Work-from-home may not save as much energy as Southeast Asia hopes

"Analysts warn that while fewer commuters will reduce petrol consumption, the increased use of air conditioning at home could negate these savings, leading to higher overall energy costs."

"Indonesia's work-from-home policy is expected to save around 6.2 trillion rupiah in state fuel subsidies, but the long-term effects on energy consumption remain uncertain."

Southeast Asian governments are implementing work-from-home policies for civil servants to mitigate rising energy costs from the Iran war. Indonesia anticipates saving 6.2 trillion rupiah in fuel subsidies with its new policy. The Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia have also adopted similar measures. However, analysts caution that while commuting costs may decrease, increased household energy use, particularly from air conditioning, could offset these savings, complicating the overall impact on energy consumption.

Read at South China Morning Post