Modern challenges in energy infrastructure project management

Abstract

The global transition toward renewable energy is accompanied by rapid growth in the scale and complexity of energy infrastructure projects, substantially elevating risks of cost overruns, schedule violations, and failure to meet performance targets. According to International Energy Agency estimates, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 requires approximately $4 trillion in annual clean energy investment through 2030, a threefold increase over current levels. Research Objectives. The study aims to systematize and analyze the key management challenges in energy infrastructure projects, determine their interrelationships, and propose recommendations for improving delivery outcomes. Methods. The study employs a systematic literature review methodology: searches were conducted in Web of Science and Scopus databases using Boolean keyword combinations covering the period 2019–2025. After duplicate removal and screening of 327 identified publications, 43 peer-reviewed sources were selected for thematic synthesis. Study quality was assessed using adapted CASP criteria. Inductive coding was applied to organize challenges into six thematic domains. Results and Implications. The synthesis identified six principal management challenge domains: financial overruns averaging 28–47% above initial budgets; technological integration complexity in smart grid systems; supply chain fragmentation for critical materials; regulatory inconsistencies across jurisdictions; specialized workforce deficits; and climate adaptation requirements for long-duration assets. Stakeholder misalignment and inadequate risk assessment were found to drive 64% of documented delays. Digital tools, Building Information Modeling and predictive analytics, demonstrate improvement potential, yet implementation remains constrained by organizational and human capacity factors. Future research priorities include development of integrated management frameworks tailored to energy infrastructure contexts and longitudinal studies tracking how challenges evolve as the sector matures technologically.Recieved: 13.06.2025. Recieved: 01.08.2026. Accepted: 20.08.2026