Texas Builds Big, Australia Accelerates & Grids Strain
Global energy demand keeps rising, Texas is building clean power at record speed, Australia is racing toward a nearly all-renewable grid, and battery recycling is becoming a critical part of mineral supply. Meanwhile, electricity prices continue climbing — not because of fuel shortages, but because grids worldwide are under intense infrastructure pressure.
📈 Global Energy Demand Keeps Climbing
Global energy demand has surged nearly 60% since 2000, with China alone accounting for more than half of the growth. As China’s demand begins to stabilise, the next phase of global consumption will be shaped increasingly by emerging economies — led by India and Southeast Asia — where rising incomes, expanding industry, and rapid urbanisation are set to define future energy trends.
🔋 Texas’ Solar & Storage Boom Is Reshaping the U.S. Grid
Texas is undergoing one of the fastest clean-energy buildouts in the world. By early 2026, installed solar capacity is expected to surpass 40 GW, while battery storage crosses 20 GW — up from just 200 MW during Winter Storm Uri, a 100× increase in five years. This rapid expansion is powering industrial growth, data centres, oil and gas operations, and hundreds of thousands of new homes. Solar brings ultra-low-cost daytime power, while batteries provide on-demand flexibility. They aren’t the whole answer, but together they’re forming the foundation for a more reliable, affordable, high-growth Texas grid.
☀️ Australia Eyes Nearly 100% Renewables by 2035–2040
Australia’s grid operator says the country could reach nearly 100% renewable electricity as early as 2035–2040. Ageing coal plants are breaking down and retiring, and the lowest-cost replacements — wind, solar, and storage — are accelerating into the system. According to the CEO, this shift isn’t ideological but economic: renewables are now the cheapest new generation option across the grid.
🔋 Battery Recycling Becomes a Core Pillar of the Energy Transition
As EV adoption accelerates, battery recycling is emerging as a major source of future supply for critical minerals. China currently dominates both the pre-treatment and refining stages, giving it a strategic advantage in recovering lithium, nickel, and cobalt at scale. With battery waste rising rapidly and mineral demand tightening, recycling is expected to become an essential component of a stable, low-carbon supply chain.
⚡ Why Electricity Bills Keep Rising — Even When Power Isn’t Scarce
Electricity bills are climbing mainly because the grid itself is getting more expensive, not because fuel is scarce. Utilities are investing heavily in poles, wires, transformers, wildfire protection, storm resilience, and interconnection — upgrades needed for a system now strained by data centres, EV charging, heat pumps, and extreme weather. At the same time, many coal and nuclear plants retired faster than firm replacements were added, increasing the need for gas peakers, batteries, and new transmission. With higher interest rates and long permitting timelines, these infrastructure costs are flowing directly into customer bills. The bottom line: the grid is old, congested, and being pushed harder than ever — and until more transmission, storage, and firm clean power come online, electricity prices will continue reflecting that strain.