Our Scans · (LF.7) 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] In energy and climate action, breakthroughs such as nighttime solar panels and solid state batteries will enable 24/7 clean power, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and supporting global decarbonization goals. UKAuthority
• [New] Medium-term demand is projected to hit 113.3 million bpd by 2030, a 9% increase, as global population growth, urbanization, and emerging industries - particularly artificial intelligence-drive energy needs. GCC BUSINESS WATCH
• [New] Located adjacent to the Morwell Terminal Station in Victoria, Flow Power's Bennetts Creek BESS will provide essential ancillary services, such as frequency regulation, strengthening grid stability and accelerating Australia's transition towards a renewable energy future. Wartsila.com
• [New] Technology group Wartsila will deliver a 100 MW / 223 MWh battery energy storage system for innovative Australian renewable energy retailer, Flow Power. Wartsila.com
• [New] 2030 energy portfolio projections assume successful implementation could establish nuclear as a 20-25% share of state electricity generation, providing reliable baseload capacity that enables continued economic expansion while supporting renewable energy integration. Discovery Alert
• [New] In 2026, lithium will stand at the heart of the global energy transformation, driving modern infrastructure, electrified transportation, and sustainable agriculture. Farmonaut
• [New] Global lithium demand is projected to surge 32% by 2025, driven by energy storage and electric vehicles. Farmonaut
• [New] A South Korean team has developed an anode-free lithium metal battery that achieves record energy density and could have a significant impact on the future of electric vehicles. Computer news
• [New] Namibia's ambitions to develop the Hyphen green hydrogen project define the potential that Africa has to produce vast amounts of renewable energy. Energies Media
• [New] Meta is looking to build between one and four large power units from nuclear energy in the early 2030s, while Oracle plans a very large data center powered by three small reactors. Ghana News Agency
• [New] Google has partnered with energy companies to use smaller reactors to power its artificial intelligence centers, aiming to have them running by around 2030. / USA Ghana News Agency
• [New] In the next 10 years at least an additional 9.5 gigawatts of energy is needed from on-shore renewable energy sources to meet its target of 95% renewable energy by 2035. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• [New] Renewable-energy capacity is projected to increase by almost 4,600 gigawatts between 2025 and 2030 - double the capacity deployed between 2019 and 2024. Scientific American
• [New] Taiwanese battery technology company Xing Mobility will present products spanning electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage systems (ESS), and AI data center backup power at CES 2026, marking its expansion into the data center sector with the debut of its BBx800 high-voltage DC backup battery unit. Automotive World
• [New] Intersect plans to investigate emerging technologies that could help increase and diversify energy supply as it supports Google's expanding US data center requirements for cloud customers and users. Verdict
• [New] Heading into 2026, infrastructure investors are recalibrating priorities amid rising geopolitical risk, mounting deployment pressure, and structural shifts toward digital and energy-transition assets. InvestmentNews
• [New] The Nao Victoria will consist of up to 55 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 18 MW, and is expected to generate clean energy for over 670,000 households upon completion. Market Research Company - Blackridge Research & Consult
• [New] Leading up to the December ministerial meeting, the International Energy Agency warned of a potential surplus of nearly 4 million bpd in 2026, driven by record output from the United States, Brazil, and Guyana. FinancialContent
• [New] Annual total electricity consumption nationwide is expected to surpass 10 trillion kilowatt-hours for the first time, with the installed capacity share of renewable energy generation rising to approximately 60%, leading global green energy transformation. CGTN
• [New] Between 2025 and 2050, global energy consumption rises by 17% under Current Trends, with a nearly nine-fold increase in wind and solar. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• [New] Achieving long-term climate stabilization goals will require more ambitious policy measures that reduce fossil-fuel dependence and accelerate the energy transition toward low-carbon sources in all regions of the world. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• [New] MIT researchers found a way to predict how efficiently materials can transport protons in clean energy devices and other advanced technologies. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Last updated: 29 December 2025