March 2026

One of the questions I have been asked this past year that has stood out for me, particularly in light of global geopolitics, is what do we do given that the world appears to be going backwards on the green energy transition?  My somewhat unsatisfactory response at the time was we carry on with the conversation and finding a way forward in our current environment.  But is the world going backwards?  

The answer to this question is a complicated picture.  The International Energy Association (IEA) report World Energy Outlook 2025 (published in November 2025) provides a summary of current energy consumption and production and three scenarios of how energy use may change over the next 10 years.  Global energy demand grew 60% from 2000 to 2024 and the use of all sources of energy also increased.  Electricity is one of those energy sources that has increased rapidly, and 70% of that growth was met by renewable energy sources.  Good news for the green energy transition.

In terms of what energy use looks like in 2035, the IEA’s scenarios anticipate regional differences in the use of renewable energy.  The IEA anticipates about 80% of new energy demand will be in regions of the world that have high quality solar potential.  As a result, it is predicted that renewable energy, in particular solar photovoltaics, will grow faster than any other major energy source to meet this new demand.  A couple of other notable points in the IEA report:

• While the US will have decreasing installed renewable energy capacity, globally renewables will continue to expand rapidly.
• China will account for 45% to 60% of global renewable energy deployment over the next 10 years.

So, while our neighbour to the south may be going backwards on the green energy transition, the rest of world is continuing to move forwards.

BCSEA is doing its part in keeping this forward momentum.  We are hosting the Energy Connections conference on April 27.  We have been hosting this annual conversation since 2014.  This year we will be highlighting BC’s success stories and the latest innovation and technology.  We will also be discussing the economics of the transition and the challenges to achieving net zero.  Energy Connections 2026 is a hybrid event, so please join us on April 27th and help us continue the push for a green energy future.

On a personal note, I will reach my term limit this November and will be stepping down from the Board.  Thank you to all of you for your contributions to supporting BCSEA and its mission.  You have made it such a rewarding experience to serve BCSEA these past six years.

Diana Sollner

Past Board Treasurer