The 8 Critical Energy Trends Defining 2025

Source: Bernard Marr | · FORBES · | January 7, 2025

From cooking food to heating and lighting our homes and powering industry, energy is central to life on Earth and the advancement of human society. But the way we access, store and use energy is evolving rapidly, driven by environmental concerns, new technological developments and geopolitical challenges.

The impact of this change is likely to become more dramatic as we head into 2025. As the world faces new climate and energy security challenges, innovation and changes in human behavior will both be vital to finding solutions. So, here’s my roundup of what I believe will be the most important trends around new energy sources and energy transformation in 2025.

AI In Energy Infrastructure And Management

Predictive analytics and smart energy optimization solutions, all made possible thanks to the ongoing AI revolution, will continue to enable more precise forecasting of energy demands and real-time optimization of energy generation, storage and distribution. It will also play a role in green energy exploration. Companies like Shell are already leveraging AI to help identify deposits of biofuel, as well as optimize the placement of EV charging stations, and accelerate their research into clean energy solutions.

Innovation In Energy Storage And Battery Technology

New types of battery storage, such as solid-state and flow batteries, will continue to make renewable energy storage a more viable solution in 2025. This will enable more reliable integration of solar, tidal and wind energy sources into energy grids, with scalable solutions that address the problems of intermittency that traditionally come with these methods of generating power. Other potential solutions will come in the form of thermal energy and compressed air storage, creating further possibilities for easing the energy crisis.