Global Scans · Energy · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: By 2025 solar energy will be the cheapest energy option globally. In 2040, oil and natural gas are expected to make up nearly 60 percent of global supplies, while nuclear and renewables will be approaching 25 percent. Improvements in energy efficiency in lighting and home appliances are expected to continue to push residential electricity use lower. The burning of coal will fall out of favor. Transportation energy consumption will be rising in correlation to growth in automated vehicles in the coming years.

• [New] In ERCOT, the fastest growing energy source is solar, which we forecast will grow by 92% between 2024 and 2026. EIA - Energy Information Administration
• [New] Low-emissions technologies are expected to account for almost 90% of investment in electricity into the future and that for every dollar invested in fossil fuels, about $1.7 are now going into clean energy sources such as solar power. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Battery electric vehicles (EVs) are poised for similar ascension, with the International Energy Agency projecting that they will reach 65% of all car sales by 2030, will achieve average annual growth rates of 25% between now and then, and will reach 1 billion adopters by 2040. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The installed capacity of solar power will become the largest single source of energy, surpassing that of coal, by 2027, with a consequent doubling in growth rate every 1-3 years. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Energy demand will increase by almost 70% by 2060, a 1.5% compound annual growth rate. DNV
• [New] Only when final energy demand plateaus in the 2040s can electricity and other decarbonized alternatives really start replacing oil in the fuel mix. DNV
• [New] The Energy Information Administration ramped up its natural gas price forecast by about 10% on Tuesday from its November forecast, citing the cold snap in the United States that will drive up demand for heating. CNN
• [New] The low-carbon transition could create 375 million jobs over the next decade, spanning renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, and nature-based solutions. We Mean Business Coalition
• [New] If executed effectively, the Speed to Power initiative could transform US grid planning from a fragmented, reactive process into a proactive, federally guided industrial strategy ensuring abundant, reliable and affordable energy supply for the digital economy. Power Line Magazine
• [New] U.S. corporate clean energy procurement could more than double over the next decade, reaching a cumulative 275 GW by 2035. Latitude Media
• [New] Energy demand for data centers is expected to nearly triple in the coming decade, up from 40 gigawatts today to 106 gigawatts in 2035. TechCrunch
• [New] The International Energy Agency warns of a potential 30% copper supply deficit by 2035, driven by surging demand from electrification, AI, and clean energy transitions outpacing constrained mining output amid declining ore grades and lengthy project timelines. GeopoliticsUnplugged Substack
• [New] Petrobras' 2026-30 strategic plan reaffirms its focus on exploration and production, commitment to operational efficiency and capital discipline, while accelerating implementation of investments in low-carbon businesses and energy transition. Moody's
• [New] Newcleo has outlined its energy roadmap for the nuclear sector by stating that the first non-nuclear precursor prototype of its reactor in Italy is expected to be ready by 2026. Energies Media
• [New] Long-term energy storage is set to be a critical component of global energy security and a massive industrial sector going forward, as renewable-dependent grids will need to balance energy demand and surplus over weeks, months, and seasons as opposed to hours. oilprice.com
• [New] While BloombergNEF projects the required energy transition investment level to be $5.6 trillion each year from 2025 to 2030, finance is in fact returning unabated to traditional energy if not totally retreating from the green space. Forbes
• [New] In 2025, the biggest breakthroughs will come from AI, robotics, cybersecurity, quantum computing, biotechnology, and clean energy. SaGeminieTech
• [New] Energy and infrastructure: data centers were already consuming 415 TWh in 2024, a figure expected to double by 2030. The Cryptonomist
• [New] Global LNG demand is projected to rise by approximately 60% by 2040, driven by economic growth in Asia and the increasing energy demands of artificial intelligence. FinancialContent
• [New] Rosatom and India's Department of Atomic Energy are advancing work on larger VVER-1200 reactors as well as small modular units that could anchor the next generation of India's civilian nuclear capacity. https://www.uniindia.com/~/russia-sees-world-turning-mu
• [New] The International Energy Agency reversed its previous peak oil prediction, now acknowledging that oil demand will likely grow through 2050. Marcellus Drilling News
• [New] EU seals deal to phase out Russian gas by 2027 Bloomberg The European Union has secured a deal to accelerate the phaseout of Russian energy, agreeing to ban Russian liquefied natural gas imports by the end of 2026, a year ahead of schedule. Marcellus Drilling News

Last updated: 12 December 2025