Abstract
Myanmar remains one of the few exceptions to the rapid diffusion of solar photovoltaics (PV) in power generation mixes. This is surprising considering that Myanmar is one of the countries with the largest technical potential for solar energy among Southeast Asian nations. Solar energy can complement the existing hydropower generation to address endemic energy crisis during the dry season. A continuation of paralysis on investments in solar energy could affect the security and sustainability of the sector in one of the most rapidly growing countries in the region. In this paper, we aimed to identify the barriers preventing solar energy to flourish in Myanmar and to identify policy options to unlock them. We conducted a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis with inputs from relevant stakeholders from the government, private sector, and civil society organizations. Our analysis suggested a consensus on the merits of solar energy among all factors; however, a policy framework to spur investments that contribute both to the national energy system and local development needs to be developed by considering some particularities of Myanmar, such as securing rightful land ownership and limited experience with market mechanisms (e.g., energy auction), for the promotion of investments in the energy sector.
Highlights
Myanmar’s transition from a closed military regime to an open democracy has attracted a lot of interest and brought opportunities for rapid economic growth in the country
This study aims to fill the gap in academic literature on the drivers and barriers for the development of utility-scale solar in Myanmar
A number of SWOT studies have been conducted in Southeast Asia, both for individual countries [47] and for ASEAN as a whole [48]
Summary
Myanmar’s transition from a closed military regime to an open democracy has attracted a lot of interest and brought opportunities for rapid economic growth in the country. In order to accommodate this, Myanmar is on the verge of a massive power capacity expansion. The growth in energy demand calls for a 3-fold increase in the system in the 10 years. The investment needs in the nearand medium-term future are commensurable. The World Bank has recently announced that USD. 2 billion/year will be needed [1]. The current generation mix is dominated by hydropower, with an increasing role of natural gas
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