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How accelerating electrification could strengthen energy security in Southeast Asia
…rising energy demand while mitigating these energy security risks. Efficient electric technologies, such as electric motors, heat pumps and electric vehicles, can deliver the same services while consuming less energy than fossil fuel-based alternatives. Shifting final energy consumption towards electricity generated from domestic and low-emissions sources can also reduce dependence on imported fuels, strengthen system resilience and reduce emissions.Electrification is already shaping energy trends across Southeast Asia, with electricity accounting for 23% of final energy consumption today – higher than the global average. Some countries have even higher shares. For example, around 30% of energy consumed in Brunei…
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7 certainties about energy for this age of uncertainty
…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 nuclear, attracted by its promise of low-emissions, round-the-clock power supply. Energy security risks are multiplying, especially for critical minerals Traditional hazards affecting the security of oil and gas supplies are now accompanied by vulnerabilities in other areas, including electricity security, as highlighted by the recent major blackouts in Chile and Spain, and…
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Investment in next-generation geothermal is surging. Policies are key to further growth
…provide heating and cooling, electricity and energy storage. As global electricity demand rises and power systems place a growing premium on firm supply, geothermal energy’s ability to provide an around-the-clock, low-emissions source of power is attracting renewed attention. However, easy-to-access conventional geothermal resources are relatively rare and mostly confined to a small 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…
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Canada is set to play a leading role in supplying the world with responsibly produced critical minerals
…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, batteries and battery components, and other strategic applications, underpinned by its abundant low-emissions power and critical mineral resources. Since 2020, Canada has attracted large-scale investments in electric vehicle and battery supply chains from a range of foreign companies, inc...
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The energy crisis creates even stronger impetus for EU electrification
…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 EU imports more than 80%.This commentary is the first in a series examining the case…
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Delivering on the EU’s electrification ambitions
…Commission has proposed establishing 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…
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Impacts of Middle East conflict set to reshape energy investment plans as disruptions put focus on security
…on the one hand, and turning more to domestically available resources, on the other. These range from renewables and nuclear to coal, oil and gas, in some cases – as well as broader measures to strengthen electricity systems, expand electrification and accelerate energy efficiency.”The report projects that global energy investment will reach $3.4 trillion in 2026, a slight increase year-on-year. Around $2.2 trillion is expected to go to grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, nuclear, renewables, efficiency and electrification in 2026, while around $1.2 trillion is set to be invested in oil, natural gas and coal…
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What it would take to unlock the next phase of hydrogen growth
…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, which spearheaded the announcement of hundreds of low-emissions hydrogen production projects.This created high…
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From farms to fuel: Ukraine’s biomethane opportunity for energy security and European decarbonisation
Ukraine biomethane A strategic opportunity for biomethane in Ukraine In 2025, Ukraine exported biomethane to the European Union (EU) for the first time – a milestone that opens an opportunity to scale-up domestic low-emissions gas. Home to the largest agricultural land area in Europe, Ukraine has the resource potential to become one of the continent’s leading biomethane producers, supplying both its domestic market and the EU via an already existing pipeline infrastructure.The first exports of biomethane come at a critical moment. Repeated Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure have exposed the vulnerabilities of centralised energy supply. Although…
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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…