Google Highlights Three Barriers to Green Industry Transition in Asia
Google has assessed that Asia possesses all the necessary elements to drive green industrial transition, from manufacturing capacity to strong corporate demand for clean energy. However, these elements are not yet fully integrated, hindering the acceleration of energy transition in the region.
‘Asia has the manufacturing prowess and corporate demand, but demand alone is no longer sufficient,’ said Spencer Low, Head of Regional Sustainability for APAC at Google, during the Climate Group Asia Action Summit in Singapore on Thursday, 21 May 2026.
His remarks were made at a forum discussing the findings of UNIDO’s 2026 Industrial Development Report, which highlights major trends such as artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation, energy transition, and global supply chain shifts reshaping industrial development while widening gaps in productivity, scale, and environmental performance.
According to Low, current high corporate demand for clean energy is no longer enough to drive significant change. Systemic transformation is needed for corporate commitments to translate into a green industrial reality.
He highlighted three key areas requiring strengthening: market access, electricity grid infrastructure, and policy support for carbon awareness. Regarding market access, Asia has substantial renewable energy potential, but corporate clean energy purchasing mechanisms remain fragmented. Companies see room for policy expansion in direct power purchase agreements, green utility tariffs, and cross-border energy trading.
Low also stressed the importance of developing the ASEAN Power Grid as part of regional energy integration. Infrastructure development approaches should prioritise ‘power-first’ planning, he said, noting that clean energy must be integral to data centre and industrial zone planning, not an afterthought.
He suggested developing clean energy zones by locating industrial areas near low-carbon sources like solar and wind. To support decarbonisation targets, Google aims to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy, adjusting consumption to maximise clean sources. This requires enhanced infrastructure and policy support for detailed energy monitoring, with countries like Taiwan (15-minute intervals) and Australia (five-minute intervals) leading the way.
Low emphasised the importance of supply chain decarbonisation, or Scope 3 emissions, as Asia is a major global supply chain hub. Large demand-side players can leverage purchasing power to enable smaller second- and third-tier suppliers to transition. Google collaborates with coalitions such as the Clean Energy Buyers Association, Asia Clean Energy Coalition, and SEMI CEA (focused on semiconductor industry sustainability) to drive sectoral approaches for decarbonisation across supply chains.