Southeast Asia from the Perspective of an Infrastructure Geek

This year, I started a new role with Black & Veatch, a global leader in engineering, design, consulting and construction across all things critical human infrastructure. (What’s critical human infrastructure, you ask? Think green energy, clean water, affordable connectivity and more!)?

Recently, I had the privilege of traveling across four countries in southeast Asia to meet with more than 20 clients and hundreds of my fellow Black & Veatch professionals who are helping to build a cleaner, greener world.

As a long-term resident of the United States, I know that I have many unconscious biases about how the “rest of the world” thinks and operates. It was with this perspective that I captured my thoughts and reflections. I’m sharing those here so that you can create your own opinions and ideas on this amazing part of the world, and learn how thought leaders there are managing their journeys to net zero.

First Impressions

It’s been over four years since I last visited Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia or the Philippines. I forgot just how high-energy this area of the world is!?

Here were some of my initial ‘infra-structured’ first impressions !:

• Airports are upgrading fast – super busy in terms of both aircraft and foot traffic. Immigration lines were noticeably more passenger-friendly than I’d experienced previously with a lot of helpful digital pre-registration Apps to facilitate faster entry.
• Traffic is still a little hectic in some cities, with the uniquely liquid fusion of cars, trucks, three- and two-wheelers – all converging in the same voxel without crashing into each other ! I witnessed a lot more ride-share motorbike taxis taking people to work and snaking through the congestion. I did not see a lot of EV passenger vehicles, alternative electric charging, or gas-fueling depots in these congested cities - for sure making the space and connecting to the grid will be at a premium cost to make happen.
• ?Massive urbanization efforts are in place, with beautiful architecture for corporate towers, shopping malls, mass transit stations and large cranes lifting glass and steel to record heights for much-needed office and residential space.
• Offices, malls and hotels were very busy with people back at work in various hybrid combinations. Many businesses used the COVID shutdowns to refurbish their employee experiences with bright, contemporary, flexible open-plan meeting rooms equipped with modern food halls, including great cuisine options from around the globe.
• Lastly, the local buzz was as vibrant as ever – everyone I spoke with was consistently high-energy, humble, and greatly enthused about their personal opportunities. They were genuinely curious to hear from other parts of the world and make new connections.

Client Perspectives?

Our client conversations were heavily focused on sharing the reality of the energy transition markets and technologies. Here are my takeaways from those discussions:?

• Massive multi-billion dollar, longer-term commitments and financing plans are currently in place to convert fossil fuel power plants to greener sources of energy for industry, commercial and residential. For now, coal remains one of the most relied upon power sources in much of this region.
• Natural gas from LNG-import sources has to be the mid-term gateway energy source in enabling resilient and affordable transitions to a lower-carbon power ecosystem.
• Investments in decarbonization technology ideas are truly open aperture - we heard a broad portfolio of ideas under consideration including switching coal-fired power plants to run on a blend of ammonia (generated from green hydrogen of course) and using copious geothermal, hydroelectric or floating solar pontoons to electrify buses, scooters and tuk-tuks to name but a few smart, localized ideas?
• Each country’s own natural resources and political/regulatory climate need to be respectfully studied to understand the market forces that bring techno-commercial realities to life.
• Lastly, the region is facing the challenge of relying on more developed parts of the world to drive the energy transition first - prove the technology and lower the cost for others to follow as appropriate given their starting point and other constraints

The advice we gave to our friends in the region was simple and aligned with their own perspectives. Start now with small-scale, affordable projects, leveraging both legacy and renewable assets. Then, test the local ecosystem of trading markets with new ways of converting lower-carbon electrons to greener molecules, and continue long-range plans to build new business models with e-mobility, electrification, biofuels and Power-to-X conversions.

Heading Home with New Perspectives

As I finish up this travel blog on the final leg in Singapore’s Changi Airport (on track to be Zero Carbon Growth by 2030), looking out over the famous Jewel’s indoor forest and waterfall, I leave invigorated and refreshed.?

I am so impressed by our partners in the region and their ambition for large-scale, sustainable projects. I’m looking forward to returning here to learn more and see how we can help the global transition.?

Additionally, I’m excited to bring one or two global ideas and behaviors back to the United States – up for a recycled glass bottle of purified water in your hotel room next time you check in?