• Commentary

        • 23 Jun 2026

        How accelerating electrification could strengthen energy security in Southeast Asia

        …rapidly in Southeast Asia, driven by economic growth, industrialisation, urbanisation and rising incomes. Since 2015, energy demand has risen by around 40%, while electricity demand has grown even faster – twice as fast as overall energy use. Although renewables have increased significantly over the past decade, fossil fuels have continued to dominate, meeting over 70% of energy demand growth across this period, with oil accounting for nearly half of total energy consumption.Rapid energy demand growth and continued dependence on fossil fuels brings greater exposure to energy security risks. The region is increasingly reliant on imported fuels, deepening its exposure to…

        • Commentary

        • 06 Mar 2026

        The next wave of LED lighting: Smarter, circular and more efficient

        …taking shape As the world enters the Age of Electricity, lighting remains one of the most visible – and widespread – parts of our energy use.The IEA estimates that lighting in buildings and outdoor applications accounts for the majority of overall lighting electricity demand. In 2024, around 8% of global electricity demand – or about 2 200 terawatt hours (TWh) – was attributed to lighting in buildings and outdoor applications, excluding industry and agriculture. These figures reflect the latest available data and define the scope of the analysis presented in this commentary.  Estimates from industry and experts place global electricity consumption for lighting…

        • Commentary

        • 09 Jun 2026

        The energy crisis creates even stronger impetus for EU electrification

        …for electrification in the EU, identifying cost competitiveness and areas where targeted policies could catalyse change. Fuel price ratios determine electrification competitiveness To make electrification cost-competitive, electricity prices need to fall below a threshold ratio relative to the price of fossil fuels. Because most electrification options are several times more efficient than conventional alternatives, they can be cheaper to operate than conventional fuel-based technologies even when electricity costs more per unit of energy than the fuel they replace – i.e. a ratio greater than one. EU countries today face very different price ratios. These differences are driven by…

        • Commentary

        • 29 May 2026

        Battery storage is scaling up and taking on a larger system role

        …latest data, the deployment of batteries expanded strongly in 2025 and broadened across markets – with rapid growth in countries such as Australia and Saudi Arabia, where storage is increasingly being used to support the integration of rising shares of variable renewables.In regions that have been at the forefront of renewable integration and battery deployment, batteries now play an essential role in continuously balancing electricity demand and supply. Comparatively short construction and development timelines are further supporting the rapid deployment of utility-scale batteries in particular: in many markets, projects typically take around two years to develop and commission, giving…

        • Commentary

        • 13 Feb 2026

        Global battery markets are growing strongly – and so are the supply risks

        part 1- lithium-ion batteries Batteries’ importance is increasing across key sectors including autos, power, data centres and beyond The global lithium-ion battery market exceeded USD 150 billion in 2025, an increase of over 20% from 2024, but its economic and strategic significance extends far beyond market size. Batteries are becoming a cornerstone of the automotive sector, a critical source of flexibility for power systems, and an increasingly important source of back-up power for digital infrastructure, including data centres and artificial intelligence.Beyond energy, batteries remain indispensable for a wide range of industrial and strategic applications, from portable…

        • Commentary

        • 03 Jun 2026

        India’s electricity demand grows at night: Managing rising cooling demand

        …to cooling in India is still not universal, with around one in five households owning an air conditioning unit. Yet by 2035, based on today’s policy settings, the IEA projects that cooling demand in India will more than double as incomes rise and temperatures increase.Cooling already accounts for slightly more than 10% of India’s total annual electricity demand. However, air conditioners represent a much higher share of electricity demand on hot summer nights, when they can drive as much as one-third of power consumption. Raat baki… what happens when the sun goes down? India benef...

        • Commentary

        • 10 Feb 2026

        What it would take to unlock the next phase of hydrogen growth

        …gas and 90 million tonnes of coal equivalent. However, alternative technologies that can produce low-emissions hydrogen have attracted a lot of interest from governments given their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and diversify energy supply, particularly in countries that have a large dependence on fossil fuel imports.Low-emissions hydrogen production – or the production of hydrogen from low-emissions electricity via water electrolysis, from bioenergy or from fossil fuels in combination with carbon capture and storage – is still at an early stage today. But it saw impressive momentum in the early 2020s, when a wave of ambitious government commitments…

        • Commentary

        • 22 Mar 2026

        Wired for water: How electrification is transforming desalination

        …water scarcity. Desalination has long been developed to supply fresh water in the most affected areas, with significant implications for the energy system: energy use ranges from under 0.1% to as much as 15% of total final consumption, depending on national reliance. However, a shift is underway from thermal desalination technologies to electricity-driven systems as the Age of Electricity reshapes the water-energy nexus. Rising water stress Today, over 4 000 billion cubic metres (bcm) of fresh water are withdrawn annually, of which nearly 1500 bcm are consumed (i.e. not returned to the local system). In other…

        • Commentary

        • 23 Jan 2026

        Investment in next-generation geothermal is surging. Policies are key to further growth

        …generation geothermal could meet up to 15% of global electricity demand growth to 2050. Geothermal technology families Next-generation geothermal technology remains at an early stage of development. In general, geothermal projects remain among the most capital-intensive in the energy sector, with drilling and well costs often representing up to 80% of total costs. Yet the past year has seen notable progress. Once considered prohibitively expensive, next-generation projects are now demonstrating measurable efficiency gains and more competitive drilling costs amid ongoing innovation, building investor confidence. These advances – arriving just as global electricity demand surges – have helped boost fundraising…

        • Commentary

        • 13 Mar 2026

        Why the growth of energy service companies is uneven globally

        ESCO The global annual ESCO market growth rate has more than doubled over the past five years Energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective tools for enhancing energy security, reducing household energy bills and supporting countries’ efforts to reduce emissions. Energy service companies (ESCOs) – firms that develop and implement energy efficiency projects typically financed through verified energy savings – are playing a growing role in delivering energy efficiency improvements across buildings, industry and transport infrastructure worldwide. By integrating project development, financing and performance guarantees, ESCOs can offer a proven way to reduce upfront investment barriers and shift technical and…

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