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] Offshore wind resources are abundant: Offshore wind could deliver large amounts of energy to fulfill the electrical needs of cities along U.S. coastlines. Energy.gov
• [New] Middle East disruption highlights a core climate risk in the global energy system: continued dependence on imported fossil fuels leaves economies exposed to physical chokepoints, price spikes, and delayed decarbonization. ASUENE | The enterprise climate cloud platform | Carbon
• [New] By 2030, 44% of respondents say they plan to manage at least half of their energy portfolios through flexible or controllable loads. PLMA
• [New] The U.S. Energy Information Administration now expects U.S. retail gasoline prices to average $3.88 a gallon in 2026, about 18 cents more than its prior forecast issued in April. ST
• [New] By 2030, electric vehicles are expected to be no longer a niche alternative, but a core direction of the global car industry, reshaping manufacturing, energy systems and consumer expectations. heycar
• [New] Between 2025 and 2050, projected energy-related CO2 emissions could decline between 11% and 38%. / USA EIA - Energy Information Administration
• [New] The collision between the clashing exponential curves of renewable energy supply and AI energy demands will determine not just the trajectory of the global energy system but whether the renewable energy transition succeeds before another technology consumption binge derails it entirely. Scientific American
• [New] Global risks from the Middle East conflict persist, fueling energy/commodity volatility and sterling / gilt fluctuations; MPC views direct impacts as containable if demand slackens to curb secondary inflation effects. IC Your Trading Edge | Official Blog | Blog
• [New] The U.S. will generate a total of 341 billion kilowatt-hours of solar energy in 2026 and 418 billion kWh in 2027. Novogradac
• [New] India's energy demand is expected to double over the next 25 years, intensifying the urgency of building a more resilient system. Down To Earth
• [New] Global energy demand is expected to grow by an average of more than 3.5% per year, while the generation expected to match it will predominantly consist of expansions in renewables, nuclear, and natural gas. We Don't Have Time
• [New] Demand for graphite and other minerals essential to the energy and digital transition is projected to rise four or five times by 2050. EurekAlert!
• [New] The world's largest energy consumer and emitter, China, is currently on track to transition fully, thus eliminate 100% of its energy-related health - and climate-damaging pollution, by 2051. RSC
• [New] PIF is committed to developing 70% of Saudi Arabia's renewable energy capacity target by 2030. Uniqus
• [New] The PIF's 2026-2030 Strategy targets ecosystems such as clean energy, water, and renewable infrastructure, demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. Uniqus
• [New] Floating offshore wind potential offers more than two times the energy equivalent of annual U.S. electricity consumption, even after accounting for relative technical suitability in support of responsible offshore wind energy deployment. Energy.gov
• [New] Advances in synthetic biology & fusion energy will influence global sustainability efforts, while next-generation materials will enable lighter, stronger & more efficient technologies. UnfoldLabs
• [New] The strategic availability of ports and renewable energy-rich regions like the Northern Cape will enhance South Africa's competitiveness in both local and export markets. Precedence Research
• [New] The displacement of unabated fossil energy due to the imposed hydrogen deployment leads to reductions in global CO2 emissions in 2050 (relative to the No H2 case) that range between roughly 1,200 and 1,600 Mt CO2 per year. AGU Journals
• [New] Liquid fuels represent more than half of the total final energy displaced by hydrogen by 2050. AGU Journals
• [New] Global additions of renewable power capacity are expected to jump by a third this year as growing policy momentum, higher fossil fuel prices and energy security concerns drive strong deployment of solar PV and wind power. IEA

Last updated: 15 May 2026