Oil and gas prices are soaring. Some countries are ready with solar panels and EVs

[Uncle Joe]

As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran continues, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, cutting off a quarter of oil and natural gas supplies from the rest of the world. Qatar has shut down its liquified natural gas or LNG production, with no clear date to restart in sight.

But energy experts say some countries are better positioned to weather this energy crisis than they would have been just a few years ago. That's because of the rapid growth of renewable energy, battery systems and electric vehicles, says Jan Rosenow, energy and climate professor at Oxford University.

"That's not a coincidence," Rosenow says. "It's a deliberate strategy to move away from [imported oil] and electrify."

In China, more than half of new car sales are now electric. In Nepal, it's more than 70%. As oil prices rise, residents with EVs are less vulnerable than if they had to rely on fuel. "It's an energy security solution and it's a cost solution," says Kingsmill Bond, analyst at the energy think tank Ember.

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https://www.npr.org/2026/03/16/nx-s1-5732984/energy-iran-war-solar-pakistan-crisis-renewable-evs