Political uncertainty ranks as the most cited risk to industry growth in 2025, with executives pointing to stalled policymaking, regulatory unpredictability, and rising protectionism as key inhibitors. Only 55% of respondents believe the energy transition is gaining pace, down significantly from 72% in 2023 and 79% in 2022.
This slowdown is especially acute in the renewables sector. Just half of respondents in this space expect to meet their revenue goals for the year, and only 43% remain positive about profitability—both metrics seeing a steep decline from three years prior. The challenging outlook is pushing many companies to delay major investments or refocus efforts on smaller, lower-risk initiatives.
Despite current headwinds, the sector continues to invest in foundational technologies and strategies expected to unlock long-term resilience. Nearly 70% of professionals surveyed remain confident about industry growth in the coming decade, citing electrification, decarbonization, and digital transformation as essential drivers.
A critical barrier to scaling clean energy remains aging infrastructure. Over 75% of power sector respondents identify outdated grids as a major obstacle to renewable integration. Calls for accelerated grid modernization are widespread, with 96% agreeing that urgent upgrades are needed to support the next phase of energy evolution.
Digital technologies are also seen as central to success. From advanced analytics to AI, 59% of energy professionals plan to increase digital investment in the year ahead—continuing a stable trend over the past four years. The majority agree that a digital-first approach will be necessary to manage increasingly complex, interconnected energy systems.
Beyond technical hurdles, there's a growing awareness of the transition’s uneven impact. Just over half (51%) of respondents recognize that clean energy adoption could disadvantage certain communities. This includes concerns about affordability, access to new technologies, and economic disruption for workers in traditional energy sectors. Industry leaders are calling for inclusive funding models and stronger workforce transition programs to ensure a fairer rollout of the clean energy shift.
