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] Fusion energy has attracted $15.17 billion in cumulative private investment across 77 companies pursuing diverse approaches - tokamaks, stellarators, field-reversed configurations, inertial confinement, and Z-pinch systems - with multiple developers targeting demonstration plants before 2035. GlobeNewswire
• [New] BloombergNEF and the IEA agree: battery energy storage capacity will increase almost tenfold between 2023 and 2030, from 85 GW to nearly 800 GW. Zigor
• [New] By 2026, hybridization will evolve from a complementary option into a global operational standard, driven by a historic milestone: annual battery energy storage additions will exceed 100 GW for the first time. Zigor
• [New] Solar and wind energy are expected to quintuple their global contributions by 2045, while energy storage and advanced nuclear solutions gain prominence. Yahoo Finance UK
• [New] Massive capital investments from hyperscalers, including the $100 billion US-based joint venture and a projected $315 billion in total AI Cap Ex by 2026, are a clear leading indicator that industry leaders are preparing for a future of massive, energy-intensive AI workloads. EnkiAI - Find the right insight
• [New] In a direct reaction to Deep Seek's capital-efficient disruption, US technology leaders have massively increased AI infrastructure spending to create a competitive moat through scale, signaling a long-term, large-scale demand cycle for data center construction and energy supply. EnkiAI - Find the right insight
• [New] By 2030, AI energy demand could increase fivefold, reaching close to 1,000 TWh, or roughly 3% of total global power demand. Consultancy Europe
• [New] Infrastructure AUM is expected to nearly triple to $3 trillion by 2030, supported by energy transition and digital infrastructure. MEXC
• [New] Australia's Asian Renewable Energy Hub plans to generate 26 GW of wind and solar power to produce green hydrogen for domestic and export use. Market Data Forecast
• [New] The International Energy Agency projects that green hydrogen could supply up to 24% of global energy demand by 2050 if current momentum continues - a target backed by $100 billion in announced investments in electrolyzer capacity. Saint Augustines University
• [New] With global energy demand projected to increase 25-30% between 2025 and 2045 - reaching 740-800 exajoules annually - alternative energy technologies are no longer peripheral supplements to fossil fuels but central pillars of a multi-trillion-dollar industrial realignment. Yahoo Finance UK
• [New] One of the primary challenges in adopting no-code AI platforms within enterprises by 2026 is the escalating energy demands of AI technologies, which are predicted to create significant bottlenecks in scalability and infrastructure availability. Grokipedia
• [New] The nuclear reactor, manufactured by Valar Atomics in Southern California, was transported to Hill Air Force Base in Utah aboard three U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft, showcasing the potential for future deployment of nuclear energy infrastructure. Yahoo News
• [New] For the remainder of 2026, the spotlight will stay on the energy grid, the factory floor, and the commodity pits. FinancialContent
• [New] Aramco plans to invest $50 billion in energy innovations by 2026, transforming global infrastructure and sustainability. Farmonaut
• [New] The available energy generation capacity and the electricity grid will limit data centers and AI development until at least 2030. economic-research.bnpparibas.com
• [New] The Department of Energy-Oil Industry Management Bureau earlier projected upward adjustments this week, citing the risk of supply disruption through the Strait of Hormuz and the uncertainty over Iran nuclear talks. GMA News Online
• [New] Ocean energy technologies including wave, tidal, ocean thermal energy conversion with its 8-10 terawatt theoretical global potential, and salinity gradient power are progressing toward commercial viability. GlobeNewswire
• [New] New restrictions on Russian uranium imports starting in 2028 further emphasize energy security risks. Carbon Credits
• [New] With global electricity demand set to grow 3.6% per year over the next five years, the International Energy Agency is projecting continuing growth for renewable energy, nuclear power, and gas-fired generation, with renewables plus nuclear on track to meet 50% of global demand by 2030. Electricity Info
• [New] Electricity demand is on course to grow at least 2.5 times as fast as overall energy demand through 2030 as the Age of Electricity takes hold. IEA

Last updated: 20 February 2026