Will war fast-track the energy transition?

The sudden push to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian gas and oil could trigger a paradigm shift to clean energy sources that might be quickly scaled up.

Europe has been pushing gas and nuclear as an essential part of the energy transition from carbon-heavy fossil fuels like oil and coal. But since Ukraine was invaded, Europe’s dependence on Russian gas has inspired a sudden push for energy independence, especially via renewables.

Germany’s Finance Minister Christian Lindner, of the pro-business FDP, now calls renewables “freedom energies,” while Chancellor Olaf Scholz labels them “crucial for our security.”