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Policy report
Jun 2026
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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Report
May 2026
Responding to Satellite Notifications from the Methane Alert and Response System
…potentially reducing gas waste, boosting sales by domestic companies and improving national energy security while simultaneously decreasing air pollution, minimising local health impacts and increasing productivity. More broadly, it may allow governments to achieve national emissions reduction objectives. While the response rate to MARS notifications has increased since the system’s introduction in 2023, overall engagement remains low: globally, only around 12% of MARS notifications received a response in 2025. This suggests that further support mechanisms may be needed to ensure satellite alerts translate into effective mitigation responses.This technical guidance document is designed to assist governments seeking to improve…
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Technology report
May 2026
Vehicle-to-grid technology
…EV batteries become flexible assets for energy storage rather than mere loads to the grid. There are varying degrees of flexibility. With unidirectional smart charging (V1G), the charging power can be modulated to align electricity demand with generation profiles or to alleviate grid congestion. With vehicle-to-building (V2H/V2B), the EV can additionally discharge energy for use in a home or building, either to serve as a backup during power outages or to lower electricity bills by leveraging dynamic tariffs and increasing self-consumption of rooftop solar. Finally, V2G technology can push energy from the EV battery into the…
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Technology report
May 2026
Autonomous vehicles
…architectures, pioneered by EV makers, provide a clear edge. The mutually reinforcing trends of software‑defined vehicles and automated driving are therefore consolidating the technological leadership of EVs. Partially automated driving is becoming mainstream while autonomous vehicles are starting to gain traction Over the past 10 years, ADAS have become much more widespread. In 2025, around half of new cars sold globally featured systems that can automate steering and speed control (Level 2 automation), whereas 10 years earlier this was limited to very few high-end models, accounting for less than 1% of sales. However, the most commonly deployed systems, like…
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Report
May 2026
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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Technology report
May 2026
Ultra-fast charging batteries
GEVO 2026 - Chapter 8 New power‑electronics materials, battery cell technologies and battery pack architectures are enabling more efficient, higher‑voltage – and therefore faster – charging systems. Advances in batteries and power electronics are improving EV performance Over the past decade, average EV battery pack energy density (Wh/kg) has increased by around 60%, while prices have fallen by roughly 75%. Moreover, in 2023, battery-related patents accounted for 40% of all energy-sector patents, suggesting that more developments are still to come. At the same time, new power‑electronics materials, battery cell technologies and battery pack architectures are enabling more efficient, higher‑voltage – and…
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Technology report
May 2026
Artificial intelligence and EVs
…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 tracks, and whiledriverless cars they already employed a wide array of sensors, the software was limited to rule-based and physics-driven methods. These methods are nearly impossible to generalise to real-world complexity. Machine learning algorithms, on the…
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Technology report
May 2026
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…