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The war in Iran is jolting global energy markets, clearing the way for clean energy to emerge as the steadier path forward. |
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FOSSIL FUEL FRAGILITY: Less than two weeks in, the war in Iran is exposing fossil fuels’ false promise: that they’re unfailingly reliable, affordable, and secure. The conflict underscores the structural vulnerability of energy dependence on imported oil and gas: As Iran bottlenecked the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint passage for roughly 25 percent of the world’s seaborne trade of oil and 20 percent of liquefied natural gas, stock markets nosedived in import-reliant South Korea and Japan. As Qatar shut off the spigot on LNG exports, prices in Europe—where LNG is the third-leading source of electricity, after nuclear and wind—soared by more than 50 percent in one week. Four years after the war in Ukraine disrupted oil and natural gas supply chains, the specter of an EU energy crisis looms once more. Though the U.S. is a net exporter of oil, it’s still sensitive to the global market. Prices at the pump jumped 20 percent in 11 days, with $4 per gallon gas lurking just around the corner. Diesel, a core factor in shipping costs, spiked by 27 percent. Jet fuel surged by 58 percent, a harbinger of higher airfares and—with fuel shortages likely—flight delays and cancellations.
As LNG and oil futures swing wildly from one day to the next, clean energy looks more and more like the stable and reliable choice, with limited geopolitical risk. Half a century ago, when an OPEC oil embargo triggered a global recession, countries had no choice in powering their economies. Today, they do, by embracing the proven and scalable clean energy sources that can build a more secure world. Speed & Scale’s Objective 2.0, “Decarbonize the Grid,” affirms the potential of renewable energy to outcompete fossil fuels and slash power sector emissions. |
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| | | 🚗 1.0 – Electrify Transportation Budget EV Battle: Ford plans to launch a $30,000 electric pickup in 2027, about $20,000 less than the average new car in the U.S. To hit that price, the company is cutting parts by 20 percent, reducing assembly time by 40 percent, and using a smaller battery that still delivers nearly 50 additional miles of range. Ford is betting that smarter design, a friendlier price point, and advanced features will help it compete with China’s cheaper EVs (Bloomberg). Integration Nation: Chinese EVs are cheaper than their Western counterparts—but not because Chinese workers are more productive. According to Rhodium Group, Chinese carmakers benefit from government subsidies, more vertical integration, lower overhead, and longer supplier payment terms to cut financing needs (Rhodium Group). Bullying the Ballot: A proposed global carbon levy on shipping—designed to curb emissions from a sector that emits 3 percent of global CO₂—now faces collapse after Panama reversed its support amid reported U.S. pressure. Panama is co-sponsoring a proposal to the International Maritime Organization to scrap the levy and reopen years of negotiations, undermining emissions-cutting commitments and funding for developing nations (The Guardian).
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| 💡 2.0 – Decarbonize the Grid Nuclear Takes Flight: As part of a push to deploy nuclear power across the country, the U.S. military airlifted a next-generation modular nuclear reactor from California to Utah for the first time. Capable of scaling up to 5 megawatts, the helium-cooled design aims to deliver portable, resilient energy for the stated purpose of national security. Critics warn that fast-tracking untested private reactors could pose safety risks (Wall Street Journal). Gas Behind the Grid: As AI-driven data centers strain the U.S. power grid, tech companies are building massive off-grid campuses fueled mostly by on-site natural gas. The result is a “shadow grid” that “could power all of New York City several times over,” with no local approval or oversight, and will increase planet-warming emissions (The Washington Post). Solar Slowdown: While solar remained the largest source of new power added to the U.S. grid, solar installations fell 14 percent in 2025 as policy shifts under the Trump administration weighed on renewable growth. Meanwhile, battery storage installations climbed to a record high, highlighting continued demand for grid reliability despite political headwinds (New York Times).
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CRISPER LOGIC: Americans waste nearly one pound of food per person per day, with fresh fruits and vegetables accounting for more than a third of what goes uneaten. Food waste is a big part of the 15 percent of global annual greenhouse gas emissions tied to agriculture and the broader food system. At Speed & Scale, we measure progress through KR 3.5, which aims to cut food waste to 10 percent by 2050. One practical solution starts at home: A recent article by New York Times Cooking highlights how smarter storage—from breathable containers to separating fruits and vegetables—can meaningfully extend shelf life and reduce food waste at the source. |
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🐄 3.0 – Fix Food Mackerel on the Move: North East Atlantic mackerel stocks have fallen after years of overfishing, prompting at least one producer, Patagonia Provisions, to switch to a more readily available alternative. As oceans absorb 90 percent of excess global heat and fish shift habitats, even low-carbon tinned fish must adapt to more tightly managed stocks (Bloomberg). Landfill Lag: As California’s organic waste policy initiative falls short of its own targets, RE:CIRCLE Solutions CEO Clemens Stockreiter argues that the state’s climate credibility is at risk. Despite a mandate to cut organic waste by 75 percent by 2025, landfill volumes rose by one million tons between 2014 and 2020. Stockreiter says that food waste recycling technology already exists, but rigid hauling rules are blocking diversion and potentially costing the state up to 15 million metric tons in avoidable CO₂ cuts (Cal Matters).
🌳 4.0 – Protect Nature Rebuilding Resilience: After losing his home in the January 2025 L.A. wildfires, real estate developer Ardie Tavangarian built a $3 million fire-resistant model house designed to withstand an active blaze for up to six hours. The project aims to prove that more resilient rebuilds are possible and could lower insurance risk in fire-prone communities (Wall Street Journal). Seeding the Reef: A new delivery system for coral larvae—essential for rebuilding damaged reefs—saw coral settlement rates jump by up to 56 times in a Great Barrier Reef trial. By releasing up to 20 million larvae across degraded areas, the Australian government and academic researchers are testing whether this low-cost tool can restore reef ecosystems at scale in a warming climate (CSIRO).
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| 🧱 5.0 – Clean Up Industry Recycling Game: While plastic items stamped with the familiar “chasing arrows” symbol are widely assumed to be recyclable, many of them aren’t—and only 9 percent of all plastic ever produced has actually been recycled. With plastic production surging nearly one hundred-fold since 1960, and more than half of it designed for single use, most waste still ends up landfilled, burned, or polluting ecosystems, despite decades of curbside programs (New York Times). Waste to Value: Researchers at the University of Waterloo developed a sunlight-driven process that converts common plastics into acetic acid, the key ingredient in vinegar, without added carbon emissions. Using iron single-atom catalysts in water, the lab-stage system offers a potential alternative to incineration while upcycling mixed plastic waste into a valuable industrial chemical (Phys.org).
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| 🧹 6.0 – Remove Carbon Brick by Brick Removal: LEGO has increased its carbon removal commitment to $7.9 million, investing $2.6 million across four projects that span reforestation in Mexico and three emerging engineered pathways. While cutting emissions across its own operations remains the priority, the Danish toymaker is using these investments to evaluate durability, scalability, and governance risks in a still-maturing market (ESG News). Roots of Removal: Microsoft signed a 15-year deal to purchase up to 1.8 million carbon removal credits from Rainforest Builder’s Project Buffalo in Sierra Leone, one of the largest such transactions in Africa to date. The project will plant over 10 million trees across 15,000 hectares, restoring a landscape where 90 percent of forests have been cleared (ESG Today).
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| 🏛️ 7.0 – Win Politics And Policy China’s Cautious Climate Course: China’s new five-year plan targets a 17 percent reduction in carbon intensity from 2026 to 2030 but sets no cap on total emissions, a formula analysts say could still allow emissions to rise. Beijing is accelerating renewable deployment and expanding carbon controls, but the plan stops short of imposing firm coal limits (Reuters). Climate Goes to Court: The Supreme Court has agreed to take a case to decide if states and cities can hold oil and gas companies financially responsible for climate damages in state court. The decision could determine whether greenhouse gas claims are exclusively governed by federal law and reshape dozens of similar cases nationwide (Washington Post). Biofuel Balance: The Trump administration is preparing to shift at least half of the biofuel blending requirements waived for small refineries onto larger oil companies. The move could increase costs for major refiners while benefiting biofuel producers by increasing demand for renewable fuel credits (Reuters).
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| 🏃 8.0 – Turn Movements Into Action Milestone Moment: Microsoft matched 100 percent of its annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy, reaching a major 2025 target and advancing its pledge to become carbon negative by 2030. The company said its clean energy buildout has helped drive commercial demand for new infrastructure and innovation across the power sector (ESG Today). Smog Strain: Even though air pollution in India now contributes to 1.7 million annual deaths and costs about 3 percent of GDP, funding for pollution control has been cut and officials downplay health links. As smog begins to dent consumption and business activity, the crisis is expanding from a public health burden to an obstacle to India’s ambitions for economic growth (The Economist). Permitting Paralysis: Oil executives are urging President Trump to ease his assault on offshore wind, warning that the suspension of approved projects is stalling bipartisan efforts to reform energy permitting laws. The gridlock threatens the broader energy buildout needed to meet rising electricity demand from AI, manufacturing, and electric vehicles (Wall Street Journal).
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| ⚡ 9.0 – Innovate! Innovation Reoriented: Energy security has overtaken climate as the top driver of innovation, according to the International Energy Agency, with energy now accounting for one of ten global patents. Yet despite rising startup activity and R&D momentum, early-stage funding gaps and policy volatility threaten to stall promising technologies before they reach scale (International Energy Agency). Power Prize: Lithium-ion battery pioneers John Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham, and Akira Yoshino won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing lightweight, rechargeable batteries now widely used for grid storage and longer-range electric vehicles. Their work laid the foundation for scaling renewable energy, despite the environmental tradeoffs involved in lithium extraction and waste (New York Times).
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| 💰 10.0 – Invest! Lending Lookback: Clean energy lending reached $120 billion in 2025, up 6 percent year-over-year, as rising electricity demand from data centers countered oppositional policy headwinds. While investment became more selective in the second half of the year, battery storage surged, corporate tax credit buyers expanded sharply, and capital continued flowing despite growing regulatory uncertainty (Heatmap). Frozen Funds: The Trump administration froze $20 billion in congressionally approved clean energy grants, forcing nonprofits to slash staff and stall planned renewable energy projects. With fraud claims unsubstantiated and the case now before a federal appeals court, the dispute tests executive authority to withhold funds based on a shift in priorities rather than misconduct (New York Times).
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