Strait of Hormuz Crippled, Two Nations Immune Thanks to Renewable Energy

Countries that generate more electricity from wind, solar, and other renewable sources have proven more resilient against global energy shocks, according to energy experts amid escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The conflict has widened since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February 2026. Energy infrastructure in the region has become a target, and the threat of Iranian retaliation has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas supplies typically pass.

This disruption has made fuel difficult to reach countries that depend on it for electricity generation, home heating, industry, and transportation. Fuel prices have surged globally, and the pressure on living costs risks becoming heavier.

“Energy is the lifeblood of our society and industry,” said Antony Froggatt, energy expert at the Brussels-based NGO Transport & Environment, as quoted by DW on Friday, 13 March 2026. “And we are still very dependent on fossil fuels.”

The world currently obtains approximately 80 per cent of its primary energy from fossil fuels, the main source of greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. This dependency makes economies vulnerable to geopolitical shocks, according to Rana Adib, Executive Secretary of the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21).

Countries with a larger proportion of “domestically produced” renewable energy in their energy mix are considered “more resilient to such shocks”.

Green energy technologies such as wind turbines, solar panels, and batteries do have global supply chains that can be affected by geopolitical tensions. However, the energy they produce typically comes from within the country itself.

“Once the technology exists in a country, the fuel used is the sun, wind, and geothermal heat, all of which are local,” said Adib. “That is why renewable energy is far more resilient to global shocks.”

Concerns about dependence on oil and gas imports following the 2008 financial crisis prompted Uruguay to seriously transition to renewable energy.

Two decades ago, the small South American nation with 3.5 million inhabitants began designing an ambitious plan to eliminate fossil fuels from its electricity grid by aggressively expanding wind farms.