Energy is a central component of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), explicitly reflected in SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. However, the theme of energy cuts across multiple SDGs, demonstrating the interconnectivity of these global goals.
SDG 7's objective is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Energy, in its various forms, is a vital driver of economic growth and is pivotal to nearly all aspects of development. Without a steady and reliable supply of energy, societies can hardly progress. However, millions of people around the world still lack access to modern and clean energy services. The emphasis on "affordable and clean" energy within this goal shows the need to transition from traditional energy sources, often characterized by high environmental costs, to more sustainable ones like wind, solar, and hydropower.
Energy's role is also significant in achieving other SDGs. For example, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, emphasizes the need for sustainable and resilient infrastructure with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean technologies. It is almost impossible to achieve this without a sustainable energy framework. Similarly, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, calls for making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, and one of its targets (11.6) directly refers to the environmental impact of cities, for which energy is a key factor.
Furthermore, energy is a crucial player in SDG 13: Climate Action. The energy sector represents the largest single source of global greenhouse gas emissions. Transitioning to a sustainable energy future, therefore, is critical for tackling climate change. Efforts to reduce emissions and promote clean energy sources are crucial to mitigate climate change and its impacts.
S. Bhattacharya & G. Nikitas, Energy and Climate Change: Our New Future, 2025, Pages 197-224
This chapter supports SDGs 7, 11, and 13, by providing an overview of wind energy and current challenges and opportunities, with a particular focus on offshore wind energy which is an increasingly important part of the energy transition.
Massimiliano, Rosa-Clot & Tina, Progress in Floating Photovoltaic Systems, 2025, Pages 1-23
This chapter supports SDGs 7, 11, and 13, by providing an overview of floating photovoltaics as a major segment within photovoltaics, reviewing the current situation and future potential of floating PV as a key area of solar energy.
Gioia Falcone, Christopher S. Brown, Isa Kolo, David Banks, Orestis Angelidis, Chapter 7 - Geothermal production, injection, and storage engineering, Editor(s): Silviu Livescu, Birol Dindoruk, Geothermal Energy Engineering, Elsevier, 2025, Pages 181-220.
The chapter aligns with UN SDGs 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and 13 (Climate Action) by advocating for the use of geothermal technologies to provide clean, sustainable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the transition to a more sustainable energy future.
Philip J. Ball, Graham Banks, Mikenna Montgomery, Juan Carlos Afonso, Chapter 12 - Global screening for superhot rock geothermal energy: Geodynamic settings, prospective heat endowment and extraction techniques, Editors: Silviu Livescu, Birol Dindoruk, Geothermal Energy Engineering, Elsevier, 2025, Pages 379-462.
This chapter supports UN SDGs 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and 13 (Climate Action) by advancing the understanding and utilization of geothermal resources to promote sustainable and clean energy solutions, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.
Arévalo, Benavides & Ochoa-Correa, Towards Future Smart Power Systems with High Penetration of Renewables: Emerging Technologies, New Tools, and Case Studies, 2025, Pages 213-237
This chapter aligns with SDGs 7, 11, and 10, by offering a case study on renewable energy and rural electrification in Ecuador, in the context of socioeconomic challenges and climate change, whilst also drawing on other examples from developing countries elsewhere.
