Earth Day 2025: How EVs Are Supporting Clean Energy Goals
April 22nd, 2025 is Earth Day — a global call for collective action to safeguard the planet, centred around this year’s theme: Our Power, Our Planet.
The focus is clear — triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, which means hitting a 16.6% annual growth rate.
“Let us commit to harnessing renewable energy to build a healthy, sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for all,” urges EarthDay.org.
“Let us commit to renewable energy now.”
EV’s influence on Earth Day
Earth Day 2025 sets a bold global ambition: triple renewable energy capacity by the end of the decade.
With a required annual growth rate of 16.6%, it’s a challenge that lands squarely on the radar of the EV industry.
From manufacturers and software firms to logistics and infrastructure developers, the transition to a decarbonised transport system depends on clean, scalable and reliable energy.
“The race to net zero will not be won through words alone, we will only get there if we commit the time and resources to achieve change every single day,” explains André Lacroix, CEO at Intertek.
“This year’s global theme, ‘Our Planet, Our Power’ serves as an inspiration to organisations and individuals to lead through action and integrity when it comes to fighting climate change.”
EV stakeholders are already deeply enmeshed in this shift, without clean power EV adoption risks becoming an empty gesture.
That’s why power generation — from solar and wind to geothermal and hydro — matters as much to carmakers as battery manufacturers.
“Together, let’s innovate for a healthier planet. Microsoft aims to be carbon negative by 2030 and have zero waste in our direct operations, using our AI solutions to achieve environmental goals,” says Andrew Kerr, General Manager at Microsoft Northeast.
From clean energy to cleaner roads
The global renewable energy market hit US$1.21tn in 2023 and is on track to grow at 17.2% per year until 2030.
This trajectory directly impacts electric mobility, as charging infrastructure, vehicle production and operations lean on the power sector's greening efforts.
In China, which leads globally in both solar and wind energy, EV manufacturing is scaling at pace, supported by twice the renewable capacity under construction compared with the rest of the world combined.
The US, buoyed by its Inflation Reduction Act, is also backing clean energy investments that will save households between US$27bn and US$38bn between 2022 and 2030 — part of which contributes to EV charging infrastructure.
Countries like Uruguay and Brazil, with high shares of renewables, 98% and 68% respectively, show how clean power can enable low-carbon transport.
Meanwhile in Australia, where one-third of homes now have rooftop solar panels, EV owners are increasingly generating and storing their own driving power.
Storage is critical too, the Andasol CSP plant in Spain, for example, uses molten salt tanks to store thermal energy from the sun — a model that supports grid stability and matches EV charging with peak generation times.
For those building the ships that transport EVs globally, there’s recognition that the transition must go beyond land.
“Cutting emissions is not something we have to make today for today. It is something that one should attain at a long-vision programme,” comments Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO at Fincantieri, speaking during his time as CEO at Maire Tecnimont.
“This is the time to share a bold plan for industrial recovery with a positive impact on the economy, the society and the environment.”
Health, equity and action: Why clean transport matters
The shift to renewables isn’t just about electricity — it's about equity and wellbeing.
More than 3.8 billion people live below the Modern Energy Minimum of 1,000 kWh per year, which hinders development and access to cleaner transport.
Clean energy not only reduces emissions but also cuts air pollution, lowers health risks and opens economic opportunity.
“We are reinforcing our dedication to environmental sustainability by raising awareness and inspiring action toward a greener future,” comments Chee Gay Lim, Managing Director at The Access Group.
Women are disproportionately affected by pollution, with increased risks of cancer and reproductive health issues.
Fossil fuel use exacerbates climate-related mental health impacts, waterborne diseases and noise pollution — all of which clean technologies help reduce.
As the private sector adopts zero-emission fleets, public transport electrifies and individuals shift to electric, the need for a clean energy backbone becomes urgent.
“This Earth Day is emphasising the urgency with which we need to shift to clean and renewable energy sources. The private sector will play a major role in the transition,” says Andrew Walton, Chief Sustainability Officer at Lloyds Banking Group.
“We’re supporting infrastructure initiatives critical to delivering a cleaner energy system.”
Education, too, underpins this evolution.
“Education plays a critical role in empowering and inspiring long-term sustainability. By helping young people understand the connections between energy, water and climate, we’re laying the groundwork for more informed decision-making,” says Callie Bendickson, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Itron.
Technology, innovation and behavioural change intersect to drive the green transition.
“Innovation and technology are core enablers of regenerative agriculture,” explains Donato Del Vecchio, Chief Sustainability Officer at British American Tobacco.
“This leads to more resilient crops and a more sustainable agricultural system in the communities where we operate.”
That same innovation fuels EV developments, battery recycling and energy efficiency improvements.
Earth Day’s call for action resonates strongly with citizens and businesses.
“The urgency of the current climate crisis demands immediate action, and everyone, from critical industries to consumers, has a part to play,” comments Kelly Becker, President, UK & Ireland, Belgium & Netherlands at Schneider Electric.
“By replacing processes reliant on fossil fuels with those that maximise the potential of renewable energy, we can move towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. This Earth Day, we need to start turning ambition into action.”
The EV transition depends on people.
Whether it’s choosing cleaner modes of transport or reducing waste, individual action shapes demand.
“What better time to think about how we can all make little choices to help protect the environment,” says Ivo van den Brand, Chief Marketing Officer at Too Good To Go.
As the world celebrates Earth Day 2025, the EV industry joins the call not just for cleaner vehicles, but for a world where energy is renewable, equitable and universal.
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