🌞 Energy Futures #55
HolonIQ's Energy Newsletter dives into the latest developments in new energy, utilities, oil and gas, mining and metals and highlights the week's top skills and energy deals.

Happy Monday 👋
The global energy landscape is evolving rapidly, with major advancements in renewable power, critical minerals, and natural gas supply chains. Europe’s solar sector saw record growth in 2024, adding 66 GW of capacity and generating 54 TWh more than the previous year. Masdar unveiled the world’s largest solar-plus-storage project, ensuring round-the-clock renewable power. Meanwhile, Russia’s TurkStream pipeline set a new gas export record. India launched a $4.1B Critical Mineral Mission to secure key resources, while Diversified Energy strengthened its portfolio with a $1.28B acquisition of Maverick Natural Resources.
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🌅 New Energy
☀️ Record Growth for Europe's Solar Industry in 2024. In 2024, Europe’s solar industry saw unprecedented growth, with annual solar generation increasing by 54 TWh (+22%) compared to 2023. The EU also set a record for capacity additions, installing 66 GW in 2024—equivalent to more than 450,000 solar panels per day. This rapid expansion pushed total installed solar capacity to 338 GW, keeping the EU on track to meet its REPowerEU interim goal of 400 GW by 2025.
☀️ UNSW researchers set kesterite solar cell efficiency record. Researchers at the University of New South Wales have achieved a new record for energy efficiency in kesterite solar cells, which could potentially enhance silicon-based photovoltaic systems. Designed using kesterite as the light-absorbing material, they are a promising alternative to conventional silicon-based solar cells due to their low-cost, earth-abundant, and non-toxic material composition.
⚛️ DeepSeek AI threatens nuclear power startups. DeepSeek's energy-efficient AI model could disrupt the plans of startups and power producers investing in new nuclear plants. Tech firms have invested billions in nuclear power, expecting it to support the next generation of AI models, once seen as highly energy-intensive. Meta, Amazon, and Breakthrough Energy have invested billions of dollars in setting up nuclear power plants.
🔌 Utilities
☀️ Masdar announces the world's largest solar and battery storage project. Masdar, a renewable energy company based in the UAE, announced a massive solar and battery storage project during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The project will deliver 1 GW of baseload power 24/7 by combining a 5.2 GW solar plant with a 19 GWh battery system, making it the largest of its kind globally.
🌱 Five Nations to Build Green Hydrogen Pipeline. Algeria, Tunisia, Germany, Austria, and Italy have formalized an agreement to jointly develop a 3,300km green hydrogen pipeline called SoutH2, which will connect North Africa to Europe.
🔋 Qair secures large energy storage projects in Poland. Qair, a European independent renewable energy company, secured 200MW energy storage projects in Poland that will provide a stable electricity supply for 50,000 households. Qair has energy storage projects in development in nine other countries, including Germany, France, Spain, the UK, Italy, Romania, Montenegro, Iceland and Greece.
⛽ Oil & Gas
🛢️ Russia Exports Record Gas Via TurkStream Pipeline. Russia's TurkStream pipeline became the primary route for delivering gas to Europe, reaching a record 50 million cubic meters per day in January 2025. This marks a 26.8% increase from the previous year, following the expiration of Moscow's transit agreement with Kyiv. Despite past declines, Russian gas exports to Europe have slightly rebounded, totaling around 32 bcm in 2024.
🔥 US LNG export expansion to stabilize prices. The increase in US LNG production and exports, after lifting the moratorium on new export permits, is expected to stabilize international prices and benefit importing countries like India, according to Petronet LNG Chief Executive Akshay Kumar Singh.
🛢️ Angola's Crude Oil Exports Reach 1.1 Million Barrels Per Day in 2024. Angola exported over 1.1 million barrels per day of crude oil in 2024, according to government data. The country was a major oil producer in Africa before leaving OPEC in 2023 due to a dispute over output quotas.
💎 Mining and Metals
⛏️ India Launches National Critical Mineral Mission. India launched the National Critical Mineral Mission with an investment of $4.1B, aiming to enhance self-reliance and secure supply chains for essential minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements. The initiative will boost domestic exploration, processing, and strategic partnerships to reduce import dependence, ensuring a stable supply for key industries such as renewable energy and electric vehicles.
⚒️ Coal India partners with Australian university for critical minerals R&D. Coal India, a major coal mining company in India, signed an agreement with Curtin University in Western Australia for research and development in critical minerals. The partnership also involves collaboration and knowledge sharing related to decarbonization and resource technologies.
🛠️ Skills and Workforce
HolonIQ is now tracking reskilling and upskilling initiatives critical in bridging workforce gaps. Impact industries are rapidly evolving, fueled by technological advancements, decarbonization, geopolitical dynamics, and socio-economic factors. To that extent, these sectors require considerable workforce/professional development initiatives to enhance workers' capabilities, boost economic growth, and promote social well-being. Read on for this week’s insights, and discover more in HolonIQ's latest Skills newsletter.
🥬 New Greenhouse Propagation Course to Boost Canadian Agricultural Workforce. A new Greenhouse Propagation and Production course, launching in February 2025, will train workers for Canada’s growing agricultural sector. Developed by the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, Hupacasath First Nation, and North Island College, the program addresses local labor needs by equipping participants with skills in hydroponics, plant physiology, and sustainable farming. Supported by a provincial grant, the initiative fosters job creation and food security, offering hands-on greenhouse training to unemployed and underemployed community members.
⚒️ San Juan College Launches Uranium Mine Cleanup Training Program. San Juan College’s new Careers Remediating Environmental Waste (CREW) program aims to address abandoned uranium mines in the Four Corners region while creating stable, well-paying jobs. Backed by New Mexico’s workforce and environment departments, the program offers displaced energy workers and others training in mine reclamation. With an estimated 500 abandoned mines, cleanup efforts could generate 2,500 jobs. Companies have committed to interviewing graduates, ensuring pathways to long-term employment.
💼 Colorado Launches Climate Jobs Coalition Amid Federal Policy Shifts. Colorado Climate Jobs, a new labor coalition, aims to create high-quality union jobs and a strong clean energy economy despite federal uncertainty under Trump’s administration. With 77,000 clean-tech jobs statewide, Colorado’s renewable workforce grew 3.9% in 2023. However, federal policy shifts, including tariffs and stalled IRA funding, threaten progress. State leaders remain committed to advancing climate-related job growth while monitoring the impact of new executive orders on green energy initiatives.

HolonIQ has launched the Green Skills Map, an open-source framework initiated for cataloging, evaluating, and contextualizing the different components of the rapidly expanding field of green jobs. This comprehensive taxonomy will serve as a resource for understanding the full spectrum and complexity of green skills required across various sectors, thereby enabling a cohesive approach toward achieving net zero and decarbonizing the global economy. Green Skills Map spans 11 areas, 54 sub-areas, and 243 green skills clusters. A snippet of the map covering four areas has been included above. Explore the full map on greenskills.org.
💰 Energy Deals
💰 Diversified Energy Company Acquires Maverick Natural Resources. Diversified Energy Company acquired Maverick Natural Resources for $1.28B, boosting its revenue, production, cash flow, and asset base.
☀️ Invenergy Secures $1.1B Financing for Solar Projects. Invenergy, a renewable energy company, secured $1.1B in debt financing to develop three solar projects totaling 590 megawatts in Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee.
🌱 Macquarie Provides Financing to Nadara for Renewable Energy. Macquarie Asset Management provided approximately $438M in debt financing to Nadara to support its growth in the renewable energy sector.
⚛️ Helion Raises $425M from SoftBank's VC Arm. Helion, a nuclear fusion startup, raised $425M in venture funding led by SoftBank's Vision Fund 2, to develop the world’s first nuclear fusion power plant, aiming to revolutionize clean energy production.
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