Net Zero Pathway, AI-Driven Battery Growth & Nuclear Expansion
Energy and climate developments continue to move quickly, with new data points, technology milestones, and policy decisions showing how the transition is unfolding across different sectors. From accelerating clean power deployment to the growing role of storage, nuclear expansion, and emerging electric aviation, each development offers a snapshot of how global energy systems are shifting.
🌍 Net Zero Pathway: What Must Happen by 2035
On a credible net-zero pathway, the next decade must deliver a dramatic scale-up across every part of the energy system. Global renewable capacity needs to nearly quadruple by 2035, while installed nuclear capacity rises 70% as more countries pursue firm, clean baseload power. Sustainable fuels — including advanced biofuels, synthetic fuels, and green hydrogen derivatives — must grow more than four-fold. Energy productivity sees a required 60% improvement as efficiency becomes the quiet workhorse of decarbonisation. And methane emissions, one of the fastest ways to cut warming, must fall by 80%. Together these shifts outline the scale — and urgency — of the transformation ahead.
🔋 Batteries Are Becoming AI Infrastructure
Battery storage is no longer just a renewables enabler — it is rapidly becoming critical infrastructure for the AI boom. With 159 GW deployed globally and nearly 1 TW projected by 2033, storage is scaling at unprecedented speed. Data centres now face the same bottlenecks renewables did a decade ago: seven-year interconnection queues, stringent power-quality needs for GPUs, and tightening diesel-backup permitting. As a result, Tesla is deploying Megapacks directly at data-centre sites, while China will add 30 GW of storage this year, integrating batteries into its AI buildout from day one. Storage is shifting from a clean-energy accessory to a foundational digital-economy asset.
💨 Wind Is Now the #1 Electricity Source in Seven U.S. States
Wind power has become the largest single source of electricity in seven U.S. states over the past year: South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Wyoming, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and New Mexico. In South Dakota, wind now provides an extraordinary 85% of in-state electricity demand — one of the highest renewable shares anywhere in the world. The data highlights how regional resource strength, long-term transmission investment, and stable policy can reshape the generation mix faster than many expect.
⚡ Ontario Launches the Largest Nuclear Expansion in North America
Ontario is moving ahead with a major nuclear expansion, including the full refurbishment of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. The project is expected to create more than 30,000 jobs, deliver clean and reliable electricity for 2.2 million homes, and keep around 90% of total project spending inside Canada. With rising electricity demand from electrification and industry, Ontario is positioning nuclear as the backbone of its long-term clean power strategy.
✈️ China Unveils World’s First Zero-Carbon Water Vertiport & eVTOL System
CATL and Autoflight have jointly launched a two-ton all-electric eVTOL aircraft alongside the world’s first zero-carbon water-based vertiport — creating a fully integrated sea-air mobility ecosystem. The eVTOL offers a range of 200 km and uses CATL’s NP thermal-runaway-prevention battery technology for high-frequency operations. The vertiport integrates solar generation, energy storage, and charging, allowing flexible deployment in coastal and island settings. Together, the system marks the debut of an “integrated sea-air low-altitude economy,” accelerating China’s push into next-generation clean mobility.