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] While a protracted Middle East conflict threatens Eurasia with severe energy deficits, the U.S. economy stands to benefit. Barchart.com
• [New] Electricity consumption will continue growing through 2050 at a rate of 0.9% to 1.6%, with data center server energy use a major factor. / USA EIA - Energy Information Administration
• [New] Sustained hikes in energy costs could push inflation higher globally, complicating the outlook for interest rates at a time when markets anticipated monetary policy relief. alliancebernstein
• [New] Sizewell C is projected to supply six million homes with nuclear energy, while the Teesside-based Lighthouse Green Fuels plant would become Europe's largest SAF facility. no2nuclearpower
• [New] The warning from the EU comes as the energy shock reverberates across the world, raising the specter of higher inflation and slower economic growth, forcing governments to draw up plans to support consumers and prompting some countries to fire up coal plants. Caliber.az
• [New] The role of liquified natural gas (LNG) in Europe has evolved significantly in the last five years, with every indication that the ship-transported fuel - and the disputes that go with it - will continue to be a mainstay in the European energy mix. Squire Patton Boggs
• [New] The nearly six-week-long war in Iran may be occurring thousands of miles away from NATO headquarters, but its impacts are reverberating throughout Europe in the form of ballooning fuel prices and the risk of energy shortages. Stars and Stripes
• [New] A new study finds that the global shift to electric vehicles (EVs) could significantly reduce energy use and carbon emissions, but only if governments act aggressively to lower costs and align policies across regions. Cornell Chronicle
• [New] Projected increases in renewable energy around the world will not be enough to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to growing global electricity demand and strong markets for oil and natural gas in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Resources for the Future
• [New] The energy shock linked to the war in Iran would generate renewed inflationary pressures, and instead of gradually converging back to target, inflation is projected to reach 3.2% before declining only gradually to 2.5% in 2027. economic-research.bnpparibas.com
• [New] Electricity use in transportation grows by a factor of 6 to 10 by 2050, rising to account for as much as 20% of the energy mix in BNEF ETS. Resources for the Future
• [New] Oil accounted for 90% of global transport energy use in 2024, but oil's share in 2050 ranges from 69% (BNEF ETS) to 78% (IEA CPS). Resources for the Future
• [New] Although no scenario envisions a tripling of nuclear energy by 2050, as more than a dozen nations have pledged, nuclear grows by 31% under the most bearish scenario (IEEJ Reference) and more than doubles under ambitious climate scenarios. Resources for the Future
• [New] European gas prices plunged sharply by around 20%, and Brent crude oil dropped significantly after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States, Israel, and Iran, raising hopes of lower energy bills for consumers. Euronews
• [New] The announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East has triggered an immediate drop in oil and natural gas prices, raising hopes for lower energy bills. Euronews
• [New] The 2026 Iran war has already produced physical damage to manufacturing infrastructure, a global aluminium deficit that will persist through the year, and energy cost conditions in Europe that are structurally, not temporarily, elevated. Automotive Manufacturing Solutions
• [New] The conflict in the Middle East has produced the largest energy disruption in history, with 20% of global oil trade being disrupted and more than 10% of oil production now shut in. Goldman Sachs Asset Management
• [New] If infrastructure in Qatar is not restored by the end of 2026, the global energy deficit could become a structural feature of the late 2020s, keeping the energy price index elevated for years to come. FinancialContent
• [New] The 41.6% rise in the global energy index is a systemic warning that the world's transition to LNG - once viewed as a safe bridge fuel - has introduced new vulnerabilities. FinancialContent
• [New] The development of a scalable and efficient photocatalytic process for hydrogen production could significantly contribute to the global transition away from fossil fuels and towards a more sustainable energy future. QT News
• [New] Wind is set to be the largest source of electricity generation in the European Union over the forecast horizon, overtaking nuclear energy, and its share will rise from 17% to 25% by 2030. IEA
• [New] In 2026-2030, more than 400 GW of net renewable energy capacity is projected to be added, with 70% coming from solar PV alone. IEA

Last updated: 10 April 2026