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Land-Use Competition between Biodiversity and Net Zero Goals
…on an assessment by the International Energy Agency (IEA), tripling the capacity of renewables globally requires allocating up to an additional 600 000 km² of land – an area the size of France – to utility-scale solar PV and onshore wind power by 2030, and 2 million km² by 2050. In parallel, the IEA estimates that demand for key energy transition minerals – cobalt, copper, graphite, lithium, nickel and rare earth elements (REEs) – is projected to increase at least fivefold by 2030, requiring more land for mining and processing these minerals. At the same time, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to protect 30% of…
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Scaling Up Demand Flexibility
From peak management to efficient system operation This report has been developed as part of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Digital Demand-Driven Electricity Networks (3DEN) initiative to examine the growing importance of demand flexibility in electricity systems amid rising demand, increased renewable energy integration and the electrification of power systems. Case studies in chronological order to examine the changing role of demand flexibility over time from South Africa (2025), Thailand (2030) and Ireland (2035) demonstrate how demand flexibility improves reliability, reduces costs, supports renewables integration and manages network constraints. To realise these benefits, the report emphasises the role for…
