NEC Insights
Reports & perspectives
Research, practical questions and a wider view of the energy transition.
Evidence for the next conversation.
Ten original editorial articles drawing on identified sources across energy, technology and industry.
Published in September 2026. Each article includes English and Chinese text, a source link and the source publication date. Forecasts, research and external examples are identified within the articles.
01 · Solar · Energy strategy
Solar growth and the value of self-consumption
The IEA’s Renewables 2025 outlook projects a major expansion of renewable power capacity through 2030, with solar PV responsible for almost 80% of the increase. This is a forecast under the report’s assumptions, rather than a statement of capacity already delivered.
Source: IEA · Renewables 2025, Executive Summary · 2025
Read the perspective →02 · ESS · Infrastructure
Battery storage: from capacity to purpose
The IEA reports that 108 GW of battery storage was added worldwide in 2025, a 40% increase on 2024. Its review describes battery storage as the fastest-growing power technology and highlights the prominent role of lithium iron phosphate chemistry in deployment.
Source: IEA · Global Energy Review 2026, Technology: Battery storage · 2026
Read the perspective →03 · AI · Data centres
AI demand makes energy an early design decision
The IEA’s April 2026 report revisits the relationship between energy and AI using updated analysis of data-centre investment, demand, grids and supply chains. Its central subject is the ability of electricity systems to respond as AI infrastructure develops.
Source: IEA · Key Questions on Energy and AI · 16 April 2026
Read the perspective →04 · NEC · Programme guide
Understanding SolarMax, GridMax and PowerFreedom
NEC’s programme vocabulary separates the technical solution from the route through which a project is developed. This helps an energy user and a property owner ask the right questions.
Source: NEC · NES and PowerFreedom programme information · Corporate programme overview · September 2026
Read the perspective →05 · ESG · Industry
Energy efficiency begins with the operating baseline
The IEA’s Energy Efficiency 2025 report examines efficiency developments across industry, buildings, appliances and transport. It connects energy performance with affordability, security and competitiveness.
Source: IEA · Energy Efficiency 2025 · 2025
Read the perspective →06 · EV · Mobility
EV charging is also a building-energy question
The IEA’s Global EV Outlook follows electric mobility, including vehicle adoption, battery demand and charging infrastructure. The 2026 edition provides a current reference for organisations considering the wider development of electric transport.
Source: IEA · Global EV Outlook 2026 · 2026
Read the perspective →07 · Humanoid · Research perspective
Humanoid AI and the infrastructure behind physical intelligence
NVIDIA’s GR00T N1 research introduced a generalist humanoid robot model using vision, language and action. The published work describes training with varied sources, including human video, robot trajectories and synthetic data.
Source: NVIDIA Research · GR00T N1 research paper · 17 March 2025
Read the perspective →08 · Humanity · Healthcare
Reliable electricity is part of healthcare
The joint Energizing health report examines reliable electricity access in healthcare facilities, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. It addresses demand assessment, technical and economic choices, investment and the conditions needed to support electrification.
Source: WHO, World Bank, IRENA and SEforALL · Energizing health · 14 January 2023
Read the perspective →09 · Mining · Industrial transition
Solar and storage in energy-intensive industry
In March 2025, Rio Tinto announced an agreement with Edify Energy involving solar generation and battery storage for its Gladstone operations. The announcement described 600 MWac of solar and 600 MW / 2,400 MWh of storage, with construction then planned to begin in late 2025 and completion targeted for 2028. Those dates describe the announcement’s plan, not a verified completion update.
Source: Rio Tinto · Solar and battery agreement for Gladstone operations · 13 March 2025
Read the perspective →10 · Space · Future energy
Solar on the Moon: an engineering frontier
NASA’s September 2023 announcement described support for the development of vertical solar arrays for lunar use. The arrays were intended to deploy autonomously and support the energy needs of future surface activity.
Source: NASA · Three companies to advance solar-array technology for the Moon · 29 September 2023
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