energy transition

UN News has published a feature looking at how the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy is changing the idea of energy security. The piece argues that the recent global energy crisis pushed countries to rethink dependence on imported fuels, and that expanding wind, solar and other renewables can reduce exposure to price shocks and supply disruptions while supporting climate goals.

New figures on global electricity generation show coal remained the world's largest single source in 2024, producing about 34% of all power. Wind and solar together reached 15%, a sharp rise from just 4% a decade earlier. The data has been presented as charts drawn directly onto an interactive world map, letting users zoom from a global view down to country-level detail.

An analysis by Carbon Brief finds that driving an electric vehicle in the UK is now roughly nine times cheaper per mile than running a petrol or diesel car, based on current electricity and fuel prices. The finding is drawing attention amid ongoing debate about EV running costs, charging infrastructure and the transition away from combustion engines.

New figures show the world added around 690 gigawatts of solar power capacity in 2025, according to reporting by pv magazine. The total underscores the continued rapid expansion of solar energy worldwide, as installations keep outpacing forecasts driven by falling costs and strong demand in major markets. Industry observers are weighing what the record-scale buildout means for grids, fossil fuel demand and global climate targets.

A Reuters commentary argues that China's latest commodity import figures show an economy in transition: surging purchases of metals and other raw materials point to heavy investment in renewable infrastructure and electrification, even as fossil fuel demand remains stubbornly high. The mix, the piece says, illustrates how uneven and drawn-out the shift away from traditional energy sources will be for the world's largest commodity consumer.

BP is weighing a sale of its Brazilian biofuels business, according to a Bloomberg News report picked up by Reuters. The potential divestment would mark a retreat in one area of the company's renewables push as it reassesses its energy transition strategy and works to streamline operations and shore up its balance sheet.

China's advantage over the United States in clean energy transition technologies is proving difficult to close, according to reporting on the technology gap between the two powers. The item highlights how China's dominance in areas tied to the energy transition continues to outpace American efforts, raising questions about whether the US can narrow the gap in a strategically important sector.

A commentary argues that Europe must build a domestic battery industry to secure its electric vehicle transition rather than relying on foreign suppliers, particularly Asian and Chinese manufacturers. The piece reflects ongoing debate in Brussels and national capitals about industrial policy, energy security and competitiveness as the EU pushes its shift away from combustion engines.

The United Nations Development Programme is highlighting China's path within the global green transition, drawing attention to the country's approach to shifting toward sustainable, low-carbon development. As one of the world's largest emitters, China's clean energy choices carry significant weight for international climate goals, making its transition strategy a subject of global interest and debate.

Commentary from China Daily argues that international cooperation is essential for accelerating the global transition to clean energy. The piece stresses that no country can manage the energy shift alone, and that coordinated policy, technology sharing and investment are needed to meet climate goals.

CERAWeek, the annual energy industry gathering in Houston, USA, is under way, bringing together more than 10,000 attendees from around 90 countries. The conference draws chief executives of major corporations alongside government representatives to discuss energy policy, oil and gas markets, and the global energy transition. It is widely regarded as one of the sector's most influential annual meetings.

The US Energy Information Administration projects that solar power generation in Texas will overtake coal-fired generation in 2026. The forecast reflects rapid solar capacity additions across the state and continued declines in coal output. It would mark a significant milestone in the shift of the Texas grid, one of the largest power markets in the country, away from fossil fuels.

M. V. Ramana, a professor at the University of British Columbia, argues that nuclear power is not the answer to decarbonisation as renewable energy sources become cheaper and more advanced. He points out that large nuclear plants make little economic sense compared to increasingly cost-effective renewables, adding to the ongoing debate over nuclear energy's role in the clean energy transition.

Nature has published an item titled 'Lowering lithium impacts', focused on reducing the environmental and social costs of lithium extraction. Lithium is central to electric vehicle batteries and grid storage, and mining it consumes large amounts of water and affects local communities. The publication is drawing attention from readers following the clean energy transition.

Germany's Green party is rejecting proposed reform of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), the country's core framework for funding renewable power. The party is standing firm on maintaining support for rooftop solar installations, which rely on feed-in payments under the EEG. The refusal signals growing political friction in Germany over how the country finances and structures its energy transition.

Commentary argues that climate plans rely too heavily on disclosure requirements and not enough on involving workers. It calls for putting employees at the centre of climate policy, since transitions in energy and industry succeed only when workers help shape and carry them out. The piece reflects a broader debate about whether corporate reporting alone can deliver real emissions cuts.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany is interested in receiving oil supplies from Kazakhstan. The statement, reported by Vedomosti, highlights Berlin's search for alternative energy sources amid ongoing changes in European oil supply routes. The remarks draw attention as Kazakhstan's crude largely reaches Europe through Russia, making the chancellor's comments notable for regional energy politics.

A new commentary argues that the relationship between solar power, wind power, battery storage and politics has become complicated. The piece examines how political factors shape the deployment of renewable energy technologies and storage. It is drawing attention among readers following the clean energy transition, where policy decisions increasingly influence how fast solar, wind and battery projects can move forward.

The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre has published the Transition Minerals Tracker 2026 for South America, compiling data on companies extracting minerals used in the energy transition, such as lithium and copper. The tracker monitors human rights allegations against mining firms across the region, a key supplier of raw materials for batteries and renewable technology.

A new chart from Pictet Asset Managers argues that the shift away from fossil fuels does not remove dependence on critical resources, but changes its nature – from oil and gas suppliers to suppliers of minerals, materials and clean-energy technologies such as lithium, cobalt and rare earths. Analysts are weighing what this means for energy security and geopolitical risk as countries electrify.