When geopolitical conflicts disrupt fuel shipments, electricity demand outpaces infrastructure development or critical mineral shortages threaten industrial growth, decisions made by governments and businesses can have far-reaching economic consequences. Data that helps explain these challenges can inform how decision-makers prepare for disruption, direct investment and strengthen the systems on which modern economies depend.
Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy addresses these variables in Energy Insights 2026, a collection of 26 articles from its Center for Energy Studies. The annual publication examines practical challenges facing energy markets worldwide, from diversifying fuel supplies and protecting critical infrastructure to financing mineral development, expanding electric grids and strengthening supply chains.
Across the collection, researchers emphasize a common principle: Energy security is not simply a matter of producing more resources domestically; it also requires diversified suppliers, reliable infrastructure, flexible markets and policies that encourage long-term investment.
Recent disruptions to commodity movements through the Strait of Hormuz illustrate the stakes. As countries and companies reassess their exposure to geopolitical risks, Energy Insights 2026 examines how investments in new supply sources, pipelines, refineries and alternative trade routes can help reduce vulnerabilities.
Such investments may carry costs during normal market conditions, but they can provide valuable alternatives when established supply chains fail. Diversification has become a defining priority for energy policy in 2026.
Several articles examine how geopolitical uncertainty is changing the economics of energy security.
Ed Emmett explores the importance of fuel supply chains to global transportation and economic activity, while Abhi Rajendran and Skip York assess the potential long-term effects of the Iran conflict on global oil markets. Ken Medlock examines historical energy price shocks to understand how markets respond to disruption and why heightened risk can prompt new investment.
The implications extend across the Middle East and beyond. Jim Krane examines Qatar’s reliance on the Strait of Hormuz to transport liquefied natural gas, while Salem Alhajraf considers how Gulf Cooperation Council countries could diversify their connections to international markets.
Other contributions explore how major economies are adapting to energy vulnerability. Gabe Collins compares China’s pursuit of self-reliance and electrification with India’s experience of energy shocks affecting food supplies and household welfare. In Europe, Anna Mikulska examines the challenge of securing affordable energy from external suppliers, while Michał Kurtyka considers how technological feasibility, competition and geopolitical strategy can inform the continent’s energy transition.
Together, these analyses show how energy security depends on the interaction of markets, infrastructure, trade relationships and government policy. They also highlight the importance of understanding how interventions — including sanctions and export restrictions — can redirect trade without necessarily eliminating underlying market dependencies.
The collection also examines practical challenges facing electricity systems as demand grows and power generation changes.
Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are increasing the need for electricity, putting greater pressure on utilities to expand capacity while maintaining reliability and managing costs.
Julie Cohn draws on historical experiences of electricity demand growth, including during World War II, to explore lessons for today’s planning and policy decisions. In a separate article, she examines the engineering challenges associated with integrating inverter-based energy resources into the electric grid and the role of technical standards in maintaining grid stability.
Peter Hartley addresses another challenge for policymakers: comparing the costs of different electricity generation technologies. He argues that levelized costs of electricity alone do not capture the full costs and benefits of energy choices. A more comprehensive assessment must account for grid reliability, critical mineral supply chains and the challenges associated with variable power generation.
Security is another growing concern. Gabe Arrington examines why protecting energy infrastructure increasingly requires attention to the airspace above facilities, while Chris Bronk explores how organizations can combine human expertise and cybersecurity tools to protect essential systems.
For consumers, the design of electricity markets also matters. Tilsa Oré Monago examines Texas’ competitive retail electricity market, highlighting how consumer willingness to switch providers and the number of available retailers influence competition and prices.
Beyond conventional energy markets, Energy Insights 2026 examines the materials and institutions needed to support electrification and industrial development.
Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes explores barriers to financing critical minerals projects, including the role of government capital and the conditions needed to attract private investment. Osmel Manzano and Daniela Valdivia examine how energy transitions depend on extractive industries, effective institutions and engagement with communities affected by resource development.
Latin America offers a particularly important case study. The region’s oil, natural gas and mineral resources create opportunities to strengthen its position in global markets, but realizing that potential requires sustained investment and effective governance.
Francisco Monaldi examines how national oil companies influence oil development across the region. Mark Jones explores how regional governance has supported production growth in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta formation, while Lourdes Melgar considers how predictable regulatory frameworks and stronger regional supply chains could help Latin America and the Caribbean expand their role in the global economy.
The collection also extends its focus on resilience to plastics and natural disasters. Rachel Meidl and Jackie deGroot examine how circular approaches to plastics could strengthen supply chains while addressing technological, regulatory and public-perception challenges. The final contribution explores how building codes, land-use planning and sustainable insurance frameworks can help communities reduce vulnerability to natural disasters.
Across its 26 articles, Energy Insights 2026 connects economic analysis and geopolitical research with decisions about infrastructure, investment and public policy. The collection underscores that strengthening energy security requires more than identifying new sources of supply. It also means understanding market incentives, anticipating unintended consequences, building reliable infrastructure and establishing policies that support long-term investment.
As part of its mission, the Center for Energy Studies continues to examine these interconnected challenges, offering data-driven and nonpartisan analysis that can help policymakers, industry leaders and communities navigate uncertainty and make more informed decisions about the future of energy.