The loss of a fifth of liquefied natural gas supply due to the US-Iran war is blowing out costs for Asia’s developing markets, and forcing a rethink of the fuel’s long-term future in the region. Qatari shipments of LNG through the Strait of Hormuz have all but dried up since the conflict started at the end of February. That’s deprived Asian buyers of contracted supply of the power-station and industrial fuel, pushing them into the spot market where prices are surging.

The major non-China emerging-market Asian buyers — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam — have spent a collective $7.4 billion since the start of the war on spot LNG, according to a Bloomberg News analysis of purchase tenders. A similar amount of the fuel cost about $3.1 billion under long-term contracts over the same period last year. The more than doubling of costs threatens to tarnish the reputation of LNG as a reliable energy source, especially as it’s just a few years after another war — between Russia and Ukraine — also led to shortages and a spike in prices.

The crux of the problem is that countries need gas today, as they can’t quickly change their energy mix without risking blackouts. Longer term, though, many of them are now looking for ways to wean themselves off LNG. Renewables like solar and wind, coal, nuclear, or locally produced gas or piped supply are some of the options.