By Bamidele Famoofo
WorldStage– Global investment in energy is set to reach $3.4 trillion in 2026, with the balance continuing to tilt towards clean energy. Around $2.2 trillion is expected to flow to grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, nuclear, renewables, efficiency and electrification, compared to $1.2 trillion for oil, gas and coal.
A report recently published by International Energy Association ( IEA), disclosed that electricity is the dominant trend running through this year’s investment data. Spending on electricity supply and infrastructure is expected to reach nearly $1.6 trillion, rising to $2 trillion when end-use electrification is included. Grid spending alone is projected to approach $550 billion, up nearly 20% year-on-year, while battery storage investment is set to exceed $100 billion for the first time.
Renewables and nuclear are also benefiting from countries’ efforts to expand domestically available low-emissions resources. Renewable power investment is expected to reach $665 billion, including $365 billion for solar. Nuclear investment continues its resurgence, exceeding $80 billion annually, with almost 80 GW of new capacity under construction across 15 countries.
Head of the IEA’s Energy Investment Unit and lead author of the World Energy Investment 2026, Cecilia Tam, speaking on the IEA report, noted: ” The world is experiencing its second energy crisis in less than 5 years, with fuel prices spikes and supply shortages hitting emerging and developing economies – particularly in Asia and Africa – especially hard. The World Energy Investment report outlines how this crisis is impacting energy investment strategies and highlights how investment in domestic energy resources, including renewables, energy efficiency and electrification, can help cushion some of the impacts of the crisis.”
According to the IEA’s newly published Global EV Outlook 2026, global electric car sales are expected to reach 23 million this year, accounting for close to 30 percent of all cars sold worldwide. This follows a record-breaking 2025, when sales exceeded 20 million and nearly 100 countries registered all-time highs.
The picture in early 2026 is uneven: a dip in sales in China and the United States following policy changes contributed to an 8 percent decline in global first-quarter sales. But growth elsewhere has been striking, with Europe up 30 percent, Asia Pacific excluding China up 80 percent and Latin America up 75 percent. Southeast Asia stands out, with annual electric car sales having more than doubled last year to reach a market share of nearly 20 percent.
