Japan has committed JPY 90.1 million ($565,422) to support regional cooperation on clean, resilient, and efficient energy solutions, as rising electricity demand driven by digitalisation and artificial intelligence adds pressure to energy systems across the Asia-Pacific.

The contribution was formalised in a memorandum of understanding signed on the sidelines of the Second Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Senior Officials’ Meeting in Shanghai by Tamura Hideyasu, Japan’s Senior Official for APEC, and Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat.

The funding, directed to the sub-fund for energy efficiency, low-carbon, and energy resiliency measures, will help advance clean energy technologies, enhance energy system resilience, protect disaster-prone communities, and expand energy access in rural and remote areas.

Japan’s contribution also supports APEC’s energy targets, including a 45% reduction in energy intensity by 2035, doubling renewable energy capacity by 2030, and improving energy access in developing economies.

"Energy systems across the region are changing rapidly, creating new demands as economies pursue growth and innovation," said Pedrosa.