The future of the energy landscape: trends and predictions

As global energy demand rises, the need for a sustainable and resilient energy system has never been more urgent. Climate change, environmental concerns, and depleting fossil fuel reserves are driving the shift toward clean, renewable energy sources. What has changed over the last year is the nature of the challenge. The energy transition is no longer only about scaling renewable capacity. It is increasingly about integrating renewable energy systems reliably, affordably and at scale.

This article explores key trends, predictions, challenges, and opportunities within the energy sector, with insights into Bekaert’s expertise in this evolving landscape.

Solar Energy

Solar energy is no longer only a future growth story. It is already the leading driver of renewable capacity growth worldwide, accounting for the majority of new installations toward 2030. However, for solar energy to reach its full potential, integration with energy storage systems is essential. The rise of floating offshore solar farms presents a new frontier for harnessing solar power, particulary in regions with limited land availability.

At the same time, the main challenge is shifting from deployment to system integration, ensuring that solar generation can be stored, transported and used when needed.

Wind energy

The wind energy sector continues to expand, particularly in offshore wind technology. Floating offshore wind (FOW) systems present new opportunities but also introduce technical and logistical challenges. According to the International Energy Agency, offshore wind capacity expansion is expected to reach 140 GW over 2025-2030.

The next phase for wind energy is not only about increasing capacity, but about improving project execution, cost efficiency and integration into the broader energy system.

Emerging renewable technologies

Beyond solar and wind, alternative renewable energy sources such as geothermal and tidal energy are gaining traction. Geothermal energy, with its capability to provide consistent baseload power, holds immense potential. Advancements in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) could expand its applicability to regions previously considered unsuitable for geothermal power generation.

Similarly, tidal energy, which harnesses the power of ocean currents and waves, is progressing, with pilot projects demonstrating its viability. However, these technologies remain niche solutions for now and will complement, rather than replace, large-scale solar and wind deployment in the coming decade.

Energy storage and transmission

Energy storage solutions are essential to stabilize renewable energy supply and manage intermittency. Battery storage continues to advance, with lithium-ion technologies still leading the market, while alternatives such as solid-state and flow batteries are gaining traction for their potential to improve efficiency and extend lifespan.

The real bottleneck in today’s energy transition has shifted from generation to infrastructure. Grid constraints are emerging as a critical limiting factor, with large volumes of renewable and storage projects delayed due to insufficient connection capacity.

This means that scaling storage alone is not enough. Expanding and modernizing grids, improving flexibility and accelerating permitting processes are now essential to unlock the full potential of renewable energy.

Smart grid technology remains a key enabler, improving energy distribution, optimizing load balancing and enhancing overall grid reliability.

Electric vehicles (EVs)

EV adoption has continued to grow, with one in four new cars sold globally electric in 2025. Key challenges include the cost of EVs, charging infrastructure limitations, and consumer concerns about range anxiety. Surveys indicate that 70% of consumers in Europe and the US would be willing to switch to EVs if vehicle ranges exceeded 500 km and prices fell within the $20,000-$25,000 range.

To achieve widespread adoption, advancements in battery technology must focus on affordability and longer driving ranges. Adoption will continue to vary by region, shaped by infrastructure, affordability, use patterns and policy support.

Green hydrogen  

Green hydrogen has long been touted as a game-changer for decarbonization. As hard-to-abate industries like steel, cement, and heavy-duty transport seek viable paths to decarbonization, green hydrogen is emerging as one of the few scalable solutions for sectors where direct electrification isn't practical. It offers a clean alternative to fossil fuels in processes that require high heat or long energy storage.

However, the market has encountered delays due to complex funding structures and regulatory uncertainties. Hydrogen remains strategically important, but deployment is moving more gradually than earlier expectations suggested.

With over two decades of experience in the hydrogen market, Bekaert has established itself as a leading supplier of PEM electrolyzer products. Its Currento® metal fiber media, used as a porous transport layer (PTL) for electrochemical devices, is a high-performance material offering superior permeability and strength. 

Bekaert and its partners are actively working on cost-reduction strategies to lower the levelized cost of green hydrogen production. Localized supply chains and simplified production processes will be crucial for scaling up hydrogen adoption across industries, including transportation, manufacturing, and power generation.

The global energy transition is accelerating, driven by technological progress, policy support and increasing demand for clean energy.

However, the transition is not linear and will differ significantly by region, depending on infrastructure readiness, energy security concerns and economic priorities.

Current outlooks indicate that renewable energy will become the largest source of electricity generation by 2030, although the share will vary across regions and is expected to grow steadily rather than uniformly.

At the same time, fossil fuels are expected to remain part of the energy mix in the near term, particularly to support energy security and industrial demand.

The future of the energy landscape is shaped by several critical challenges:

1. System integration
   Balancing supply, demand and storage is becoming increasingly complex as renewable penetration increases.

2. Infrastructure gaps
   Grid capacity, storage deployment and permitting processes are emerging as major bottlenecks that can slow down the transition.

3. Energy trilemma
   Balancing affordability, sustainability and security remains a central challenge, with increasing trade-offs between these dimensions.

4. Market readiness
   Supply chain constraints, cost pressures and uneven global adoption continue to influence the pace of progress.

The global energy transition is progressing, driven by innovation, investment and collaboration across industries.

The next phase of this transition will not be defined by how much renewable capacity is installed, but by how effectively these renewable systems are integrated into reliable, scalable and resilient energy systems.

While challenges such as infrastructure limitations and regulatory complexity persist, opportunities for innovation and growth remain significant.

Companies like Bekaert are positioning themselves at the heart of this transformation, developing solutions that support renewable energy deployment, improve system reliability and contribute to a more sustainable energy future.

To truly accelerate this transformation, collaboration across industries, governments, and communities is essential, uniting innovation, investment, and shared vision to build a sustainable energy future. Let’s create a better tomorrow, together!