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The Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2026 in Manila arrived at a moment when the region’s energy systems are under unprecedented pressure.
As geopolitical tensions continue to disrupt global fuel markets, artificial intelligence data centers are driving electricity demand to historic highs, and more than 400 million people across Asia still lack reliable access to power — over 350 million with limited access and another 53 million with none at all.
Held at the Asian Development Bank’s Manila headquarters from June 8 to 11, under the theme “Beyond Transition: Building Secure, Resilient, Inclusive, and Intelligent Energy Systems,” the forum also marked ADB’s 60th anniversary and brought together governments, developers, financiers, and researchers from across the region. What emerged over four days was a clear shift: Asia is no longer debating whether to transition to clean energy.
CleanTechnica was there to witness key how the region is grappling with how fast it can move, how interconnected its systems must become, and how intelligently it can manage the complexity that comes with a renewable-heavy grid.
