The Financial Times recently reported that projections for a rapid energy transition have diminished in recent years, as rising inflation and interest rates have increased costs and slowed the pace of renewable energy deployment.
Major oil executives from BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies have shared they are “refocusing on securing new reserves after years of prioritising renewables.”
The article goes on to say that “Geopolitical instability has led governments to prioritise energy security over decarbonisation. US President Donald Trump has directed oil and gas producers to ‘drill, baby, drill’.”
Energy Security: A snapshot
At REN21, we emphasise that renewable energy is integral to achieving energy security and that the two are not mutually exclusive. Rather they work hand in hand – with energy savings and energy efficiency as other key levers – to build stronger, more resilient economies and societies.
“When we talk about energy security, we often think of fuel reserves and pipelines. Real energy security is providing energy services to people and our economies: keeping the lights on, food fresh, medicines safe, water running, and economies resilient to shocks. Renewables and efficiency are not optional extras — they are the foundation of a secure future,” said Rana Adib, Executive Director of REN21.
Additionally, energy security is not about supply only, but also about reducing demand through efficiency and smarter consumption. This demand-side perspective is central to rethinking energy security for the renewables era.
The following expert from our latest report, the GSR 2025 Global Overview, shows that energy security is again at the centre of policy agendas worldwide—but the meaning of security and the ways it is pursued are evolving.
Once defined as having an uninterrupted fuel supply and strategic reserves, energy security is now viewed through a broader lens. It includes affordability and access to energy, resilience to physical and digital threats, control over energy infrastructure and technologies, and the capacity to withstand climate, economic and geopolitical shocks. Governments, regulators and institutions are adjusting their strategies to confront overlapping crises and deep structural dependencies.
Affordability has emerged as a dominant concern in both high-income and low-income countries. Surging prices for fossil fuels have triggered political and economic instability, prompting governments to introduce subsidies, tax breaks and emergency transfers. These measures offer short-term relief but often entrench fiscal vulnerabilities, delay structural reform and are often poorly distributed.
In countries with long-standing fuel subsidies, price volatility has led to unrest or service breakdowns. Removing subsidies can deepen poverty – particularly if not paired with measures to make clean alternatives, such as renewable electricity and clean cooking, more affordable. Policy makers increasingly present renewables and electrification as long-term stabilisers of energy markets. Their effectiveness, however, depends on the availability of inclusive financing mechanisms such as pay-as-you-go models, concessional credit and targeted public investment.
In many regions, energy security is still defined by the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price. Countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, as well as many small-island developing states, continue to face chronic energy insecurity due to limited electricity access and underinvestment. As the global energy transition accelerates, the risk of exclusion is growing. Without deliberate efforts to expand distributed systems and to close service gaps, millions will be left behind.
Infrastructure resilience has become a central pillar of energy security. Droughts, floods, wildfires and heatwaves are damaging power generation assets, grid systems and transport infrastructure. System operators are responding with updated reliability standards, climate contingency plans and investments in decentralised, modular systems. These investments not only improve climate resilience but also support domestic industrial capacity and job creation, reinforcing local economies.
The role of renewables in strengthening resilience is increasingly evident. Decentralised systems can maintain energy supply during extreme events. Renewable-powered mini- and microgrids support adaptation to climate impacts and energy system shocks in both remote and urban settings, through technologies such as wind and solar power and geothermal energy. Yet resilience planning remains underfunded in many countries, particularly where infrastructure is centralised or ageing. As digital risks grow, cybersecurity has become a core element of energy governance. Attacks on wind farms, transmission systems and energy management platforms across Europe, Latin America and Asia have revealed vulnerabilities in highly connected systems.
As digitalisation expands, so does the range of potential attacks. Governments are developing national cyber strategies, auditing hardware supply chains and improving co-ordination among energy and security agencies. However, many countries, particularly in the Global South, still lack the regulatory frameworks and institutional capacity to ensure digital resilience.
Ultimately, energy access and energy security are two sides of the same coin: both are about providing reliable, affordable energy services for people and economies. Recognising this link places energy security firmly within the development agenda.
The shift to renewable energy is absolutely a climate imperative, but not just. It is also, importantly, an economic opportunity, a security necessity and a pathway to energy equity. The renewables era is here. Let’s lead the charge to energy independence, economic stability and true security before we’re left behind.
