As much as a wholly renewable future is desirable, it is not totally achievable in its purest form. It is a fallacy. The real sustainable solutions for reaching net zero—whilst pragmatically considering economic, environmental, and social sustainability—rely on a unique mix of low-carbon technologies and transition fuels alongside renewables.
This reality, long understood within the energy sector, is now gaining wider recognition: net zero won't be won by renewables alone. It will be achieved through intelligent integration.
The energy density of solar and similar renewables simply cannot compare to transition fuels such as LNG or established baseload sources. We must treat energy sustainability as a balancing act, particularly with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and data centres demanding unprecedented power capacity.
The Scale Problem
A pressing question haunts the energy transition:
"How many solar panels, battery energy storage systems, and balance of system components are needed to power such large infrastructure?"
With current technologies, scaling solar to meet such demands remains prohibitively expensive and inefficient. This says nothing of the supply chain concerns: ESG violations in mining operations, exploitative labour practices, and environmental harm that accompany rapid mineral extraction for batteries and panels.
To be clear, these concerns are not unique to renewables. Fossil fuel supply chains carry their own substantial burdens—environmental degradation, geopolitical instability, and human rights concerns that have persisted for decades. The point is not that one side is clean and the other dirty. The point is that all energy systems involve trade-offs, and honest accounting requires acknowledging them across the board.
If demand outstrips supply, will we overlook these critical issues on either side? What consequences would an accelerated, ill-prepared surge in deployment bring—whether solar or LNG? These are not hypothetical questions—they are decisions being made today.
A Human-Centric Framework
My research in the Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) space, unlocked a novel integrative use case merging financial and AI-driven energy systems applicable to emerging, frontier, and developed regions alike.
This work sits at the heart of what I see as the future of energy: a human-centric, intelligent, and sustainable paradigm integrating physical energy assets with digital technologies and social dynamics.
The framework aims for resilience and inclusion, bringing together smart grids, edge AI, and renewable sources to create a more adaptive and equitable energy system. It reframes energy as a source of empowerment—unlocking new pockets of economic liquidity for users and communities who have historically been excluded from energy infrastructure benefits.
Lessons from Emerging Markets
Emerging regions are demonstrating remarkable agility in addressing energy deficits. In West Africa—particularly Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, and Cabo Verde—innovative financing is catalysing distributed energy deployment at unprecedented scale.
The $750 million Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) project, financed by the World Bank's International Development Association, exemplifies this shift. DARES aims to provide over 17.5 million Nigerians with electricity access through distributed solar and mini grids, leveraging over $1 billion in private capital alongside partnerships with USAID, the African Development Bank, and others.
These initiatives reflect a pragmatic recognition of infrastructure realities. Rather than extending costly, low-capacity transmission networks, countries are embracing decentralised solutions: grid-share models, microgrids, and mesh grids. RANA Energy's recent $3 million funding round for mini and microgrids further illustrates how grants and private capital are converging to address energy access gaps through agile, localised infrastructure.
The Developed World Response
On the developed side, similar trends are visible. There is a nuclear energy resurgence, particularly with small modular reactors (SMRs) from companies like Oklo. These technologies address energy security and emissions reduction amid persistent grid challenges.
The policy environment remains mixed. Changes in ESG laws, especially in the United States, have impacted sustainable bond issuance—though the decline stems more from issuers avoiding ESG labels due to political backlash than from reduced green investment itself. The Inflation Reduction Act continues driving substantial capital into clean energy. Nevertheless, alternative asset managers and sovereign funds such as Global Infrastructure Partners, BlackRock, and Blackstone continue directing capital into energy transition projects worldwide.
The capital is there. The question is whether it flows to the right projects—those that acknowledge the complexity of the transition rather than pretending it can be solved with a single technology.
Beyond the Binary
The discourse around energy has become unnecessarily polarised. Advocates for renewables often dismiss the role of transition fuels. Defenders of traditional energy often understate the transformative potential of distributed systems. Both miss the point.
The journey to net zero is neither linear nor reliant on a single technology. It demands a sophisticated, multidimensional approach where renewable energy, transition fuels, advanced financing, innovative grid architectures, and human-centred digital integration converge.
This balance ensures that we can meet growing energy demands—especially from AI-driven data centres and digital infrastructure—while maintaining economic viability and environmental stewardship.
What I'm Building
Through AEF Solutions, I'm focused on the intersection where these forces meet: distributed energy systems that are financially viable, technologically sophisticated, and socially inclusive. The opportunity is not in choosing between old and new energy paradigms, but in building the infrastructure that intelligently connects them.
The transition is happening. The question is whether we build it thoughtfully—or pretend that good intentions alone will solve century-scale infrastructure challenges.