*5.3. Power Generation Mix in the Mekong Subregion*

In the power sector, remarkable progress has been made in the subregion over the past two decades. This includes rural electrification access, rapid provision of large-scale and high-volume national grid systems, successful mobilization of indigenous resources, the adoption of new technologies, the gradual share of renewables into energy mix, and the beginnings of cross-country trade. However, the future energy landscape in the Mekong Subregion will rely on today's actions/policies and investment to change course towards a cleaner energy system.

Natural gas is the dominant fuel source in power generation, followed by coal and hydropower, as Figure 3 shows. Natural gas is expected to increase from 170.4 megawatthours (MWh) in 2017 to 798.7 MWh by 2050 in the BAU scenario and to 690.3 MWh in the APS by 2050. Electricity from coal-fired power generation will increase from 116 MWh in 2017 to 374 MWh in the BAU scenario and 150 MWh in the APS by 2050. Electricity from hydropower is expected to increase from 133 MWh in 2017 to 252 MWh in the BAU scenario and to 245 MWh in the APS by 2050.

Electricity from 'others' (including biomass, wind, and solar) will see a large increase from 6.2 MWh in 2017 to 87.2 MWh in the BAU scenario and to 172.4 MWh in the APS by 2050. Significant energy saving is expected in coal-fired power generation (59.7% saving, a reduction from BAU to the APS) followed by the gas combined cycle (13.6%). Energy saving in power generation is expected due to the introduction of high thermal efficiency. Electricity from renewables such as biomass, wind, and solar is expected to increase sharply by 97.7% due to upscaling renewables in the power mix in the APS scenario compared with the BAU scenario.
