Energy and Natural Resources

According to the report published by the Statistical Review of World Energy in 2023, worldwide primary energy consumption was 620 Exajoules. The statistics showcase strong and long-term demand fundamentals across both the emerging and developed economies. The sustained demand, coupled with rising energy transition mandates, is driving unprecedented capital inflows. Building on these strong investment fundamentals, the next section outlines the key market trends that are driving capital allocation, enhancing asset attractiveness, and accelerating investor interest across the energy and natural resources value chain.

Cumulative Renewable Capacity in The Accelerated Case by Country or Region, 2030

Source: IEA

Latest Trends in Energy & Natural Resources

Green hydrogen and clean fuel ecosystems

The swift establishment of green hydrogen ecosystems is substantially augmenting the investments from the market players, driven by the robust policy backing in the world. Notably, the National Green Hydrogen Mission in India, by 2030 targets 5MMT of green hydrogen generation per year. Also, the plan targets the creation of more than 6 lakh jobs across the value chain, illustrating the employment potential of the green hydrogen sector. Furthermore, this mission is projected to enable a reduction of USD 12.05 billion in imports of fossil fuels, subsequently increasing energy security. Within the evolving landscape, industrial conglomerates and electrolyzer manufacturers are expanding capacity and placing green hydrogen as the cornerstone of future clean energy investment cycles.

Nuclear renaissance and SMR deployment

Nuclear power has been resurgent, spearheaded by investment in modern reactors and small modular reactors. Utilities as well as governments are viewing nuclear energy as a reliable solution, attracting significant capital inflows into reactor development. Various prominent energy companies and institutional investors are prominently scaling up the capital deployment and modular manufacturing facilities. According to data published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), worldwide nuclear power capacity is anticipated to reach 992 GW from 377 GW in 2024, highlighting a robust revival of nuclear investments. As a result, market players are aggressively positioning themselves across the nuclear value chain—ranging from uranium mining and fuel fabrication to SMR assembly and deployment.

Carbon capture, utilization & storage (CCUS) scale up

Globally, there are strict regulations and burgeoning net-zero commitments for CCUS, which is attracting public and private investments. Global governments are incorporating robust policies such as direct subsidies, production tax credits, significantly enhancing economies, and reducing the risks for investors. There are long-term offtake agreements and public-private partnerships models that are ensuring revenue streams and increasing the bankability of the projects. These factors are drawing interest from energy majors and institutional investors. According to data published by the International Energy Agency in April 2024, there are more than 45 commercial facilities in operation applying CCUS to industrial processes. However, the momentum has increased significantly, with more than 700 projects in the development process, further propelling the investment.

Digital oilfields and smart mining operations

The incorporation of AI-enabled drilling optimization, digital twins, and autonomous haulage is transforming productivity. The incorporation of digital transformations is unleashing robust operational ROI by lowering unplanned downtime and engaging asset utilization. There has been increased integration of machine learning algorithms, which are enabling data-enabled decision-making and predictive risk mitigation. The data published by the International Energy Agency in Global Critical Mineral Outlook 2025, incorporating innovations such as AI-based geological exploration, can curtail the drilling costs by 60% and raise the discovery success rate by 4 times. These advantages are generating compelling economic returns and faster payback periods, thereby driving large-scale capital investments

Offshore wind and floating solar energy

Offshore wind and floating solar energy are acquiring significant investment owing to their ability to overcome land constraints. According to the data published by the International Energy Agency, offshore wind capacity growth is predicted to reach 212 GW by 2030. Other than this, cumulative global renewable capacity is anticipated to surpass 10,800 GW by 2030. This throws light on the strategic importance of scalable renewable technologies. This wide range capacity expansion, aided by robust policy frameworks and speeding grid integration, is propelling the multi-billion-dollar investments