• Commentary

        • 25 Mar 2026

        Businesses see competitive value of energy efficiency, but smaller firms struggle to access solutions

        …position in global markets. Yet not all firms have the same capacity to quickly improve their energy efficiency.New analysis of the 2025 IEA Industrial Competitiveness Survey – which covered 1 000 companies across 14 countries – shows that business leaders view energy efficiency as closely linked to their competitive performance. But the survey also highlights a persistent divide: while large companies are often well positioned to capture these benefits, many that are small and medium-sized face barriers that limit their ability to invest in efficiency and compete on the same terms. Energy efficiency drives competitiveness across all sectors, with select industries…

        • Commentary

        • 06 Mar 2026

        The next wave of LED lighting: Smarter, circular and more efficient

        …spaces and illuminated infrastructure continues to rise around the world. Moreover, the first generation of already-installed LEDs is approaching end-of-life, creating an opportunity for the next phase of LED adoption – one that is focused on higher performance, longer lifetimes and smarter systems. Global LED adoption is moving at three speeds The global shift to LEDs has been strongly supported by government policies. Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) – which now cover about 110 countries – and labelling schemes have been key drivers. Energy efficiency obligation schemes, such as white certificates and renovation programs, have also helped stimulate LED adoption…

        • Commentary

        • 13 Mar 2026

        Why the growth of energy service companies is uneven globally

        …driving project values from about USD 5.9 billion in the early 2010s to over USD 22 billion in 2024. Growth has been sustained by progressively tighter energy efficiency and emissions reduction requirements, alongside formal support for energy performance contracting.In the United States, which already had one of the most well-established ESCO markets, the Energy Act of 2020 accelerated market growth by requiring federal agencies to implement at least half of identified efficiency measures through performance contracting. This created stable public sector demand for ESCO services and nearly doubled the market compared with pre-2020 levels.Investment levels…

        • Commentary

        • 09 Jun 2026

        The energy crisis creates even stronger impetus for EU electrification

        draft title Electrification is central to meeting the European Union’s goals on energy security, competitiveness, affordability, and emissions reductions. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has highlighted the risks of over-dependence on imported fuels and concentrated supply routes, making the case for electrification even stronger.In the EU, around 70% of electricity generation is already supplied from domestic, low-emissions sources. And yet end-users (industry, buildings and transport sectors), source less than one quarter of their energy consumption from electricity. Today, around two-thirds of end-use energy consumption relies on fossil fuels, of which the…

        • Commentary

        • 19 Jun 2026

        Delivering on the EU’s electrification ambitions

        …renewed attention to the EU’s target of increasing electrification from 24% today to 32% of energy consumption by 2030.This commentary is the second in a series examining the case for electrification in the EU. The previous instalment looked at the cost-competitiveness of electric technologies under 2025 price conditions. This commentary explores where new electricity consumption is expected to emerge across end-use sectors in order to reach the 32% target, and some of the challenges and opportunities that come with it.Over the past decade, electricity demand has grown almost twice as fast as energy demand globally…

        • Commentary

        • 19 Jan 2026

        7 certainties about energy for this age of uncertainty

        …as the countries that are increasingly driving energy demand, such as India, have a very high-quality solar resource, but other technologies are in play, too, including new ones coming through such as next-generation geothermal energy. Nuclear power is making a comeback After a series of setbacks in the 2010s, nuclear is on the rise again, generating more electricity than ever before last year. Today, more than 70 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity is under construction, one of the highest levels in the past 30 years. Soaring electricity demand from data centres means tech companies are also turning to…

        • Commentary

        • 23 Jan 2026

        Investment in next-generation geothermal is surging. Policies are key to further growth

        …stage of development. In general, geothermal projects remain among the most capital-intensive in the energy sector, with drilling and well costs often representing up to 80% of total costs. Yet the past year has seen notable progress. Once considered prohibitively expensive, next-generation projects are now demonstrating measurable efficiency gains and more competitive drilling costs amid ongoing innovation, building investor confidence. These advances – arriving just as global electricity demand surges – have helped boost fundraising. Meanwhile, new supply agreements with data centre operators, along with the prospect of geothermal projects co-producing critical minerals such as lithium, are adding to…

        • Commentary

        • 21 Apr 2026

        How governments can best support consumers during this energy crisis

        …untargeted energy bill support primarily benefits higher-income households and puts pressure on public finances When prices rise sharply, governments often first turn to broad-based price support measures that can provide immediate relief to consumers. This is already happening, with several countries in Asia and Europe temporarily capping fuel prices or reducing energy taxes.However, while untargeted support measures can be implemented relatively quickly, they present two major challenges. First, universally lowering the price of fuel when supply is tight sends the wrong market signal, weakening incentives to reduce energy use and improve efficiency in the context of the…

        • Commentary

        • 23 Jun 2026

        How accelerating electrification could strengthen energy security in Southeast Asia

        …For example, around 30% of energy consumed in Brunei Darussalam and Viet Nam is electricity, up from less than 20% in the mid-2000s. Some segments of the economy are also seeing rapid growth in electrification: in 2025, EV sales in the region more than doubled year-over-year and accounted for nearly 20% of all car sales – higher than the sales share in a number of advanced economies.Even so, there remains significant potential to further expand electrification across Southeast Asia’s industry, transport and buildings sectors – supporting more secure, affordable and sustainable energy systems across the region. Several of…

        • Commentary

        • 08 Jun 2026

        International collaboration continues to power innovation in energy technologies

        …collaboration continues to power innovation in energy technologies For 50 years, Technology Collaboration Programmes have played a crucial part in advancing international energy goals Throughout history, collaboration among researchers and experts across countries has been a motor of innovation in energy technologies. By advancing our understanding of energy fundamentals, improving the efficiency and quality of existing processes and materials, and supporting the development of frontier technologies that strengthen the energy security and sustainability, this coordination has accelerated progress and shed new light on the implications of innovative technologies around the world.An understanding that energy technology innovation can play a…

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