• Commentary

        • 10 Feb 2026

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

        Can hydrogen scale up successfully Global hydrogen demand reached 100 Mt in 2024, mainly from refineries, the production of chemicals and the iron and steel sector. Demand grew by almost 2% from 2023, in line with overall energy demand growth. This consumption was almost completely met with hydrogen produced from unabated fossil fuels, using 290 billion cubic metres of natural gas and 90 million tonnes of coal equivalent. However, alternative technologies 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…

        • Commentary

        • 09 Jun 2026

        The energy crisis creates even stronger impetus for EU electrification

        …Today, around two-thirds of end-use energy consumption relies on fossil fuels, of which the EU imports more than 80%.This commentary is the first in a series examining the case for electrification in the EU, identifying cost competitiveness and areas where targeted policies could catalyse change. Fuel price ratios determine electrification competitiveness To make electrification cost-competitive, electricity prices need to fall below a threshold ratio relative to the price of fossil fuels. Because most electrification options are several times more efficient than conventional alternatives, they can be cheaper to operate than conventional fuel-based technologies even when…

        • Commentary

        • 13 Feb 2026

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

        …seen in 2020.At the same time, regional price disparities have widened. In 2025, battery pack prices in China were 30% lower than in the United States, and 35% lower than in Europe. Record low lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery prices also contributed significantly to overall cost reductions in 2025. LFP battery prices fell by more than 15%, compared with less than 5% for lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NMC) batteries – the second most deployed battery chemistry globally. This made LFP batteries on average more than 40% cheaper than NMC alternatives. As a result, LFP accounted for over half of EV…

        • Commentary

        • 19 Jun 2026

        Delivering on the EU’s electrification ambitions

        …the EU’s total energy demand and cost the bloc EUR 380 billion in 2024. The risks associated with the EU’s reliance on fuel imports have been highlighted by recent market disruptions linked to the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict in the Middle East, bringing 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…

        • 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…

        • Commentary

        • 21 Apr 2026

        How governments can best support consumers during this energy crisis

        …around 70% of the total value of a broadly applied reduction in fuel excise duty ends up benefiting middle-high and higher-income groups.This is particularly important because lower-income households are also the most exposed to energy price shocks. At the height of the 2022 energy crisis, low-income households in advanced economies spent around one-quarter of their income on energy – up 4 percentage points from 2021. By contrast, median-income households spent around 10% of their income on energy, with an increase of less than 2 percentage points.Untargeted support also comes at a high fiscal cost...

        • Commentary

        • 29 May 2026

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

        Commentary As the 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…

        • Commentary

        • 13 May 2026

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

        …restaurants, street food vendors and other commercial or public establishments. This amount was sufficient to meet the cooking needs of 820 million people. The remainder was mostly used for water heating and as a feedstock in the petrochemical industry, a segment dominated by China, where there is some flexibility to switch to alternative feedstocks when more cost-effective. India’s LPG imports have been particularly affected, dropping by more than half over the first two months of the conflict, a loss of around 430 kb/d. The government responded by instructing domestic refineries to maximise LPG output, adding an estimated…

        • Commentary

        • 25 Mar 2026

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

        …energy efficiency, but SMEs struggle to benefit Energy efficiency is a strategic asset for industrial competitiveness. For companies facing tight margins, volatile energy prices and intensifying global competition, reducing energy waste is not only a cost-saving measure, but also a way to protect productivity, manage risk and strengthen their 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…

        • Commentary

        • 17 Feb 2026

        Sodium-ion battery momentum grows, but challenges remain

        batteries commentary sodium batteries Recent technological advances and investment announcements suggest dynamics are shifting for sodium-ion batteries Sodium-ion batteries are emerging as a new player in battery markets, offering opportunities to diversify battery chemistries and supply chains at a time of rising global demand for electric vehicles and energy storage. Developed in laboratories since the early 1980s, sodium-ion batteries operate on the same fundamental principles as lithium‑ion batteries – which currently dominate the market – yet their path to commercialisation has been markedly slower.While lithium-ion batteries entered commercial use in the 1990s – with the first electric vehicles…

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