As the global energy system transitions from fossil fuels to renewable sources, new geopolitical tensions are emerging-this time centered on solar power. Historically, access to energy has shaped international relations, particularly during the oil-dominated 20th century. Today, solar-rich regions in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia are becoming strategic focal points in this energy transition. This paper examines the potential for future conflict over solar resources, including competition for high-irradiance territories, access to critical minerals such as lithium and rare earth elements, and control of advanced solar infrastructure.

The analysis also highlights the geopolitical risks associated with space-based solar power (SBSP), including the possibility of orbital militarization. It explores the vulnerability of solar infrastructure to cyberattacks, as digitalization and smart-grid integration create new pathways for energy sabotage. These emerging risks mirror the dynamics of the fossil fuel era-resource dependency, unequal access, and strategic rivalry-while being further amplified by climate change-induced instability.

Drawing on comparative case studies and strategic risk assessment, the study underscores the urgent need for ethical governance, inclusive technology sharing, and multilateral cooperation to prevent solar energy from becoming a new source of conflict. It concludes that as solar power rises in strategic importance, achieving a just and peaceful energy transition will be one of the defining challenges of 21st-century geopolitics.