Is the Energy Transition Really Slowing Down? The Data Suggests Otherwise

Despite claims that the energy transition is losing momentum, solar and battery deployment continues to run ahead of forecasts – profoundly impacting electricity markets and the wider global energy system.

Recorded at The smarter E Europe 2026 in Munich, host Jonathan Gifford is joined by Jarand Rystad, founder and CEO of energy analysts Rystad Energy, to examine where the transition stands today. Rystad explains why solar has consistently outpaced forecasts and how mass production, aggressive cost reduction, and rapid battery-technology deployment are driving continued expansion.

But alongside the upside, the conversation turns to one of solar's biggest challenges: falling capture prices as abundant midday PV generation pushes down the value of electricity during daylight hours. Rystad argues that accelerating battery deployment is helping to address this imbalance, shifting excess generation, and ultimately making space for even more renewables.

The conversation also explores how storage business models are evolving, the prospects for European solar manufacturing and next-generation perovskite technologies, and whether energy-security concerns could further accelerate the electrification of transportation.

Together, these trends point to solar and batteries increasingly working in tandem to create a cheaper, flexible, and electrified energy system.

Jarand Rystad is the founder and CEO of Rystad Energy, established in 2004. He has extensive experience in oil and gas strategy, having led projects for major energy companies, governments, and investors. He is a widely cited energy analyst and frequent keynote speaker, and holds an MSc in physics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, with additional academic background in philosophy and industrial economics.