Solar and nuclear power drive global electricity transitions

Solar power is experiencing rapid global growth, overtaking nuclear energy as a major power source. Experts describe solar as the “engine of the power transition,” driven by declining costs, expanding technology, and the battery revolution. However, research indicates a gap in consumer utility; in the UK, while over 60% of households want to generate their own electricity to combat rising bills, only 4% currently use battery storage to save power for high-demand evening hours.

In the United States, technology companies are driving a resurgence in nuclear energy through reactor uprates. Constellation Energy has entered agreements with Google and Amazon to increase the output of 13 nuclear reactors across Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. These upgrades, scheduled for completion by 2032, are expected to add 1,080 megawatts of capacity—enough to power approximately one million homes—and create 7,200 construction jobs.