Clean Energy Crossroads: Navigating Volatility, Partnerships, and Policy Shifts

The clean energy industry has experienced notable volatility and transformation in the past 48 hours, with both promising growth and significant setbacks. Globally, the sector is being shaped by large investment deals, shifting regulatory frameworks, and changing strategies from industry leaders.

In the past week, Ørsted announced a 6.5 billion dollar deal with Apollo, selling a 50 percent stake in the 2.9 gigawatt Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm, one of the largest such partnerships to date. This transaction not only fortifies Ørsted’s balance sheet but also exemplifies how major players are turning to joint ventures and divestments to manage capital needs and sustain project pipelines. Once operational, Hornsea 3 will supply enough electricity for over 3 million UK homes, underlining the scale at which renewables are being deployed.

Similarly, ACWA Power this week executed a 10 billion dollar global package with projects spanning Saudi Arabia, Africa, and Central Asia. These agreements cover renewable generation, storage, and water infrastructure, marking an accelerated push into emerging markets and embedding public-private partnerships as the industry standard. Large multilateral financing and supply-chain localization are now central to such deployments.

Despite this momentum, policy headwinds are emerging in the United States. According to new E2 data, 2025 has already seen nearly 24 billion dollars in abandoned clean energy projects and 21000 lost jobs, attributed directly to policy uncertainty and funding cuts. The Department of Energy has terminated over 7.5 billion dollars in clean energy and grid improvement projects, raising concerns about possible future electricity price increases and supply chain disruptions.

Major corporate offtake deals continue, with Apple signing a 15-year agreement in Italy to secure 173 megawatts of new renewables. In the US, Meta has committed to buying power from Louisiana solar plants to support its 10 billion dollar AI data center, aligning energy demand from digital infrastructure with clean generation.

Compared to previous months, this week shows persistent growth in capital flows and international partnerships, but a heightened sensitivity to regulatory shifts and political risk, particularly in North America.

Industry leaders are responding by diversifying investment, seeking longer-term power agreements, and localizing supply. The contrast between policy-driven project cancellations in the US and aggressive expansion elsewhere highlights an industry increasingly split by government action and private initiative.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The clean energy industry has experienced notable volatility and transformation
in the past forty eight hours, with both promising growth
and significant setbacks. Globally, the sector is being shaped by
large investment deals, shifting regulatory frameworks, and changing strategies from
industry leaders. In the past week, Orsted announced a six

(00:20):
point five billion dollar deal with Apollo, selling a fifty
per cent stake in the two point nine gigawott Hornsey
three offshore wind farm, one of the largest such partnerships
to date. This transaction not only fortifies Orsted's balance sheet,
but also exemplifies how major players are turning to joint
ventures and divestments to manage capital needs and sustain project pipelines.

(00:52):
Once operational, Hornsey three will supply enough electricity for over
three million UK homes, underlining the scale at which renewables
are being deployed. Similarly, ACW Power this week executed a
ten billion dollar global package with projects spanning Saudi Arabia, Africa,
and Central Asia. These agreements cover renewable generation, storage and

(01:15):
water infrastructure, marking an accelerated push into emerging markets and
embedding public private partnerships as the industry's standard. Large multilateral

(01:45):
financing and supply chain localization are now central to such deployments.
Despite this momentum, policy headwinds are emerging. In the United States.
According to new E two data, twenty twenty five has
already seen nearly twenty four billion dollars in abandoned clean
energy projects and twenty one thousand lost jobs attributed directly

(02:06):
to policy uncertainty and funding cuts. The Department of Energy
has terminated over seven point five billion dollars in clean
energy and grid improvement projects, raising concerns about possible future
electricity price increases and supply jain disruptions. Major corporate off

(02:27):
take deals continue, with Apple signing a fifteen year agreement
in Italy to secure one hundred and seventy three megawatts
of new renewables. In the US, Meta has committed to
buying power from Louisiana solar plants to support its ten
billion dollar AI data center, aligning energy demand from digital
infrastructure with clean generation. Compared to previous months, this week

(02:51):
shows persistent growth and capital flows in international partnerships, but
a heightened sensitivity to regulatory shifts and political risk, particularly
in North America. Industry leaders are responding by diversifying investment,

(03:23):
seeking longer term power agreements, and localizing supply. The contrast
between policy driven project cancelations in the US an aggressive
expansion elsewhere highlights an industry increasingly split by government action
and private initiative