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The Value of Demand Flexibility
Benefits beyond balancing This policy brief, developed under the International Energy Agency’s Digital Demand-Driven Electricity Networks (3DEN) Initiative, examines the value of demand flexibility as a core component of modern electricity systems, with a strong emphasis on its role in improving energy efficiency. As electricity demand grows and power systems become more electrified, decentralised and renewable-rich, managing when and how electricity is used is increasingly as important as expanding supply.The brief sets out a clear framework for understanding demand flexibility and highlights its contribution to an efficiency-first approach to power system planning and operation. By…
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Integrating Variable Renewable Energy in Kenya
Key challenges and strategic priorities Building on its renewable energy success, Kenya is now focused on managing a secure and reliable electricity system. With nearly 90% of the generation mix derived from renewable sources and electricity access rising from 37% in 2013 to 79% in 2025, the country has established itself as a regional leader in energy development.Integrating Variable Renewable Energy in Kenya explores how Kenya can strengthen its power system amid rising shares of variable renewable energy (VRE). The report identifies Kenya’s system to be operating in Phase 3 of the IEA’s VRE integration framework, where…
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IEA Support to Accelerating Renewable Energy Permitting (ARPE)
Between October 2023 and March 2025, the IEA implemented the “Accelerating Renewable Energy Permitting” (ARPE) action. The goal of ARPE was to support five EU Member states – Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and the Slovak Republic (Focus countries) – in developing and implementing policy and regulatory measures aimed at reaching their renewable energy targets, notably through accelerating permitting of renewable energy projects.In support of this objective, the IEA organised and facilitated five workshops focused on the following topics:streamlining administrative proceduresaccelerating offshore wind deploymentfacilitating spatial planning for renewable energy deploymentensuring public engagement and acceptance, and afinal workshop summarizing the project…
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Designing Energy Efficiency Policies to Enhance Affordability
Examples from G7 countries Energy affordability has emerged as a critical concern in the context of rising global energy prices and growing inequality in energy access. Lower-income households spend a significantly higher share of their income on energy than wealthier households, leaving them exposed to price shocks and especially vulnerable when energy prices increase. Energy efficiency can play a key role in delivering lower energy bills, reducing emissions, and enhancing resilience. However, ensuring that all households benefit requires targeted, inclusive policy design.This issue was a central focus of an IEA workshop held in January 2025 with G7 country…
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Heat Pump Taxonomy
A common framework for heat pumps classification and data Heat pumps are a cornerstone technology for achieving secure, affordable and sustainable heating. They have become one of the most common heating technologies and have the potential to impact significantly future trends for energy consumption in buildings and beyond.Tracking and analysing the pace of heat pump deployment compared to that of conventional heating technologies is essential for understanding future needs with regards to energy demand, investments in electricity infrastructure and fuel supply.Despite their growing importance, data on heat pump installations, as well as on their performance and cost, remain…
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Autonomous vehicles
GEVO 2026 - Chapter 8 Progress in AI and computing power is disproportionately benefiting EVs, particularly for automated driving and integrated vehicle control. Sensors and chips integrate well with the stable, high-voltage power supply of EV batteries. Electric vehicles lead in automation and advanced driver assistance Driving automation is at the forefront of software developments for cars today. While fully autonomous cars (Level 5 automation)) are not currently in sight, electric driverless taxis (Level 4) are already operating commercially in more than 20 cities worldwide. Moreover, automated driving systems are not limited to self-driving cars – they are also rapidly gaining…
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Energy System Resilience
Lessons learned from Ukraine Ensuring energy security encompasses both long-term and short-term dimensions. The long-term dimension involves securing sufficient infrastructure investment and diverse supply sources. The short-term dimension – resilience – focuses on systems’ ability to cope with events exceeding standard planning conditions. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has worked to protect its energy sector and to increase its ability to withstand and rapidly recover from Russia’s attacks on its energy infrastructure. The report explores the lessons that Ukraine has been learning as it works to bolster system resilience and identifies measures that…
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Artificial intelligence and EVs
GEVO 2026 - Chapter 8 Progress in AI and computing power is disproportionately benefiting EVs, particularly for automated driving and integrated vehicle control. Sensors and chips integrate well with the stable, high-voltage power supply of EV batteries. At the same time, the benefits of AI and increased computing power are not exclusive to EVs. AI‑enabled energy management systems are increasingly used to optimise hybrid vehicles, and AI techniques are accelerating the design, testing and optimisation of all vehicles. Advances in AI underpin progress in autonomous vehicles Just two decades ago, state-of-the-art autonomous vehicles were confined to test…
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Vehicle software and software-defined vehicles
GEVO 2026 - Chapter 8 The transition from mechanical to software-based vehicle control has been underway for decades and has accelerated dramatically with the rise of EVs. Pure-play EV makers have pioneered the shift towards high-level, continuously updateable software-based vehicle control, speeding up the development and rollout of new features. Vehicles are evolving into software platforms for which users can access subscription‑based premium features, in the same way as for smartphones. A new design paradigm is emerging, with EVs at the forefront The digital transformation of the car industry is most evident in the emergence of software…
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Policy options to accelerate distributed solar PV in Ukraine
Accelerating distributed solar PV and battery energy storage deployment will support Ukraine in establishing energy security.In the year following the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, available dispatchable power generation capacity halved from roughly 38 GW to 19 GW. After severe attacks in spring 2024, capacity declined further, down to 12 GW. Towards the end of 2024 Ukraine was able to restore 3 GW and has worked to restore and add additional capacity throughout 2025, despite ongoing attacks.Distributed solar PV has played a key role, providing cost effective and rapid increases in electricity generation capacity, contributing…
