Rinaldo noted that major geopolitical developments have pushed many countries toward a heightened focus on energy security and independence, with implications for the pace of sustainability transitions. In North America, electricity demand is growing, dominated by data centers and EV charging; data center energy is expected to double by 2030. Despite short-term policy decisions, solar and wind will expand from 19% of electricity generation today to 55% by 2040. In other words, “solar is unstoppable”, and new milestones solar-generated energy production will be met.

On the discussion of Norway’s energy positioning, attendees engaged actively with questions on energy demand and long-term transition pathways. Rinaldo emphasized that global dynamics continually affect Norway’s energy transition, and that wind is the only scalable source of new energy. Norway’s energy transition is slowed by geopolitical tensions and national priorities. Domestically, hydropower is expected to remain at a stable rate, with no foreseeable growth. Per today’s forecast, Norway will not reach its national emissions targets without extensive use of carbon credits. Rinaldo mentioned agriculture as a hard-to-abate sector, with no significant opportunities to reduce emissions through current technologies.

Against a backdrop of accelerating technological change and geopolitical uncertainty, the session centered on how organizations can make informed and resilient decisions in an increasingly complex landscape.