The metal at the heart of the Age of Electricity

Since the start of the Iran war in February, energy exports from Middle East countries through the Strait of Hormuz and via other routes have become the focus of intense global attention, with significant implications for the world economy and especially for Middle East countries themselves.    In this episode, IEA Senior Oil Analyst Rebecca Schulz discusses how escalating attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and on energy infrastructure across the Middle East threaten to derail the recent recovery in the region’s oil exports. And Middle East and North Africa Programme Manager Nadim Abillama speaks about the effects of the current conflicts on energy systems and economies around the region, including for producers’ export revenues and for energy security and affordability in different countries. The episode was recorded on 14 October 2026.

Since the mid-20th century, scientists and engineers around the world have been working to harness the potential of fusion energy. Driven by the knowledge that success could revolutionise the energy system, they have pursued fusion’s tantalising potential to provide abundant around-the-clock electricity with minimal fuel inputs, no direct emissions and very little radioactive waste.   Recently, momentum behind the sector has been building. Government-led research programmes have achieved a series of technological milestones, and investment from the private sector has surged. Together, these developments have supported growing interest in the sector – although significant challenges still need to be overcome to make fusion power plants technically and economically feasible.   In this episode, we look at where fusion energy stands today and where it could be headed, based on interviews with four experts from across the industry: Alain Bécoulet, ITER’s Chief Scientist; Simon Bennett, an IEA analyst focused on energy innovation; Jennifer Ganten, the Chief Global Affairs Officer at Commonwealth Fusion Systems; and David Maisonnier, Chair of the IEA’s Fusion Power Coordinating Committee. They explain how fusion works, discuss the sector’s evolution, and outline the remaining questions that need to be answered before a power plant running on fusion energy is connected to the grid.

Around the world, the price of diesel is at or near all-time highs, with major implications for shipping, agriculture and the broader economy. In this episode, we speak with IEA experts David Martin and Talya Vatman who explain why diesel prices have risen more sharply than those of gasoline and crude oil – taking stock of the impacts from the war in the Middle East, Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries, and limited capacity across the refining sector globally. They also discuss how the situation could evolve in the coming months.