Energy Market Integration in East Asia: A Regional Public Goods Approach

This study applies a regional public goods approach to the study of energy market integration (EMI) in East Asia, with a view to clarifying the outlook for such integration and the likely obstacles to be encountered. In addition to drawing on theoretical ideas relating to regional public goods, the paper will also draw on the experience of the European Union in its attempts to develop a single energy market. The study shows that many services are needed in order to develop and sustain a regional integrated energy market and that some of these services have characteristics of regional public goods, though some may also be trans-regional or global in nature as well. The study recommends that: EMI in East Asia should be pursued in an incremental manner and mainly at a sub-regional scale; and the specific steps taken towards EMI should be chosen on the basis of their likely positive economic impacts and their likely ease of delivery.