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Renewables in District Energy
…around 600 million people worldwide, but many systems remain heavily dependent on fossil fuels, exposing consumers and utilities to price volatility, supply risks and high emissions.The report provides a global overview of district energy systems, their fuel mixes, market conditions, governance models and affordability implications. It explores the growing opportunities offered by renewable and recovered heat sources, including bioenergy, geothermal, solar thermal, waste heat, large-scale heat pumps and thermal energy storage. It also sets out policy priorities for three types of markets: established systems with high renewable shares, fossil fuel-intensive networks, and emerging or untapped district energy markets.
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Household Energy Affordability: Data and Indicators
A methodological framework for national monitoring Effective policy requires robust monitoring of household energy affordability, yet no unified methodological approach currently exists. The upcoming IEA report Household Energy Affordability: Data and Indicators, to be published in July, addresses this gap. This executive summary presents its key elements, including a robust methodological framework structured around dimensions, indicators and data to support policy discussions and national monitoring efforts.
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Critical Mineral Traceability for Energy and Economic Security
Amid rising risks linked to the high concentration of critical mineral supply chains, the ability to track where minerals originate, how they move through supply chains, who has custody of them and how they are transformed is increasingly important for policymakers seeking to create diversified and responsible supply chains.This report provides insights from a first-of-its kind survey on traceability conducted by the IEA and OECD. More than 80 respondent companies active across supply chains of the six focus minerals (copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and rare earth elements) provided results between October and December 2025. Drawing on…
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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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Efficient Grid-Interactive Buildings in India
…and variable supply could jeopardise grid stability and increase system costs. EGIBs offer an important solution for optimising electricity use, reducing peak demand and enhancing system flexibility.Applying a structured framework, this report assesses India’s policy landscape and opportunities across efficiency, decarbonisation, smartness, resilience, materials and building-to-grid interaction. It concludes with recommendations for a comprehensive policy package that encompasses regulations, incentives and information. Scaling up the adoption of efficient grid-interactive buildings would enable India to align its fast-growing building stock with national climate goals and international commitments while lowering system costs and enhancing energy security.
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Battery Circularity
…into the key issues for battery technologies, the report presents the very latest data as a guide to decision makers from the public and private sectors. It sheds light on the main locations of patenting, the leading patentors in the world and the technology categories receiving the most innovation attention.More than one in four cars sold globally in 2025 was an electric vehicle, reliant on lithium-ion or other modern batteries. But around 1.2 million electric vehicle batteries could reach the end of their lives in 2030 and 14 million in 2040, and today’s supply chains for…
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Rare Earth Elements
…the current state of the rare earth elements market, examining demand and supply dynamics and key technological developments. It analyses the full value chain from mining to permanent magnet production, evaluates vulnerabilities across supply chains, and highlights the implications of potential supply disruptions. Based on these analyses, the report outlines eight targeted policy recommendations that can pave the way for more secure, diversified and resilient rare earth element supply chains.The analysis is founded on the work of the IEA Critical Minerals Security Programme and aims to inform the discussions at the G7 meetings under the French Presidency in 2026.
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Financing the Modernisation of Power Systems Beyond Coal
…options to reduce emissions from operating plants, and considers the investment and power system planning challenges of replacing coal generation while maintaining essential system services. It also reviews project‑based and emerging jurisdictional approaches to transition credits, focusing on methodologies for the early retirement of grid‑connected coal plants and their replacement with clean energy.By examining these issues from a power system, investment and carbon markets perspective, the report aims to provide a clearer understanding of coal transition strategies and outlines recommendations for countries that may choose to explore transition credits as an option to reduce the role of coal in…
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Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency for Business
Energy efficiency is often described as the “first fuel” because the cheapest and most secure energy is the energy that is not used. For businesses, this begins with a straightforward benefit: lower energy bills. In many cases, efficiency investments can pay back quickly through reduced energy costs alone. However, the value of energy efficiency extends beyond energy savings.This report builds on the IEA’s work on the multiple benefits of energy efficiency and focusses on how these gains materialise in businesses. Key benefits range from productivity and product quality improvements to brand image or health benefits for employees and…
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Sheltering From Oil Shocks
…of supply is having significant impacts in global markets, pushing up prices for crude oil above $100/barrel, and leading to much higher prices for some refined products – notably diesel, jet fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Concerns are growing about the impacts of higher prices on households, businesses and the broader economy.In this report, the IEA details 10 demand-side options open to households, businesses and governments to shelter themselves from today’s oil shock and relieve the strains on affordability. These are based on the IEA’s longstanding expertise on energy security and on specific country examples.
