Four Futures for Powering Growth in the New Economy: Energy and Competitiveness in 2035

The report outlines four potential energy-economic scenarios for 2035: Hybrid Growth, Fragmented Advantage, Clean Pivot, and Efficiency Imperative. It argues that energy security and the ability to integrate clean power are now core determinants of national and corporate competitiveness, particularly for AI and advanced manufacturing. The document provides a framework for businesses to stress-test strategies against these futures, recommending 'no-regret' moves such as diversifying energy portfolios, building supply-chain optionality, and re-skilling workforces.

• Energy costs and commodity prices are identified as the primary constraints on global growth, ranking as a top three barrier in 73 out of 118 countries, with particularly acute pressure in Northern America, Oceania, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
• The growth of energy-intensive industries, specifically artificial intelligence (AI), is creating concentrated and inflexible energy demand; electricity demand from data centres is projected to more than double from 2025 levels to potentially reach 950 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030.
• The 'Hybrid Growth' scenario envisions a stable coexistence of legacy and clean energy, where advanced economies reach 50–70% renewable electricity by 2035, but overall decarbonization of heat, transport, and industry lags behind the power sector.
• The 'Fragmented Advantage' scenario describes a world where clean technology, minerals, and finance become politicized, leading to divergent techno-industrial structures across economic blocs and reduced global productivity due to duplicated supply chains.
• The 'Clean Pivot' scenario involves a disruptive first phase of legacy system failure followed by a selective recovery where economies with the necessary finance, grids, and skills convert clean infrastructure into productivity and export gains.
• The 'Efficiency Imperative' scenario presents a recessionary environment where energy scarcity becomes a binding economic constraint, forcing firms to shorten investment horizons and prioritize operational continuity over expansion.
• To prepare for these uncertainties, the report suggests 'no-regret' strategies for businesses, including securing critical energy pathways, building supply-chain optionality, investing in resilience capabilities, and developing granular regional strategies to address an uneven global economy.

APA

World Economic Forum (2026). Four Futures for Powering Growth in the New Economy: Energy and Competitiveness in 2035. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Four_Futures_for_Powering_Growth_in_the_New_Economy_Energy_and_Competitiveness_in_2035_2026.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Four Futures for Powering Growth in the New Economy: Energy and Competitiveness in 2035. 2026. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Four_Futures_for_Powering_Growth_in_the_New_Economy_Energy_and_Competitiveness_in_2035_2026.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Four Futures for Powering Growth in the New Economy: Energy and Competitiveness in 2035 |date=June 2026 |url=https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Four_Futures_for_Powering_Growth_in_the_New_Economy_Energy_and_Competitiveness_in_2035_2026.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2026four, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Four Futures for Powering Growth in the New Economy: Energy and Competitiveness in 2035}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Four_Futures_for_Powering_Growth_in_the_New_Economy_Energy_and_Competitiveness_in_2035_2026.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }