Governments need to be smarter with energy policy
Power generation spend needs to double in 20 years to meet surge in electricity demand
Spending on power generation will have to double over the next 20 years to keep up with soaring demand, posing a stark challenge for governments and investors to deliver low-carbon, secure and affordable energy. “Annual investment in power generation will have to increase from $400 billion annually now to $800bn by 2030,” Guy Turner, chief economist at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, told delegates at WEC 2013. To ensure the vast amounts of new investment materialise, Turner said, governments will have to strike the right balance between predictability and flexibility. They have to provide stable, long-term direction for investors, but also ensure policies keep up with market and technological
Also in this section
4 December 2025
Time is running out for Lukoil and Rosneft to divest international assets that will be mostly rendered useless to them when the US sanctions deadline arrives in mid-December
3 December 2025
Aramco’s pursuit of $30b in US gas partnerships marks a strategic pivot. The US gains capital and certainty; Saudi Arabia gains access, flexibility and a new export future
2 December 2025
The interplay between OPEC+, China and the US will define oil markets throughout 2026
1 December 2025
The North African producer’s first bidding round in almost two decades is an important milestone but the recent extension suggests a degree of trepidation
