Global Scans · Affordable and Clean Energy · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

• [New] A landmark clean-energy project advances at the Kruger Kamloops Pulp Mill, where an Indigenous-led partnership plans to build one of British Columbia's first industrial-scale green hydrogen plants. Paper Advance
• [New] The International Energy Agency mentioned that by 2020, the world's solar capacity hit over 1,000 gigawatts, and they are saying it could go past 3,000 gigawatts by 2025. 2025 Top Solar Energy Trends You Need to Know for a Sus
• [New] As emerging countries around the world, such as Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, increasingly participate in cross-border electricity trade to diversify energy sources and meet climate targets, the demand for flexible and dependable renewable energy from small hydro projects is expected to rise. The National Law Review
• [New] By 2030, Australia will need 85,000 additional workers to build and operate renewable energy infrastructure. Airswift
• [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] 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] The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts a sustained crude price decline to $55 per barrel for Brent in 2026 due to global inventory builds and U.S. production reaching 13.6 million barrels per day, outpacing demand growth. GeopoliticsUnplugged Substack
• [New] The U.S. Department of Energy said it will provide $800 million to support development of small modular reactors by the Tennessee Valley Authority and private company Holtec. Last Week in ConTech
• [New] As nations worldwide commit to aggressive decarbonization targets, the demand for materials essential for renewable energy infrastructure, such as solar panels and electric vehicles, will only intensify. FinancialContent
• [New] Australia needs 10-20 times more energy storage of all kinds by 2050 to meet its net zero emissions target. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• [New] A 200-megawatt, $1 billion facility built by Canadian company Hydrostor near the historic mining city will be Australia's first large-scale compressed air energy storage facility, capable of powering up to 80,000 homes for a day. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• [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] Edge AI processors will hit $38 billion revenue in 2026, enabling real-time, low-latency energy optimization across factory floors. Devox Software
• [New] At COP 29, nearly 60 countries committed to the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge, which sets a goal of deploying 1500 GW of energy storage, doubling global grid investments, and developing 25 million kilometers of grid infrastructure by 2030. IEA
• [New] At COP 28, 200 countries made a landmark pledge to triple renewable energy capacity globally by 2030, and over 20 countries pledged to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050. IEA
• [New] Renewable energy sources, primarily solar photovoltaic and wind, will play a much larger role in energy systems in the coming decades. International Liberty Institute
• [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

Last updated: 14 December 2025