• Commentary

        • 10 Feb 2026

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

        …was met with a vigorous response from the private sector, which spearheaded the announcement of hundreds of low-emissions hydrogen production projects.This created high expectations for what was still a nascent sector. When the IEA published its Global Hydrogen Review 2022, governments had adopted targets that cumulatively accounted for 190 GW of electrolysis capacity by 2030 – even though less than 0.7 GW was operational at the end of 2022 and, according to the latest data available, global capacity was on track to barely surpass 4 GW in 2025.To be sure, setting ambitious goals has proved useful in attracting corporate…

        • Commentary

        • 27 Mar 2026

        Policy and financing momentum sustain CCUS progress despite setbacks

        …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 the first quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026 – found that capture capacity that was operational or under construction during this period was over 10% higher than in the previous Database update, which covered the first quarter of 2024 through the first quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, storage capacity increased by around 25%. In terms of future prospects, the total…

        • Commentary

        • 23 Jan 2026

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

        …number of shallow geothermal hotspots globally, accounting for only about 1% of global electricity demand today.Next-generation geothermal technology developers are seeking to overcome these limits by drilling deeper and harnessing heat from hard-to-reach reservoirs. Operators can either circulate fluid through fractures that have been induced (through what is known as enhanced geothermal systems) or transfer heat to the surface through closed-loop circuits. These technologies are advancing quickly, potentially enabling economically-viable geothermal development nearly anywhere in the world. The IEA’s Future of Geothermal Energy report, published in late 2024, estimated that with continued technology…

        • Commentary

        • 29 May 2026

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

        …in grid connection and permitting, will be key to setting the pace of growth. Growth in battery storage capacity broke records again in 2025, with new markets growing fast Global battery storage deployment expanded strongly last year. Total capacity additions reached 108 gigawatts (GW), up around 40% from 2024. Annual growth of this scale exceeds the historical peak for gas‑fired power capacity additions, which was around 107 GW in 2002.Utility‑scale battery storage accounted for around 87 GW of global battery capacity additions in 2025, around four-fifths of the total. Behind-the-meter battery storage deployment also accelerated, particularly in markets with…

        • Commentary

        • 19 Jan 2026

        7 certainties about energy for this age of uncertainty

        …widely used for many years to come, but the use of electricity is growing twice as a fast as overall energy demand. It’s the key energy input to the most dynamic parts of the global economy – such as AI, data centres and high-tech manufacturing – and is increasing its share of major sectors like road transport and heating through technologies such as EVs and heat pumps. Already today, more than half of the investment going into the global energy sector each year is going to electricity. Renewables will keep growing Despite some headwinds, in many countries around the world…

        • Commentary

        • 13 Feb 2026

        Global battery markets are growing strongly – and so are the supply risks

        part 1- lithium-ion batteries Batteries’ importance is increasing across key sectors including autos, power, data centres and beyond The global lithium-ion battery market exceeded USD 150 billion in 2025, an increase of over 20% from 2024, but its economic and strategic significance extends far beyond market size. Batteries are becoming a cornerstone of the automotive sector, a critical source of flexibility for power systems, and an increasingly important source of back-up power for digital infrastructure, including data centres and artificial intelligence.Beyond energy, batteries remain indispensable for a wide range of industrial and strategic applications, from portable…

        • Commentary

        • 27 Jan 2026

        Designing an effective strategic stockpiling system for critical minerals

        critical minerals 2025 was the year when the risks of highly concentrated critical minerals supply chains materialised at scale The IEA has long warned of the potential security risks associated with the high concentration of critical mineral supply chains. In 2025, these risks became a reality, marking a major turning point for global economic security. The rare 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…

        • Commentary

        • 17 Feb 2026

        Sodium-ion battery momentum grows, but challenges remain

        …ion batteries was installed a few years earlier, in 2019 in China. However, in 2025 their total global production was less than 1% of that of lithium-ion technologies.Recent technological advances and investment announcements suggest that this dynamic is starting to change. CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer, released its second-generation sodium-ion batteries and has confirmed plans for their commercial-scale deployment across multiple sectors starting in 2026. BYD, the second largest producer, began construction of its first sodium-ion battery plant in January 2024, targeting applications in electric vehicles, grid-scale storage and industry. Hina…

        • Commentary

        • 04 Feb 2026

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

        …companies, is already a major centre for the global mining industry. Though mineral mining takes place in every province and territory, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan account for about three-quarters of total exploration spending domestically and 85% of total capital expenditure. Large urban cities such as Toronto and Vancouver are also recognised as global hubs for mining and mineral exploration, financing and corporate services. The manufacturing of technologies that use critical minerals is gaining momentum, but challenges remain The IEA’s Review found that Canada also has the strong potential to grow its manufacturing base for renewable energy technologies…

        • Commentary

        • 13 May 2026

        Energy crisis threatens world’s most vulnerable as cooking fuel shortages grow

        The Energy Crisis hits the Homefront: A growing shortage of cooking fuels The Middle East crisis has highlighted the energy security risks for a fundamental need: the ability to cook a meal The conflict in the Middle East has triggered a global energy crisis of unprecedented magnitude. The daily volumes of oil lost to global markets in March 2026 surpassed the peak supply losses of the two major oil shocks of the 1970s combined.Previous energy crises affected economies and societies in profound ways, often forcing households to ration fuel for their cars and heating for their homes. The 2026…

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