Solar panels and wind turbines are often criticised for creating a future waste problem. But the reality is very different.

In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen explores why renewables are among the most recyclable energy technologies in the world. With up to 95% of solar and wind materials already recoverable, clean energy is moving towards a circular model where value is reused rather than discarded.

The episode looks at how recycling renewable infrastructure can create jobs, strengthen supply chains, and reduce dependence on imported raw materials. It also compares renewable end-of-life materials with the permanent pollution left behind by fossil fuels, showing why the scale and impact are often misunderstood.

The takeaway is clear: renewables are not creating a waste crisis. They are creating an opportunity to build cleaner, more resilient energy systems through circular design.

In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen is joined by Ziqun Jia, Junior Consultant at Perspectives Climate Group, to explore China’s rising influence in Southeast Asia’s energy sector.

Ziqun dives into how China’s leadership in clean technologies, from solar to batteries and EVs, is reshaping energy systems across the region. The discussion also covers how China’s investments and energy diplomacy are impacting Southeast Asia’s clean energy future and what opportunities and risks lie ahead.

Tune in to hear how China’s clean-tech drive is creating new dynamics in the region and what it means for Southeast Asia’s path to a sustainable energy transition.

LinkedIn: Ziqun Jia

In this episode of Energy Insights, host Stephen speaks with Zhou Yu, Program Manager at New Energy Nexus, to explore China’s fast-growing clean-tech ecosystem and what it means for Asia’s energy transition.

Zhou explains how China’s leadership in solar, batteries, EVs and energy storage is reshaping regional supply chains and driving down global technology costs. He discusses the policies, innovation networks and startup support systems powering this growth, and why other Asian countries are looking to China as both a model and a critical partner.

The conversation examines the opportunities and risks for Southeast Asia, the role of cross-border collaboration, and whether China’s clean-tech engine can accelerate the region’s shift away from fossil fuels.

LinkedIn: Zhou Yu