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Commentary
13 Mar 2026
Why the growth of energy service companies is uneven globally
…more than 130 energy cooperatives adopted ESCO business models in 2025 – double the previous year. In Italy, where 900 companies are certified as ESCOs, average market revenues increased by over 78% in the past three years.Overall, ESCO markets scale up where policy frameworks are durable, procurement rules are aligned with performance contracting, and projects are implemented through standardised processes. In markets lacking these conditions, high transaction costs, contractual complexity and policy uncertainty continue to limit demand. These barriers are most visible in smaller scale and residential building projects, where ESCO models based on energy savings are harder to implement…
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News
29 Jun 2026
Outcome Statement of the IEA’s 11th Annual Conference on Energy Efficiency
…countries coordinated the largest ever release of emergency oil stocks and many countries are implementing demand-side policies. We welcome the IEA's early call for policy action through a menu of demand-side measures that governments, businesses and households could take immediately to make smart energy savings decisions, and we welcome the Energy Crisis Policy Response Tracker that is actively monitoring governments' emergency policy announcements.While the immediate focus is on managing today's disruptions, the Paris Agreement goals and the global path to net-zero emissions remain the overarching frame. Meeting the COP28 commitment to double global energy...
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News
19 Feb 2026
Joint Statement in Support of the IEA-Ukraine Collaboration Programme
…energy savings and a transition to a more secure, sustainable, resilient and affordable energy system that is integrated with Europe. We commend the IEA’s intensification of activities under that Programme, as IEA Ministers requested at the 2024 Ministerial Meeting.We applaud and support the IEA’s contributions to further enhancing cooperation with Ukraine through the IEA-Ukraine Collaboration Programme, and request that the IEA Secretariat continue to work through the Programme to support Ukraine’s reconstruction needs. We express our appreciation to the IEA Secretariat for continuing to provide analysis of Ukraine’s current energy situation to inform international…
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Event
29 Jun 2026
14:20
CEO Roundtable
Closed-door session for invited CEOs and senior executives to exchange views on how to leverage untapped potential for energy savings across sectors.
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Event
17 Jun 2026
Youth Energy Efficiency Leadership Award
…Global Conference on Energy Efficiency co-hosted by the Government of Canada and the IEA in Montreal, Canada, on 29-30 June 2026. The Global Conference is the IEA's flagship international event on energy efficiency, bringing together ministers, CEOs, and senior leaders from government, finance, and business to share solutions on energy efficiency-related topics and drive progress forward. Eligible projects may include, for instance, online or in-person capacity building to promote energy saving behaviours, hands-on trainings for installing energy efficient technology, campaigns raising awareness about the benefits of efficiency, community engagement to design innovative energy solutions…
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Commentary
25 Mar 2026
Businesses see competitive value of energy efficiency, but smaller firms struggle to access solutions
CEOs value 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…
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Commentary
06 Mar 2026
The next wave of LED lighting: Smarter, circular and more efficient
lighting commentary The first LED revolution reduced energy use worldwide – and a second wave of deployment is now taking shape As the world enters the Age of Electricity, lighting remains one of the most visible – and widespread – parts of our energy use.The IEA estimates that lighting in buildings and outdoor applications accounts for the majority of overall lighting electricity demand. In 2024, around 8% of global electricity demand – or about 2 200 terawatt hours (TWh) – was attributed to lighting in buildings and outdoor applications, excluding industry and agriculture. These figures reflect the latest available data and define the scope…
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Commentary
09 Jun 2026
The energy crisis creates even stronger impetus for EU electrification
…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 electricity costs more per unit of energy…
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Commentary
21 Apr 2026
How governments can best support consumers during this energy crisis
…relief, such as fuel price caps or tax cuts, and through demand-side measures aimed at reducing energy use. Designing these measures well is critical, and international experience offers useful lessons. While easy to deploy, 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…
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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…