For decades, nuclear energy was viewed by many countries as a controversial and declining industry. Major disasters such as Chernobyl disaster and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster triggered public fear, political opposition, and strict regulations across much of the world.

As the world accelerates its transition away from fossil fuels, a new geopolitical and economic competition is emerging around renewable energy, green hydrogen, electricity exports, and critical clean technology infrastructure.

For decades, Central Asia’s economies were closely associated with oil, natural gas and traditional energy exports. Today, however, the region is increasingly attracting international attention for a different reason: its enormous renewable energy potential.

Central Asia is increasingly emerging as one of the most strategically important energy regions in the world as global powers compete for access to oil, natural gas, uranium, renewable resources, and critical minerals spread across the vast Eurasian heartland.

French energy giant TotalEnergies SE has agreed to invest in a $1.2 billion renewable energy project in Kazakhstan, marking a major expansion into large-scale wind and storage infrastructure in Central Asia.

Rising global demand for renewable energy is expected to drive up prices of key industrial metals such as copper and silver, as countries accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels amid geopolitical tensions.

Australian data center builder Firmus Technologies Pty has raised $505 million in an investment round led by Coatue Management LLC, as part of a global push to finance artificial intelligence infrastructure.