Global energy investment is shifting rapidly to meet surging demand for reliable, carbon‐free power to run AI and data centers. The IEA forecasts ~4,600 GW of added renewable capacity 2025–2030—about 80% from solar PV—with offshore wind adding ~140 GW, and renewables set to overtake coal by end‐2025 or mid‐2026; renewables are projected to supply over 90% of electricity demand growth and reach ~45% of generation by 2030. Corporates are locking 24/7 clean supply: NextEra and Google (Oct 27, 2025) agreed to restart Iowa’s 615 MW Duane Arnold nuclear plant under a 25‐year PPA, targeting a Q1 2029 return. Expansion of long‐duration storage (Form Energy 500 MW annual iron‐air capacity by late 2025; CAES with ~15% experience rates) and policy fixes on permitting and tax credits are now urgent to enable this transition.

In October 2025 Australia hit a milestone: clean electricity generation (9.88 TWh) exceeded fossil-fuel generation (9.82 TWh) for the first time, driven by record-low coal output and contributing to a year-to-date 13.5 million metric ton cut in power-sector CO2. Over the past five years clean generation rose 77% while fossil-based generation fell 15%; utility-scale solar grew ~21% annually and total clean capacity nearly doubled from 32 GW in 2019 to 63.5 GW by end-2024. This shift signals a practical turning point for a coal- and gas-exporting economy and has material implications for emissions trajectories, market positioning and grid operations. Near-term outlook hinges on whether clean generation holds through summer (coal still supplied 44% in October), and on rapid deployment of storage and grid upgrades to avoid bottlenecks.