South-east Asia’s new battery dependency needs close attention
Asean faces concentration risks across energy storage supply chains. Regional coordination is ever more urgent
IN THE first seven months of 2026, South-east Asia imported nearly US$7 billion worth of Chinese batteries, according to energy think tank Ember’s analysis of Chinese customs data.
The figure captures a larger shift under way in the region’s electricity system. As renewable generation expands, the equipment used to store electricity is becoming increasingly important to energy security.
Battery storage allows electricity to move across hours of changing supply and demand, absorbing electricity when it is abundant and releasing it when the system needs it.
