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Oil Market Report - April 2025
…At the time of writing, Brent futures were trading at around $65/bbl, after earlier hitting their lowest levels in more than four years to below $60/bbl. Buckle up After a period of relative calm, global oil markets were roiled by a barrage of trade tariff announcements in early April. Benchmark crude oil prices plunged to their lowest levels in four years on a sharp escalation in trade tensions and the prospect of higher supplies from some OPEC+ countries. Brent futures tumbled by more than $15/bbl, to below $60/bbl, but subsequently recovered to around $65/bbl after…
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Oil Market Report - September 2025
…hopes for a near-term peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. However, the prospect of looming oversupply dampened any positive price impetus, as investor sentiment towards oil remained strongly bearish. Pushed and pulled Oil markets are being pulled in different directions by a range of forces, with the potential for supply losses stemming from new sanctions on Russia and Iran coming against a backdrop of higher OPEC+ supply and the prospect of increasingly bloated oil balances. China continues to stockpile crude oil, helping keep Brent crude futures in slight backwardation. Prices moved in a narrow band since August and at…
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Grid investments
…measures can also reduce grid congestion, a key factor in determining costs to manage the system. These congestion management costs tripled in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States from 2019 to 2022, and can constrain industrial expansion. Implementing energy efficiency and demand response measures can decrease and shift peak demand to less congested periods when electricity prices are lower and there is less stress on grid infrastructure. Demand response has seen rising uptake around the world, but further electrification and demand decarbonisation are expected to significantly increase its importance. For instance, in Australia, where various mechanisms have been…
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Stepping Up the Value Chain in Africa
…for African countries to step up the value chain in the growing global market for energy technologies, identifying opportunities beyond a role centred around extraction and mining to one more focused on mineral beneficiation, material production and technology manufacturing. These opportunities would enable Africa to retain a greater share of the economic value generated across energy technology supply chains, and would simultaneously contribute to global efforts to enhance supply chain diversification and resilience.The economic benefits of the new energy economy are currently distributed very unevenly. Emerging markets and developing economies other than China account for less than 5% of…
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Oil Market Report - May 2025
…May. Russian crude prices averaged $55.64/bbl in April with all major export grades below the $60/bbl price cap. At the time of writing, North Sea Dated was trading at around $66/bbl. In the balance Oil prices resumed their downward trajectory in late April and early May as trade tensions impacted financial and commodity markets and OPEC+ agreed to a further unwinding of production cuts. Bearish sentiment subsequently eased somewhat after the United States reached a trade deal with the United Kingdom on 8 May, and a 90-day accord with China on 12 May. Nonetheless, increased…
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Ramping up Heat Pumps in Moldova: A Roadmap
…half of Moldova’s final energy consumption, with three-quarters of that used for space and water heating. At the same time, Moldova lacks domestic hydrocarbon resources and imports more than 80% of its primary energy. Heat pump technology offers Moldova an effective means of accelerating the transition in building heating.The recent expansion of Moldova’s solar and wind capacity also means that heat pumps can now play a greater role in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and lowering local air pollution. Finally, Moldovan’s 2024 referendum, endorsing the goal of European Union membership, underscores the country’s commitment to…
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Global Energy Review 2025
…including oil, natural gas, coal, renewables and nuclear power. This growth was led by the power sector, with demand for electricity rising almost twice as fast as wider energy demand due to higher demand for cooling, rising consumption by industry, the electrification of transport and the growth of data centres and artificial intelligence. Nearly all of the rise in electricity demand was met by low-emissions sources, led by the record-breaking expansion of solar PV capacity, with further growth in other renewables and nuclear power. Gas demand also picked up substantially, while oil and coal consumption increased more slowly…
- Key findings
- Global trends
- Oil
- Natural gas
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+ 3 pages
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Unlocking Ukraine’s Hydrogen Opportunity: A Roadmap
Ukraine’s energy sector has been severely affected by the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion. The power sector went from having a large capacity surplus before the war to a power deficit in 2024 due to Russia’s attacks. This has focused attention on energy security and restoring the reliability of supply. Hydrogen demand from conventional applications in refining and ammonia has also plunged, falling 80%, with most of these assets in southern Ukraine, where the frontline and occupied areas are located. Overall economic damage from the war has been extensive, with reconstruction costs previously estimated by the World…
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Oil Market Report - June 2025
…range-bound as trade tensions subsided somewhat after the United States and China agreed a three-month tariff détente. Conversely, plans by OPEC+ to accelerate the unwinding of voluntary output cuts added to the prospect of comfortable 2H25 balances. Geopolitical risk in focus Global oil markets were roiled by a rapid escalation in geopolitical tensions after Israel launched a series of air strikes on targets in Iran on 13 June and Tehran retaliated. The two countries have fought a shadow war for decades, but the current conflict is the most severe, with energy infrastructure also targeted for the first time…
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Renewables for Industry
…low-temperature heat and steam in industry, coupled with increasing deployment of renewable electricity supply, can deliver multiple benefits. In addition to reducing fossil fuel use and associated emissions, it can improve energy security by lowering exposure to volatile gas and oil prices and, when integrated with thermal storage, it can create demand flexibility that helps ensure a higher share of variable renewable generation.This report explores how to expand the role of renewables in the industrial energy mix through electrification of low-temperature heat and steam. It focuses on the European Union, China and the Association of Southeast Asian…
