Greenpeace Calls for Faster Renewable Investment Ahead of Gastech 2026
Greenpeace is urging Asian governments and energy companies to prioritise renewable power, energy storage and grid modernisation over new gas infrastructure as Bangkok prepares to host Gastech 2026...
Greenpeace is urging Asian governments and energy companies to prioritise renewable power, energy storage and grid modernisation over new gas infrastructure as Bangkok prepares to host Gastech 2026 later this month.
Quick Skim
Gastech 2026 will take place in Bangkok from September 14–17, bringing together companies and policymakers across natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, low-carbon technologies and AI for energy.
Ahead of the event, Greenpeace organisations across Southeast Asia, East Asia and Australia said rising electricity demand from industry, buildings, data centres and AI should not automatically translate into additional long-term fossil-gas investment.
AI and Data Centres Put Pressure on Power Systems
Rapid growth in AI infrastructure is increasing electricity requirements across several Asian markets.
Greenpeace said new data centres, semiconductor plants and other energy-intensive industries are putting additional pressure on regional power grids, particularly in countries where fossil fuels continue to play a major role in electricity generation.
The organisation argues that governments should respond by accelerating investment in renewable generation, battery storage, grid upgrades and energy efficiency rather than using higher electricity demand to justify additional LNG infrastructure.
Energy demand remains highly sensitive to market conditions. The International Energy Agency’s latest 2026 outlook estimates Asian natural-gas demand will decline around 0.5% this year amid higher LNG prices and fuel switching, highlighting the volatility facing gas-dependent markets.
Thailand’s Energy Strategy Comes Into Focus
Thailand’s role as host places its own electricity strategy under greater attention.
Greenpeace said the country should use the event to examine how future energy security can be supported while reducing exposure to imported fuel prices.
The organisation is calling for greater investment in domestic renewable energy, electricity storage and modernised transmission infrastructure.
These technologies are becoming increasingly important as Thailand works to accommodate renewable generation while supporting industrial growth and rising electricity demand.
East Asia Faces Growing Industrial Power Requirements
Greenpeace also highlighted energy demand from AI, data centres and semiconductor manufacturing in markets including Taiwan and South Korea.
Taiwan has increased its electricity-demand forecasts as semiconductor manufacturing and AI data-centre development accelerate, while major AI projects proposed in South Korea could require substantial additional generation capacity over the coming years.
The challenge for these markets will be expanding electricity supply while maintaining reliability, managing costs and meeting decarbonisation commitments.
Greenpeace argues that public finance should increasingly support renewable generation, storage and electricity-network upgrades rather than new fossil-fuel infrastructure.
Australia Remains Central to Asia’s LNG Supply Chain
Australia is another focus because of its role as a major LNG supplier to Asian markets.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific is calling for stronger scrutiny of new gas developments intended to serve future Asian demand, arguing that investment decisions made by importing countries can influence upstream development across Australia.
This highlights how Asia’s energy transition extends beyond individual national grids.
Decisions around LNG terminals, power plants, renewable projects and transmission infrastructure can affect investment throughout regional energy supply chains.
Grid Investment Becomes Central to Energy Transition
While Greenpeace’s statement focuses on limiting new fossil-gas development, the broader infrastructure challenge is how Asian electricity systems can support rapidly changing demand.
Renewable generation requires stronger transmission networks, storage and flexible grid-management technologies, while energy-intensive facilities such as data centres and semiconductor fabs require highly reliable electricity supplies.
Gastech itself will bring together technologies spanning LNG, natural gas, hydrogen, low-carbon energy and AI applications for the energy sector, reflecting the range of options being considered as countries respond to growing and increasingly complex power requirements.
As Gastech 2026 approaches, the debate is therefore extending beyond individual fuel choices towards a wider question of how Asia builds reliable, affordable and lower-carbon energy infrastructure capable of supporting its next phase of industrial and digital growth.
