Daily Update: Energy at the Crossroads; Datacenters’ Balancing Act; and Middle-Market Investing

Today is Wednesday, March 5, 2025, and here’s your?curated selection of essential intelligence on global markets from?S&P Global.?Subscribe to be notified of each new Daily Update.

Energy Transition & Sustainability

Look Forward: Energy at the Crossroads

Several external factors are reshaping the energy industry. Seventy countries —?representing more than half the world’s population — held national elections in 2024, and many new governments are changing energy and climate priorities. The rapid expansion of AI has created a push for datacenter development, leading to high electricity demand and the exploration of low-emission sources, including nuclear power. Our latest Look Forward report explores how these and other factors are affecting the energy transition.?

To learn more about the future of global energy markets, register for CERAWeek.

Artificial Intelligence

Datacenters balancing sustainability goals with accelerating AI demand

US datacenters —?experiencing increased demand due to the rapid growth of generative AI —?are expected to double their annual energy consumption by 2030. Generative requests can consume up to 30 times more energy than traditional AI tasks. Hyperscale datacenters, often operated by large technology companies, are trying to balance the increased power demands with net-zero targets set before the GenAI boom. Some companies are turning to AI to develop solutions.

To learn more about how US datacenters are looking to power the growth of GenAI, register for S&P Global Market Intelligence’s upcoming webinar, “An AI-fueled resurgence story-US datacenters and nuclear energy outlook.”

Private Markets

Private Markets 360 | Episode 22: Strategies for Success in the Middle Market (with Liz Campbell, Chief Investment Officer of Portfolio Advisors)

Liz Campbell, chief investment officer of Portfolio Advisors, joined the latest episode of “Private Markets 360” to discuss strategies for success in middle-market investing. Campbell emphasized the importance of fundraising discipline and the evolving landscape of real estate investments, highlighting niche areas that are gaining traction.

In case you missed it

• Fiscal fragilities: Dealing with high debt: Ratios of public sector debt to GDP have risen substantially over the past couple of decades, reflecting large-scale government support in response to financial crises and the persistence of large budget deficits.
• What Looming Tariffs Could Mean For US Corporates: Higher tariffs, a top concern for many US corporate borrowers rated by S&P Global Ratings, would likely result in rising input prices at a time when companies are grappling with elevated costs.
• US life insurance Q4 2024 earnings recap: Revenues rise for most top insurers: The 10 largest US life insurers fared well in the fourth quarter of 2024, with most reporting higher year-over-year revenues and only one reporting a net loss.

Upcoming events

• Questioning the Answers: LLMs enter the Boardroom | March 6 (Webinar)
• CERAWeek | March 10–14 (In-person: Houston, Texas)
• Banking Challenges for 2025: Market Risk and Economic Outlook | March 12 (Webinar)
• World Petrochemical Conference | March 17–21 (In-person: Houston, Texas)