About this episode
Comments/ideas: ACFpod@outlook.comHost Joseph Jacobelli welcomes Mike Thomas, leading energy economist and founder of The Lantau Group (TLG), for their annual review and 2026 outlook. Mike argues that we have reached a historic tipping point where solar-plus-battery hybrids are now cost-competitive with traditional gas and coal, often without requiring a premium for base-load-style power.The conversation dives deep into the "strategic pivot" in China that has led to a global battery fire sale, the surge in data centre demand in hubs like Johor, and the counter-intuitive risks posed by government-run green energy auctions. Mike also highlights why Malaysia is currently the region's most "ready" market and explores the legal and regulatory "software bugs", such as "intertemporal equity", that must be fixed to allow the physical energy transition to keep pace with technological reality.LINKS: Research From TLG.ABOUT MIKE: Founding partner at The Lantau Group with over 30 years of consulting experience, focussing on the energy sector. He advises a wide range of energy sector stakeholders on strategic, regulatory, and competition matters; sustainability; market design and development; and commercial transactions. Prior to co-founding in 2010, he headed the Asia Pacific Energy & Environment practice of a global consulting firm. Mike has an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA in Economics from Carleton College. Within the Asia Pacific region, he has led many significant engagements involving the robust application of economics and analytics to a wide variety of business, policy, and regulatory challenges affecting the electricity and gas sectors. He works extensively with multinationals on sustainability strategies, focussing on the best options in different markets, and on the regulatory and policy changes needed to support increasing renewable energy contracting options.HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli | MUSIC: Ep76 onward excerpts from Vivaldi’s La Follia, played by Luca Jacobelli.
