• Commentary

        • 19 Jan 2026

        7 certainties about energy for this age of uncertainty

        …Oil and gas will still be 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…

        • 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

        • 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

        • 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

        • 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…

        • Commentary

        • 02 Mar 2026

        Copper prices have hit record highs, but smelters face mounting strategic pressures

        copper Copper markets enter uncharted territory as structural and short-term pressures converge Copper prices have surged to record highs this year, briefly exceeding USD 14 500 per tonne (intraday) in January 2026, having only passed USD 12 000 per tonne for the first time in December 2025. The unprecedented price levels have been driven by some important short-term developments, including supply disruptions at several major mines and a build-up of US copper inventories due to tariff uncertainty. But they have also been underpinned by some underlying factors, such as challenges in developing new copper mines and the…

        • Commentary

        • 22 Jun 2026

        How global oil supplies have readjusted to help fill the huge gap left by the Strait of Hormuz shock

        commentary Stock drawdowns, alternative routes and suppliers, and agile refiners have all contributed during the crisis, avoiding far more severe impacts on demand Global energy markets have been contending with their largest supply disruption in history resulting from the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for oil and gas shipments to reach global markets. The cumulative oil supply losses from producers in the Middle East now exceed 1.3 billion barrels, with flows through the Strait of Hormuz falling from around 20 million barrels per day prior to the conflict to an average of 2.7…

        • Commentary

        • 23 Jan 2026

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

        Next-generation geothermal readies for take-off Next-generation geothermal is seeing a burst of financing, innovation and new supply agreements Geothermal energy harnesses naturally occurring heat found beneath the Earth’s surface to 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…

        • 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 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…

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