18 August 2025 | ThermaDetect Solar Ltd

Renewable energy: it’s about energy security, not just carbon emissions

The global energy conversation is shifting. While decarbonisation remains a critical goal, the urgency of energy security has taken centre stage. Geopolitical tensions, supply chain realignments, and surging electricity demand are reshaping how nations think about power – and where they get it from.

From crisis to catalyst

Europe’s over-reliance on Russian gas was starkly exposed following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Before the war, Russia supplied around 40% of the EU’s natural gas, primarily via pipelines like Nord Stream 1. By early 2023, that figure had plummeted by over 80% due to sanctions and the sabotage of Nord Stream 1 in September 2022.

The fallout triggered a spike in energy prices and a scramble to diversify supply. The US stepped in as Europe’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG), shipping it across the Atlantic in specialised tankers. At the same time, the reindustrialisation of the US economy and the energy demands of AI infrastructure have driven growth in electricity consumption not seen in decades.

The result? A structural need for dependable, local energy generation. And that’s where renewables come in.

Last year, renewables accounted for a staggering 93% of global energy capacity expansion. This isn’t just a climate story – it’s a security imperative.

Energy security is no longer just about keeping the lights on – it’s about resilience, independence, and strategic advantage. As the world races to secure its energy future, renewables are no longer a “nice to have” but a necessity.

Investors looking to align with this structural shift should look beyond the headlines and towards the companies quietly powering the transition.

Curtsey of :Blair Couper is investment director, global equities, at Aberdeen.

The evolution of human civilization is powered by our ability to harness the sun more efficiently. At the forefront of this progress lies photovoltaic technology.Over the past decade, the average efficiency of crystalline silicon modules has climbed from 18%-19% to an impressive 23%-24%.From BSF to PERC, and now to TOPCon and BC,each breakthrough has transformed limitless sunlight into clean, reliable energy. Today, solar power stands not just as an alternative—but as a core driver of the global energy transition.

In 2024, AIKO’s N-type ABC modules achieved a delivered efficiency of 24.6%, once again setting a new global record for mass-produced module efficiency.

Compared to the 23.5% efficiency when the N-type ABC modules were first introduced, this marks a full 1% improvement.

According to data from the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA):

For every 1% increase in photoelectric conversion efficiency, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) decreases by 5% to 7%.

By the end of 2024,the cumulative installed solar PV capacity worldwide has exceeded 2 terawatts (TW). At this scale, a 1% improvement in PV module efficiencycan lead to annual electricity cost savings of around 3.3 billion USD.

In Category II resource areas with 1,400 equivalent sunshine hours, A 1% PV module efficiency gain will generate 126 billion kWh extra yearly, which Equivalent1.5 times the annual power generation of the Three Gorges Dam
mitigating 71.8 million tons of greenhouse gas annually.
planting 200 million trees in one year, Which can cover 280,000 Olympic-sized football fields

This will dramatically optimize the global carbon footprint Transform the reality of energy scarcity. Every 1% efficiency gain marks a pivotal step toward a zero-carbon civilization