Global energy under pressure: can repeated crises accelerate the green transition?

Friday 17 - 09:19

By: Azzat Manal

Global energy under pressure: can repeated crises accelerate the green transition?

Global energy markets have been facing sustained turbulence in recent years, shaped by overlapping crises that include the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. These disruptions have raised concerns about supply chain stability, energy security, and the vulnerability of fossil-fuel-dependent systems.

The repeated shocks have increasingly been viewed not as isolated events, but as part of a broader structural challenge affecting the global energy architecture. As a result, the concept of energy security has expanded beyond traditional oil and gas supply to include electricity grid stability, access to critical minerals, resilient technology supply chains, and sustainable financing mechanisms.

This evolving definition is reshaping the global debate on whether current instability could accelerate the transition toward cleaner energy systems. The growing exposure of fossil fuel markets to geopolitical risks has highlighted the economic costs of overdependence on imported energy.

At the same time, countries that have diversified their energy mix appear better equipped to absorb external shocks. China, for example, despite being one of the world’s largest oil importers, has reduced its vulnerability through strategic reserves and rapid expansion of electric mobility, with electric vehicles accounting for a significant share of new car sales.

Similarly, investments in solar energy across emerging economies such as Vietnam and Pakistan have helped reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels, improving energy resilience in the face of global price volatility.

Globally, renewable energy continues to expand rapidly. Recent data indicates that renewables accounted for the vast majority of new electricity generation capacity added worldwide last year, with wind and solar energy contributing an increasing share of total electricity production.

However, experts caution that the energy transition remains a long and complex process requiring massive investment, infrastructure development, and sustained policy commitment. In many cases, energy crises push governments toward short-term solutions aimed at ensuring supply stability, even when these measures conflict with long-term decarbonization goals.

Examples include temporary extensions of coal usage, emergency energy policies, and delayed phase-out plans in certain countries. While such measures address immediate needs, they do not necessarily represent a permanent shift away from clean energy objectives.

Paradoxically, the same crises that encourage renewable energy expansion can also slow it down. Supply chain disruptions affect the availability of critical materials such as aluminum and rare earth elements used in solar panels and wind turbines. Additionally, rising interest rates and inflation increase the cost of financing large-scale renewable projects.

Meanwhile, high fossil fuel prices often benefit oil and gas producers, encouraging continued investment in traditional energy sources rather than accelerating the shift to cleaner alternatives.

Regions such as Europe have been particularly exposed to energy market volatility, especially following disruptions linked to geopolitical conflicts. This has strengthened the strategic importance of renewable energy as a tool not only for environmental sustainability but also for economic and energy security.

For countries like the United States, energy policy continues to balance domestic price stability with broader climate goals, given the direct impact of energy costs on inflation and economic performance.

Historically, major energy shocks—from the oil crises of the 1970s to today’s geopolitical tensions—have often acted as turning points in global energy policy. While they do not end the era of fossil fuels, they consistently reshape investment priorities and accelerate long-term structural changes.

Overall, the global energy system appears to be gradually moving toward a more diversified and flexible model, combining traditional and renewable sources in an effort to reduce vulnerability and improve long-term stability in an increasingly uncertain world.