Liquefied natural gas import infrastructure and dual-fuel plant designs are reshaping thermal fleets in emerging markets, replacing oil-fired generation, backing up domestic gas supply and providing the firm capacity that fast-growing, renewables-heavy systems need.
Floating storage and regasification units have lowered the cost and time of entering the LNG market, and combined-cycle plants specified for gas with a liquid backup give operators a hedge against supply and price shocks.
Where it is happening
Coastal markets in Southeast Asia and West and Southern Africa are among the most active, with gas-to-power strategies tied to domestic discoveries in some cases and to imports in others. See our Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire and Vietnam guides.
Supply-chain implications
Terminals, pipelines and regasification units; combined-cycle and dual-fuel turbines; fuel-handling and control systems; and grid connections for new plants. Financing structures increasingly link terminal and plant contracts.
Follow the fleet in our power generation section.
Background: LNG has changed where gas power can be built
For decades gas-fired power in emerging markets was tied to domestic fields or pipelines, Nigeria, Egypt, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia. Floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) changed that: a terminal can be chartered and moored in months rather than the years needed for an onshore plant, so coastal countries with no gas of their own can now import it. Ghana, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Vietnam, the Philippines and Bangladesh have all commissioned or planned terminals, and dual-fuel plants that can burn gas or liquid fuel give utilities a hedge against price and supply swings. The IEA’s gas market reports and the International Gas Union track this build-out.
Where it is happening, in more detail
- West Africa: FSRU-linked plants and dual-fuel conversions along the coast, tied to the West African Power Pool.
- Southeast Asia: Vietnam’s LNG-to-power projects and Philippine terminals replacing declining domestic gas.
- South Asia and the Middle East: import terminals feeding existing combined-cycle fleets.
- Islands and enclaves: small-scale LNG and dual-fuel engines replacing diesel.
What it means for suppliers to utilities and OEMs
LNG-to-power projects need terminals, regasification, pipelines, gas treatment, combined-cycle or engine plants, step-up substations and grid connections, and dual-fuel conversions need burners, fuel systems, controls and emissions equipment for existing plants. Because these plants often serve as the firm backbone for renewables growth, they connect to our coverage of gas peakers and capacity markets. Follow announcements on our power generation page.
Quick answers
What is an FSRU?
A floating storage and regasification unit, a ship-based LNG terminal that can be deployed far faster than an onshore terminal.
Why do utilities want dual-fuel plants?
They can switch between gas and liquid fuel, protecting supply against price spikes, terminal outages or delayed pipelines.
Sources and further reading
- IEA, Natural gas, market outlook
- International Gas Union, LNG and terminal data
- World Bank, Energy, gas-to-power finance
- EnergiTech Media, Energy infrastructure in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, country guide
This article was researched and written by the EnergiTech Media editorial team and last reviewed in August 2026. We update country and sector guides as tenders, plans and regulations change. Spotted something out of date? Email support@energitechmedia.com.