A BRICS Playbook for Energy

Strategic pathways for navigating power, politics, and partnership in the global South.

A New Energy Order

The BRICS bloc — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — is no longer a loose alignment of emerging economies. It's an evolving coalition reshaping the rules of trade, diplomacy, and more crucially, energy. In 2024, with expanded membership and renewed geopolitical relevance, BRICS is increasingly becoming a pivot point in the global energy narrative.

For energy companies, state-owned utilities, and governments alike, this shift presents both immense opportunity and strategic complexity. With over 40% of the world’s population, vast natural resources, and surging demand, BRICS nations are rewriting the blueprint for energy investment, cooperation, and innovation.

This is not about watching from the sidelines — it’s about playing to win. And every winning team needs a playbook.

The Context — Shifting Currents in Global Energy

Traditional global energy models have long been dominated by the West — from the pricing of crude oil to the financing of large-scale infrastructure. But the narrative is shifting.

• Russia and China are deepening energy cooperation in oil and gas, bypassing dollar dominance.

• India is ramping up solar and hydrogen capacity at unprecedented scales.

• Brazil is leveraging its hydroelectric strength while cautiously balancing oil output.

• South Africa, despite its energy crisis, remains a key node in Africa’s green energy corridor.

And now with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, and others joining the BRICS+ discussion, the game is expanding fast. We're moving from "energy as a commodity" to "energy as strategy" — and BRICS nations are at the centre of that pivot.

Understanding the Gameboard — Common Patterns Across BRICS

Despite political differences and varying levels of infrastructure maturity, BRICS nations share a few strategic energy patterns:

1. State Involvement is Deep: Energy in BRICS is not just business — it’s nation-building. Governments are both regulators and market players.

2. Infrastructure is Under Pressure: Grid instability, aging transmission, and underfunded utilities create both constraints and opportunity for innovation.

3. Green Transition is Inevitable but Uneven: Every BRICS country has committed to energy transition. But timelines, technologies, and investment capacity differ widely.

4. Localisation is Non-Negotiable: From procurement policies to labour requirements, BRICS governments are demanding local impact for foreign investment.

5. Energy and Diplomacy are Intertwined: Pipelines, LNG terminals, and power corridors often double as instruments of foreign policy.

The Playbook — Five Moves That Matter

Move 1: Invest in Market Intelligence, Not Just Projects

BRICS markets are complex — with fluid policy environments, shifting currency risks, and strong informal economies. Understanding the people, politics, and patterns behind each market is non-negotiable.

GBSH Tip: Don’t just track legislation. Track election cycles, ministerial shakeups, and trade alignments — these impact energy deals more than technical specs.

Move 2: Embed Local Strategy Early

Too many global firms try to “import the model” — assuming that what worked in Europe or the U.S. will translate seamlessly. It won’t.

GBSH Tip: Build a localisation strategy from Day 1. Think: community equity, local manufacturing nodes, and local partner capacity building.

Move 3: Build Coalitions, Not Just Contracts

In BRICS markets, the path to execution often runs through alliances, not just RFPs. Think PPPs, state-aligned development funds, and cross-border power pools.

GBSH Tip: Invest in stakeholder mapping as if it’s core infrastructure. It is.

Move 4: Plan for Dual Pathways — Fossil and Future

Green energy dominates headlines, but fossil fuels still dominate the energy mix. The smart money knows how to work both lanes.

GBSH Tip: Design hybrid roadmaps that de-risk transition while ensuring near-term energy security. Policymakers love realism.

Move 5: Future-Proof With Flexibility

In the BRICS world, today’s champion project can become tomorrow’s political liability. Flexibility in financing, timelines, and even technology adoption is key.

GBSH Tip: Use modular project designs, staggered investment tranches, and blended finance structures to stay agile.

BRICS-by-BRICS — A Quick Snapshot

Scaling With Insight

Winning in BRICS energy is not about brute force or big budgets. It’s about insight, flexibility, and long-term strategy. The firms that win are those who treat intelligence as infrastructure and strategy as evolution.

At GBSH, we don’t just advise — we embed, we translate, and we help clients execute transformation that lasts beyond the deal.