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] Several countries pledge to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, a commitment reflected in national strategies that emphasize solar, wind, and grid integration, creating clear pathways for electrolyzer expansion. MarkNtel Advisors
• [New] China aims to increase non-fossil fuel energy usage to 30% of its total energy mix by 2035. J.P. MORGAN
• [New] Nearly four in five investors rate the sector as an attractive investment opportunity over the next five to ten years, making it the most attractive infrastructure segment ahead of Energy & Environment, Social, and Transport & Logistics. S-RM
• [New] By 2026, solar and wind energy, alongside battery storage, is expected to outstrip fossil fuels in U.S. electricity generation capacity. Tesevo
• [New] The assessed capacity for solar power will exceed 250 gigawatts by 2026, while wind energy could surpass 100 GW. Tesevo
• [New] ScottishPower has secured £600 million for a subsea interconnector that will transfer Scotland's renewable wind energy to English demand centers by 2034, reinforcing a resilient grid crucial for green construction and eco-friendly construction projects. Whole Life Carbon
• [New] The U.S. Department of Energy today announced a funding opportunity of $171.5 million to support next-generation geothermal field-scale tests for both electricity generation and exploration drilling to support characterization and potential confirmation of promising geothermal prospects. Energy.gov
• [New] Stocks fell sharply last week, with each of the benchmark indexes posting declines as rising energy prices, tensions in the Middle East, and renewed stagflation fears dampened risk sentiment. The Trust Company of Kansas
• [New] Enhanced geothermal in the US alone could provide up to 120 gigawatts of energy capacity - enough to power roughly 100 million homes. Energy Connects
• [New] Green hydrogen - the cornerstone of net zero strategies around the world - could fail in becoming a truly sustainable fuel unless countries rapidly decarbonise their energy grids. The University of Sheffield
• [New] Key initiatives include a $352 million funding opportunity for Energy Research Frontier Centers and $320 million tied to the Genesis Mission, a national effort that seeks to leverage AI to accelerate scientific discovery and energy innovation. iQuasar LLC
• [New] The Department of Energy is rolling out a massive wave of contracting and funding opportunities, spotlighting focus areas like artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and the electric grid. iQuasar LLC
• [New] In the STEPS scenario, the growth rate in energy demand to 2030 is around 0.7%, almost half of that of previous decade. ABN AMRO Bank
• [New] Even if AI becomes cheaper per task, the sheer scale of its usage could drive up total global energy consumption. Moneycontrol
• [New] Gen AI democratization will explode energy consumption. Marketing-Interactive
• [New] Digital solutions have the potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by up to 15% by 2030 through optimized logistics, smart grids, and energy-efficient building management. Market Data Forecast
• [New] Russia will likely use the billions of dollars of revenue from relaxed sanctions against Russia's energy sector to fund its war effort in Ukraine and aid in Iran's war effort against the US and Israel. Critical Threats
• [New] Energy (NERC CIP): Volt Typhoon's confirmed pre-positioning in energy infrastructure and Iranian threat actor retaliatory posture threaten NERC CIP compliance, necessitating rigorous auditing of boundary protections, incident reporting, and access control verification. Cyber News Network
• [New] Currently, geothermal energy supplies less than 1% of the world's energy; by 2050, it could meet up to 15% of the growth in global electricity demand, the International Energy Agency predicts. Politico
• [New] As solar storage adoption accelerates across Europe, suppliers offering modular battery storage, high voltage battery systems, and custom energy storage solutions are expected to gain competitive advantages. https://www.youth-power.net/
• [New] Britain's Energy Coast Business Cluster has welcomed changes to nuclear regulation which could make it easier to build nuclear plants. Electricity Info

Last updated: 29 March 2026