Growth Energy

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.

The US Energy Information Administration has raised its forecasts for American oil production in 2026 and 2027, signaling expectations of continued output growth in the coming years. The upward revision is drawing attention as it points to stronger domestic supply, with potential implications for global oil prices, energy markets, and US energy policy.

Growth in solar and wind power is limiting the use of natural gas in the United States even as overall electricity demand increases. The finding suggests renewables are increasingly meeting new consumption needs that would previously have been covered by gas-fired generation, a notable shift in the US energy mix.

The rapid expansion of AI is driving a surge in data centre construction, and with it a sharp rise in electricity demand that power grids are struggling to meet. Coverage highlights the tension between tech companies' growth plans and energy sustainability, raising questions about how the industry will source clean power at scale.

Commentators are revisiting how fossil fuel advocates have repeatedly moved the goalposts on renewable energy as clean power exceeds expectations. One example circulating: during an Australian Senate debate on renewable energy in February 2013, Barnaby Joyce dismissed a 5% solar target as never achievable — a target solar has since surpassed. Critics argue denial tactics have evolved from outright rejection to minimising and delaying as renewables succeed.

Market analysts are pointing to a new growth avenue for SpaceX that goes beyond its core rocket launch business: supplying power for artificial intelligence infrastructure. According to commentary reported by MarketWatch, analysts view the AI energy demand boom as a potentially larger commercial opportunity for Elon Musk's company than its established launch operations.

Energy Storage Europe says the rapid rollout of battery energy storage systems (BESS) is outpacing existing cybersecurity protections and calls for an urgent overhaul of security standards across the sector. The industry body warns that as grid-scale storage becomes a bigger part of energy infrastructure, it presents an increasing attack surface that current rules and practices do not adequately cover. The call adds to broader debate in Europe about securing critical energy assets amid rising digital threats.

Analysts are arguing that the conversation about artificial intelligence and energy should not be limited to how much power data centres consume. Writing in GIS Reports, commentators suggest AI is also reshaping how energy is produced, managed and distributed, with implications for grid efficiency, investment patterns and energy policy beyond the headline growth in electricity demand.

A researcher is analysing how battery storage capacity in Germany is developing, using raw data from the Bundesnetzagentur's Marktstammdatenregister. The work, shared with the Steady Klimacrew community, applies the same data-driven approach previously used to track the growth of balcony solar installations, aiming to show concrete trends in the rollout of stationary electricity storage.

Major central banks are moving in different directions on interest rates as rising energy prices raise the threat of renewed inflation. The Wall Street Journal reports that policymakers face a split outlook: some may hold or cut rates to support slowing economies, while others could keep borrowing costs high if energy-driven price pressures build. The divergence adds uncertainty for markets, currency traders and businesses planning around future rate moves.

Zenith Energy has acquired solar projects with a combined capacity of 11 MWp in Italy, expanding its renewable energy footprint in the country. The deal underscores growing investor interest in Italian solar assets as companies move to build clean energy portfolios. Details on the seller and financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

US stock futures slipped as investors waited for key inflation readings and Micron's earnings report, due in the coming sessions. Attention is focused on whether price data will shape expectations for interest rates. Bloom Energy and several AI-linked stocks bucked the softer tone, rising despite elevated bond yields that have weighed on growth shares.

The America First Policy Institute has published a piece examining Virginia's 'Data Center Alley' in Loudoun County, the world's largest concentration of data centers, and what it means for the digital economy under an America First agenda. The article reportedly draws policy lessons on infrastructure, energy demand, and US technological competitiveness from the region's rapid growth.

A Chattanooga Times Free Press opinion piece argues that artificial intelligence and climate change are on a dangerous collision course. The commentary highlights how the surging energy demands of AI data centers could deepen reliance on fossil fuels even as the world confronts a warming climate, raising questions about whether the technology's growth can be reconciled with emissions goals.

Politics Home has published an article on reindustrialising Britain, examining how the UK could rebuild its manufacturing and industrial base. The piece feeds into an ongoing debate about economic strategy, supply chain security and regional growth, as policymakers and commentators weigh what a serious industrial revival would require in investment, energy and skills.

A Newsweek explainer outlines how data centers can harm the environment, pointing to their heavy electricity and water consumption and the associated carbon emissions. As artificial intelligence and cloud services drive rapid growth in data center construction worldwide, communities and regulators are increasingly questioning the industry's energy demands, water use, and effects on local power grids and climate goals.

A reader op-ed in the Duluth News Tribune argues that efforts to block new data centers would ultimately slow the internet and hamper digital growth. The piece contributes to a wider debate over data center construction, which often pits concerns about energy use and local impacts against the growing demand for cloud services and online capacity.

US lawmakers are moving to address the growing impacts of data centers, as facilities powering AI and cloud computing strain local power grids, water supplies and communities. The US Green Building Council highlighted the congressional effort, which signals possible federal legislation on energy use, siting and environmental standards for the rapidly expanding data center industry.

Sales of electric trucks in China jumped almost 80% in the first half of the year compared with a year earlier, according to a report citing the country's push for new-energy vehicles. The surge comes against the backdrop of the U.S.-Iran war and Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries, which have put fuel supply and costs in focus. Beijing aims for new-energy vehicles to make up 40% of purchases by 2030.

Scientific American has released a podcast episode examining three science stories: the rising energy demands of artificial intelligence, ongoing efforts to find elusive subatomic particles, and research on an amoeba that thrives at extreme temperatures. It is being shared among science and technology readers interested in how AI growth intersects with energy and fundamental research.

Arizona legislators are pressing state land officials over leases that allow solar energy projects on state trust land, arguing the acreage could be needed for housing as the state faces rapid population growth and a housing shortage. The debate centers on whether renewable energy developments are the best use of publicly held land, or whether residential needs should take priority as Phoenix and surrounding communities continue to expand.

Home prices rose 1.9% year over year in July, according to a report from HousingWire. The increase in annual home price growth comes as energy and fuel costs weigh on household budgets and could pressure the housing market, with analysts watching whether rising living costs will dampen buyer demand in the coming months.