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] By 2050, electricity demand will have grown by more than 50% in the U.S; energy storage, wind, and solar generation will increase by 300%; and renewables are predicted to exceed 50% of generation capacity in Western U.S., New York, and Southeast. FABTECH
• [New] Global renewable energy capacity is projected to continue setting new records through 2026 and beyond, with renewables expected to overtake coal as the largest source of electricity generation worldwide by mid-2026. Energy Evolution Awards, Conference & Expo
• [New] Renewable energy will become the world's largest source of electricity by mid-2026, surpassing coal as the dominant provider of power generation. Energy Evolution Awards, Conference & Expo
• [New] Over the 2025-2030 period, renewables are expected to meet more than 90% of global electricity demand growth, led by solar photovoltaics and, to a lesser extent, wind energy. Energy Evolution Awards, Conference & Expo
• [New] Globally, data centers are expected to account for roughly 300 TWh per year of additional corporate clean energy procurement by 2030, based on IEA data center demand scenarios and current corporate procurement patterns tracked by CEBA and BloombergNEF. Watershed
• [New] The International Energy Agency expects AI's energy demand to double between now and 2030, presenting a serious challenge for energy security in many nations and regions where large data center developments are planned. oilprice.com
• [New] In 2026, global investment in clean energy infrastructure is expected to surpass $2 trillion 1. Morgan Stanley Investment Management
• [New] Google plans to construct, own and manage its own clean energy power plants. ColumbusFreePress.com
• [New] Alphabet, Google's parent company, announced last month it will acquire clean energy and data center infrastructure developer Intersect in a $4.75 billion deal expected to close in the first half of this year. ColumbusFreePress.com
• [New] As utilities and governments continue to invest in smart grid technologies, the implementation of AMI is anticipated to play a pivotal role in modernizing power infrastructure and supporting the integration of renewable energy sources. EIN Presswire
• [New] To triple renewable energy, as 133 countries pledged to do at COP 28, battery storage capacity must increase six-fold by 2030, while the demand for electric vehicle batteries will grow seven-fold. Chemistry World
• [New] Kazakhstan aims to increase the share of renewable energy in electricity production to 50% by 2050. Caspianpost.com
• [New] In 2019, Uzbekistan adopted a Green Economy Strategy for 2019-2030, aiming to increase the share of renewable energy sources in its energy mix to 40%, up from 13% in 2022. Caspianpost.com
• [New] The Trans-Caspian Green Energy Corridor will be developed by the Green Corridor Alliance, a Kazakh-Uzbek-Azerbaijani joint venture, and will be funded by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Caspianpost.com
• [New] Preserving nuclear generation will help maintain the competitiveness of Spanish industry amid rising global energy prices. RUSSPAIN.COM
• [New] If the operational life of all existing Spanish nuclear power plants is extended beyond 2035, industry could save about 1.4 billion euros annually on energy costs. RUSSPAIN.COM
• [New] NASA and the Department of Energy signed an agreement earlier this week committing to put a nuclear reactor on the moon in 2030. Cowboy State Daily
• [New] The International Energy Agency, for instance, projects global data-center electricity demand will more than double by 2030. 2026 Preview: Abundance and Volatility | Paradigm Press
• [New] Clean Energy Plan deadlines Colorado legislation passed in 2019 requires utilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2030. Colorado Springs Utilities
• [New] Global energy storage installations will exceed 1 TWh by 2030, with long life (> 15 years) and high safety becoming key procurement metrics. Tortai Technologies Co., Ltd
• [New] Electricity demand could increase by 50% to 90% over the next two decades, driven by the electrification of heating and transportation and the development of energy intensive projects and industry such as data centers. Utility Dive
• [New] Data centers are already planning dedicated nuclear plants to power AI, and according to the International Energy Agency, AI data centers could consume nearly 1,000 TWh of electricity by 2030. IO+

Last updated: 19 January 2026