Switched On

The Iran war is redrawing the global energy landscape. Six months of high oil prices and disrupted trade have strengthened the case for technologies that reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels. Chinese exports of solar, batteries and electric vehicles have risen, while markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America are seeing growing demand for clean technologies. But the response varies widely. Some governments are shielding consumers from higher fuel costs, while others are leaning more heavily on domestic fossil fuels as a source of energy security. So has the Iran war changed the direction of the energy transition, or simply its pace? On today’s show, Kamala Schelling is joined by, Ethan Zindler who leads BNEF's countries and policy research. Together they discuss the note “Six Months In: The Iran War’s Global Impact.”
Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com
Links to research notes from this episode:
Six Months In: The Iran War’s Global Impact - https://www.bnef.com/insights/40249
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Turkey is quietly becoming a renewables heavyweight. Rapid wind and solar deployment is helping the country meet rising electricity demand while reducing exposure to imported fossil fuels. Turkey ranked among the world’s top 10 markets for new wind and solar capacity in 2025, and it is targeting 120 gigawatts of combined capacity by 2035. But sustaining that growth will require much greater investment in the grid, and meeting government transmission targets would require annual investment to rise roughly fivefold from 2025 levels. So can Turkey turn its renewable energy boom into a broader transformation of its power system and strengthen its energy security along the way? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Abdullah Alkattan, BNEF’s Middle East energy transition analyst, to discuss findings from the “Turkey Transition Factbook 2026.”
Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com
Links to research notes from this episode:
Turkey Transition Factbook 2026 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39689
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America’s data center boom is running into political resistance. Texas, New York and Pennsylvania are moving to slow or pause new projects amid concerns over electricity costs, infrastructure and local impacts. Texas alone accounts for around 20% of the US pipeline, meaning even short delays could cost developers billions. The pushback is increasingly bipartisan, as politicians respond to growing opposition from local communities and overloaded power grids. The result is new uncertainty for developers racing to secure electricity and bring projects online. So has America’s data center boom finally hit the brakes? And what happens next? On today’s show, Kamala Schelling is joined by BloombergNEF’s senior associate for North American policy, Derrick Flakoll, to discuss his recent notes “Texas’ Data Center Pause Could Cost Projects Billions” and “Pennsylvania’s Data Center Pushback Raises Pipeline Risk.”
Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com
Links to research notes from this episode:
Pennsylvania’s Data Center Pushback Raises Pipeline Risk - https://www.bnef.com/analyst-reactions/tk0z0wt96osi00
Texas’ Data Center Pause Could Cost Projects Billions - https://www.bnef.com/insights/40105
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The electric vehicle boom is entering a new phase. As China’s market matures and the US steps back from EVs, emerging markets are becoming the new hotspot for electrified transport. At the same time, autonomous and shared vehicles are changing how cars are used. Robotaxis can travel much farther each year than private cars, potentially allowing fewer vehicles to provide the same amount of mobility. So as EV adoption evolves and autonomous driving takes off, what does the next phase of road transport look like? On this episode, Aleksandra O’Donovan and Andrew Grant, who lead BNEF’s EV and intelligent mobility teams, join Tom Rowlands-Rees to discuss the newest edition of the Electric Vehicle Outlook.
Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com
Links to research notes from this episode:
Long-Term Electric Vehicle Outlook 2026 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/39553
Executive Summary (free to access) - https://about.bnef.com/insights/clean-transport/electric-vehicle-outlook/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Europe’s electrification ambitions are running ahead of its policies. The EU wants electricity to account for 46% of final energy consumption by 2040, but BNEF’s modeling suggests even a maximum-effort net-zero pathway would fall short. Getting closer will require greater support for electric vehicles, heat pumps and industry, while keeping electricity affordable. Much of that challenge will fall to member states, many of which are scaling back incentives or facing tight public finances. Meanwhile, the EU’s latest proposals do little to address the upfront costs of electrification. So what will it take to close the gap between Europe’s electrification targets and reality? On today’s show, Kamala Schelling is joined by BNEF’s head of policy, Victoria Cuming, to discuss her note “EU Electrification Goal Unreachable Without More Support.”
Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com
Links to research notes from this episode:
EU Electrification Goal Unreachable Without More Support - https://www.bnef.com/analyst-reactions/tibg16t9njlt00
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.