Country and Regional Projects in South Asia and the Pacific

NLR works with allies and partners across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific to advance American energy leadership, strengthen critical mineral supply chains, and support energy security and reliability. 

Bangladesh

NLR provided essential data and decision-making tools to improve grid management and integrate distributed energy technologies. NLR also supported capacity building by training stakeholders in advanced mobility, grid modernization, energy security, and resilience to support local expertise and reduce technology risk.

Bhutan

NLR's current engagement in Bhutan is carried out through the South Asia Group for Energy (SAGE), a partnership between the U.S. Department of State, NLR, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, that strengthens long-term energy planning, grid reliability, and workforce capacity across South Asia. Through SAGE, NLR is working with Bhutanese stakeholders to deploy new hydrology, energy, and multisector planning tools while building workforce capacity for long-term energy planning and development.

NLR previously provided technical expertise to help diversify Bhutan's energy mix and understand hydropower variability. This work included resource mapping and training for the national power system operator, helping to ensure secure and resilient power delivery under changing conditions.

India

Through SAGE, NLR continues to support long-term energy system modeling and grid reliability planning in India to help manage growing energy demand and deployment of advanced generation and storage technologies.

NLR has also worked with partners including Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to advance grid integration and energy resource assessments, addressing grid management challenges such as balancing generation and demand and power procurement, and developing forecasting tools to improve generation dispatch.

Through the Global Power System Transformation Consortium's (G-PST's) partnership with India's power system operator, Grid-India, NLR provided technical support on advanced control room tools for grid stability, and resource adequacy analysis, and worked on market-clearing methodology, transmission constraints, and emerging technologies such as hydrogen, long-duration storage, and geothermal energy.

Indonesia

In collaboration with Texas-based TQ Automation and other partners, NLR conducted feasibility assessments for hybrid minigrids and large-scale energy and storage projects. NLR has also provided technical support for long-term energy system planning that is informing Indonesia's infrastructure investments.

Through G-PST's partnership with Indonesia's state-owned electricity provider, Perusahaan Listrik Negara, NLR provided technical input for the Java-Bali grid control center and developed a control room modernization roadmap for Sulawesi's power system.

Lao People's Democratic Republic

NLR worked with the Laos Ministry of Energy and Mines to enhance the country's transportation system and grid resilience, using open-source modeling tools to assess vehicle charging supply needs and explore how additional generation resources could complement Laos' hydropower infrastructure.

NLR conducted an assessment of the technical potential and cost of different energy resources for electricity generation. We also collaborated with a local advisory group to develop a power sector resilience action plan, identifying vulnerabilities and implementing strategies for a more secure energy future.

Malaysia

In partnership with the Grid System Operator of Malaysia, ASEAN Centre for Energy, and other partners, NLR conducted capacity-building trainings and expert peer-exchanges to support battery storage deployment, grid stability planning, and control room modernization efforts in Malaysia. Previously, NLR experts also worked with ministries, academia, and private sector organizations to support the development of battery second-life ecosystems in Malaysia.

Pacific Islands

NLR has supported energy resilience and security in several Pacific island countries, including Tonga, Fiji, and Palau.

In Tonga, NLR helped develop a policy framework to improve mobility efficiency and electrify their transportation systems and provided support to enable the framework's implementation. In Fiji, NLR assessed fleet electrification opportunities and supported efforts for optimized mobility infrastructure. NLR worked with the Palau Public Utilities Corporation to update technical specifications and procedures for interconnecting behind-the-meter technologies to ensure grid stability.

Pakistan

By developing geospatial data products like energy resource maps, NLR helped stakeholders in Pakistan understand key infrastructure siting considerations, such as transmission corridors and load centers, in their energy planning. We also provided technical assistance for forecasting, dispatch modeling, and integrated resource planning for Pakistan's transmission company and system operator.

Through G-PST's partnership with Pakistan's system operator, the National Power Control Center, NLR helped modernize its control center and improve operational resilience. Additionally, NLR supported the develop of a market monitoring system for Pakistan's electricity market to enhance transparency and system efficiency.

Philippines

In partnership with the Philippines Department of Energy, NLR helped enhance the country's power system planning through advanced modeling, resource assessment, and grid integration analysis.

NLR conducted a comprehensive study to identify the most cost-effective resource areas for transmission development, helping streamline transmission planning and reduce investment risks. As part of this effort, Philippine energy modelers worked with NLR to develop a modeling framework that informs transmission development plans, which were approved for implementation in 2023.

NLR also collaborated with the Philippines Department of Energy to enhance long-term load forecasting and scenario planning, strengthening the country's ability to predict electricity demand and optimize infrastructure investments.

NLR technical experts have partnered with the Philippines Energy Regulatory Commission to share U.S. best practices in power sector planning and operations, as well as regulatory and institutional arrangements.

Sri Lanka

NLR worked with the Ceylon Electricity Board to assess Sri Lanka's grid operations as the country integrates a growing mix of generation sources. This included evaluating control center capabilities, identifying hardware and software needs, and developing strategies to expand generation without compromising grid stability. This assessment provided the Ceylon Electricity Board specific findings on technology needs and operational risks areas to address as the grid evolves.

Thailand

NLR collaborated with partners in Thailand to enhance technical capabilities in energy storage, electrification, and power system planning. This included technical support on battery codes, standards, and procurement considerations; economic feasibility assessments; training for grid operators; and analysis of regulatory frameworks for storage integration.

Working with the Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand, NLR evaluated how storage affects system flexibility, transmission planning, and grid operations. NLR also provided technical expertise to Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand on the potential use of second-life batteries for utility-scale energy storage in Thailand. This included expert exchanges and study tours with U.S. industries producing advanced second-life battery technologies.

NLR also partnered with Thailand's Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency to assess the economic impacts of electric vehicle adoption on the biofuels industry. Using the International Jobs and Economic Development Impact tool, NLR analyzed potential shifts in job and revenue, giving policymakers information to consider industry and workforce impacts in policy design.

Vietnam

NLR worked with Vietnam's ministries, electric utility, and private sector to strengthen grid management, improve power sector planning, and mobilize investment. NLR's support included technical analysis on grid integration, direct power purchase agreements, and system modernization strategies.

NLR and partners have also facilitated policy alignment through ministerial meetings, regional dialogues, and peer-learning initiatives. NLR has also collaborated with Vietnam's Institute of Energy to develop implementation approaches for a secure and modernized energy system.

Regional Support

NLR supports countries across Asia in strengthening power system planning, improving operational efficiency, and building technical capacity, working alongside regional organizations and government.

As part of efforts to enhance energy connectivity in Southeast Asia, NLR and other partners are contributing modeling expertise to enhance cross-border energy trade. This work supports regional energy security and development objectives and is aligned with NLR's mission to reinforce critical supply chains and infrastructure through collaborative innovation. NLR is also working with regional partners to evaluate the legal, governance, and finance frameworks needed to support energy interconnection development in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Previously, NLR contributed to major regional studies like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Interconnection Master Plan and efforts to assess the health and air quality impacts of grid expansion strategies.

NLR has also identified energy deployment opportunities across Southeast and South Asia. Highlights in Southeast Asia include evaluating the potential for floating solar on regional waterbodies, building resilience in urban energy, water, and food systems, and supporting investment decisions with high-resolution energy resource datasets. NLR also analyzed opportunities for energy storage and cross-border electricity trade in South Asia.