• Commentary

        • 27 Mar 2026

        Policy and financing momentum sustain CCUS progress despite setbacks

        CCUS Projects Database 2026 commentary Efforts to expand carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) took some important steps forward in 2025. Despite delays and cancellations in some areas, projects reached notable milestones in key markets, while growing financing provided further momentum.CCUS deployment in Europe saw a step-change as the world’s first dedicated carbon dioxide CO2 storage hub began operating in Norway. Major projects were also commissioned in China and North America, and the construction of new facilities began in eight countries worldwide. The newest annual update to the IEA’s CCUS Project Database – which incorporates developments between…

        • Event

        • 31 Mar 2026

        Financing CCUS at scale: how to mobilise private capital

        Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) has been grabbing the recent attention of governments and financiers as both look to balance policy and investment goals. Recent financial investment decisions of major projects show promise in a sector that is gaining momentum, but its future success depends on viable business models and effective risk allocation across the value chain.  In this context, Financing CCUS at scale is the IEA’s latest report on what it takes to move CCUS projects from the drawing board to operation. The report investigates the distinctive economic and financial characteristics of CCUS projects, and the impact…

        • Commentary

        • 08 Jun 2026

        International collaboration continues to power innovation in energy technologies

        …development and commercialisation of energy technologies – and to bring valuable knowledge to policymakers worldwide. Over the past five decades, some 80 TCPs have been created, and today there are 38 active groups covering nearly every aspect of the energy ecosystem – from renewables and smart grids to hydrogen, carbon capture, fossil energy and next-generation fuels.The TCPs currently involve thousands of experts from approximately 300 public and private organisations across around 60 countries. This includes representatives of non-IEA Member countries. Many of the original initiatives remain active today, continuously evolving to meet emerging technological breakthroughs and global energy challenges…

        • Commentary

        • 10 Feb 2026

        What it would take to unlock the next phase of hydrogen growth

        …that can produce low-emissions hydrogen have attracted a lot of interest from governments given their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and diversify energy supply, particularly in countries that have a large dependence on fossil fuel imports.Low-emissions hydrogen production – or the production of hydrogen from low-emissions electricity via water electrolysis, from bioenergy or from fossil fuels in combination with carbon capture and storage – is still at an early stage today. But it saw impressive momentum in the early 2020s, when a wave of ambitious government commitments was met with a vigorous response from the private sector…

        • Commentary

        • 15 Jun 2026

        From farms to fuel: Ukraine’s biomethane opportunity for energy security and European decarbonisation

        …in terms of available feedstock.  Ukraine’s biomethane sector benefits from another advantage in addition to feedstock availability: well-developed domestic gas infrastructure. The country’s extensive gas network connects in the West and South to Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania via Moldova, with a combined exit capacity of around 140 bcm of natural gas per year. Ukraine also hosts Europe’s largest underground gas storage facilities, with a total capacity of 31 bcm. Located mainly in the western part of the country, far from the frontline, these facilities could also be used to store biomethane alongside natural gas. Together…

        • Commentary

        • 29 May 2026

        Battery storage is scaling up and taking on a larger system role

        …result of falling costs and greater flexibility needs, battery storage is playing a growing role in power systems worldwide, acting as a “multi-tool” that can provide a range of critical system services at once. According to the latest data, the deployment of batteries expanded strongly in 2025 and broadened across markets – with rapid growth in countries such as Australia and Saudi Arabia, where storage is increasingly being used to support the integration of rising shares of variable renewables.In regions that have been at the forefront of renewable integration and battery deployment, batteries now play an essential role in…

        • Commentary

        • 27 Jan 2026

        Designing an effective strategic stockpiling system for critical minerals

        …earths export controls announced by China in October 2025 posed major national and economic security risks across the world, with potentially severe impacts for a range of strategic sectors including energy, automotive, defence, aerospace, AI and semiconductors. Earlier export controls introduced in April had already resulted in some automotive factories around the world being forced to cut utilisation rates or even temporarily shut down.Beyond rare earths, export controls have also been imposed on a range of strategic minerals including gallium, germanium, graphite and tungsten, which play a crucial role in strategic applications such as semiconductors, batteries, aerospace and defence…

        • Commentary

        • 19 Jun 2026

        Delivering on the EU’s electrification ambitions

        …an Industrial Development Bank to mobilise EUR 100 billion, of which a first EUR 1 billion auction has started. As low- and medium-temperature heat accounts for only around one-third of the EU’s total industrial energy demand, policy support is also emerging for the electrification of higher-temperature processes: 9 of the 15 projects which won funding in the first round of Germany’s Carbon Contracts for Difference Auction aim to use electricity to supply heat at temperatures above 150⁰C.In buildings, reaching the economy-wide target would see the electrification rate increase to 43%, up from 37...

        • Commentary

        • 04 Feb 2026

        Canada is set to play a leading role in supplying the world with responsibly produced critical minerals

        Commentary Already a mining hub, Canada could play a big part in diversifying global mineral supply chains Since 2023, the IEA has been conducting Critical Mineral Reviews – in-depth country reviews of critical mineral policies and security that have served as part of the Agency’s pioneering work to ensure secure mineral supply chains. The latest Critical Minerals Review of Canada shows that at a time of increasing concentration risks, including from export controls by the dominant supplier, Canada has the potential to contribute to the development of secure, diversified and competitive global supply chains for critical minerals.Canada can…

        • Commentary

        • 13 Mar 2026

        Why the growth of energy service companies is uneven globally

        ESCO The global annual ESCO market growth rate has more than doubled over the past five years Energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective tools for enhancing energy security, reducing household energy bills and supporting countries’ efforts to reduce emissions. Energy service companies (ESCOs) – firms that develop and implement energy efficiency projects typically financed through verified energy savings – are playing a growing role in delivering energy efficiency improvements across buildings, industry and transport infrastructure worldwide. By integrating project development, financing and performance guarantees, ESCOs can offer a proven way to reduce upfront investment barriers and shift technical and…

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