurs from Vietnam and Thailand showcased breakthrough clean energy solutions, ranging from sand batteries to AI-driven energy management, and grounded in the realities of their own countries and communities.

A highlight of the session was a panel featuring New Energy Nexus leaders from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Supercharge Australia (our collaboration with EnergyLab), and NEX Ventures (a venture fund based in Singapore). Each shared how their local ecosystems are empowering entrepreneurs to drive the clean energy shift.

“New Energy Nexus is unique to have chapters and people on the ground, building these relationships, deploying these technologies, supporting entrepreneurs,” Andrew said. “That’s our superpower.”

From the Philippines, Country Director Brenda Valerio reflected on how people-centered approaches unlock scale:

“New Energy Nexus in the Philippines is creating an ecosystem for different stakeholders, particularly startups and clean energy enterprises. We’re supporting early-stage clean energy startups and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that are working on climate and clean energy.”

In Thailand, Country Manager Jirapat Horesaengchai added:

“The role of New Energy Nexus Thailand is to facilitate the whole process of different stakeholders coming together… and grow the ecosystem for clean energy entrepreneurs.”

The event also bore witness to the solar energy revolution in Pakistan through the lens of industry leader Renewables First. The company is partnering with New Energy Nexus to back the next generation of clean energy innovators in the country. (Find out more about our joint program, Climate Innovation Pakistan, here.)

Together, these voices underscored that true transformation starts with people: founders, workers, and communities co-creating solutions that work in their local contexts and ripple outward across the region.

Speakers, panelists, and attendees of The NEX Gigawatt event.

A transition we’re accelerating

Across Asia and beyond, clean energy entrepreneurs are redefining what’s possible. At New Energy Nexus, we’ve not only seen this happen – we’re greasing the wheels on their progress.

For over 20 years now, we’ve supported over 10,000 of these entrepreneurs, helping them turn big ideas into real impact through capital, training, and partnerships.

The insights from Bangkok Climate Action Week are more than talking points and takeaways. They form a roadmap for how to fast-track the transition, and where clean energy innovators come in. When they are empowered to connect across borders, engineer solutions according to people’s needs, and lead from the ground up, they can spark change that scales far beyond their own localities.

In backing their success, New Energy Nexus is not just supporting startups – we’re charting a course towards 100% clean energy for 100% of the population.

Want to get involved? Check out our programs here, and get first dibs on clean energy opportunities when you sign up for our newsletter.

A new milestone in green jobs training has placed Mindanao at the forefront of solar workforce development: Woodrow Solar Power Philippines, a training partner of the New Energy Academy, has become one of the first solar companies in Mindanao to secure the Certificate of TVET Program Registration (CTPR) under TESDA’s Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) program.

TESDA’s EBET program ensures that private training providers like Woodrow Solar Power align with national standards, enabling graduates to receive credentials that carry industry-wide recognition and greater employment opportunities.

The awarding ceremony was witnessed by leaders from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), underscoring the government’s commitment to building a stronger clean energy workforce.

(From left to right) Atty Russel A. Jallorina, Asst. Regional Director DOLE-IX; Tarhata S. Mapandi, CESO III, Regional Director, TESDA IX; Ms. Manie Pino, Co-owner of Woodrow Solar Power; Engr. Alan T. Bacatan, Asst. Regional Director / Provincial Director PO-Zamboanga del Norte, during the signing of Memorandum of Agreement.

Partnership with New Energy Academy

Since January 2024, Woodrow Solar Power has been a training partner of the New Energy Academy – a learning platform powered by New Energy Nexus, GSES, and OpenSolar. New Energy Academy collaborates with solar companies across the Philippines to deliver blended solar training: online courses that cover the fundamentals of solar technology and business, combined with localized hands-on training delivered by partners such as Woodrow.

Woodrow Solar Power Philippines x New Energy Academy Solar Training Program Batch 1 – Hands-on Practical Training

This partnership allows learners in Mindanao to benefit from both global best practices and real-world industry experience. Under the leadership of Engr. Woodrow Pino, Woodrow Solar Power has conducted training programs since February 2024, producing 12 batches of graduates who are equipped with job-ready skills.

TESDA accreditation validates the quality of Woodrow Solar Power and New Energy Academy’s training. With the TESDA seal now featured on every graduate’s certificate, participants gain professional credibility, higher employability, and greater mobility within the solar industry. Beyond recognition, this milestone positions Woodrow to potentially become a TESDA-accredited assessment center, further strengthening its role in certifying the next generation of solar workers.

Milestone for Mindanao

By securing TESDA CTPR accreditation, Woodrow Solar Power sets a precedent for renewable energy training providers in Mindanao. The recognition validates years of effort to professionalize solar training and empower local communities with skills critical to the country’s energy transition.

Woodrow Solar Power Philippines x New Energy Academy Solar Training Program Batch 2 graduates

With TESDA’s support, New Energy Academy’s nationwide training ecosystem, and a growing pool of skilled graduates, the Woodrow Solar–NEA partnership is poised to strengthen its role as a leader in solar training. Their journey reflects a shared mission – to accelerate the energy transition by equipping Filipinos with the knowledge, experience, and skills needed to thrive in the solar industry.

New Energy Nexus builds ecosystems worldwide to support clean energy entrepreneurs, helping them scale through mentorship, connections, and access to capital. Through the New Energy Academy, we are not only developing a pipeline of new innovators and bridging the skills gap in renewables, but also transforming ideas and industry interest into real-world impact.

The energy transition is gaining momentum in the Philippines and across the globe, with clean energy innovators driving change at the frontlines. Having supported more than 10,000 entrepreneurs already, we’ve seen firsthand what’s possible when vision meets opportunity. With initiatives like the New Energy Academy, we’re preparing even more changemakers to lead the charge toward a future powered by 100% clean energy for all.

Want to get involved? Check out more inspiring stories and opportunities in the Philippines here.