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Designing an effective strategic stockpiling system for critical minerals
…materialised at scale The IEA has long warned of the potential security risks associated with the high concentration of critical mineral supply chains. In 2025, these risks became a reality, marking a major turning point for global economic security. The rare earths export controls announced by China in October 2025 posed major national and economic security risks across the world, with potentially severe impacts for a range of strategic sectors including energy, automotive, defence, aerospace, AI and semiconductors. Earlier export controls introduced in April had already resulted in some automotive factories around the world being forced to cut utilisation rates…
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Businesses see competitive value of energy efficiency, but smaller firms struggle to access solutions
…action. In response to energy price fluctuations, nearly 30% of companies also said they either scaled back production or passed costs on to customers. These are measures that can erode competitiveness and signal constraints in companies’ ability to invest in efficiency. Company size influences the uptake of energy efficiency measures While the value of energy efficiency is broadly recognised across industries, companies differ in their capacity to implement supportive measures, with size shaping both the scope and speed of action. Large companies typically adopt long-term, comprehensive strategies backed by greater investment, in-house expertise and formalised energy management systems…
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Delivering on the EU’s electrification ambitions
…growth could be achieved by electrifying heat in non-energy-intensive industries, the paper industry and the chemicals industry. Taken together, this would displace more than 10 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas and 90,000 barrels per day of oil. To accelerate this process, the European Commission has proposed establishing an Industrial Development Bank to mobilise EUR 100 billion, of which a first EUR 1 billion auction has started. As low- and medium-temperature heat accounts for only around one-third of the EU’s total industrial energy demand, policy support is also emerging for the electrification of…
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Ireland
…electricity generation by 2030, but now their implementation needs to accelerate. Natural gas will remain an important part of the energy mix at least until the mid-2030s, especially to meet peak electricity demand, but offshore renewable energy will become the cornerstone of Ireland’s energy transition beyond 2030. Given Ireland’s current exclusive reliance on energy imports from the United Kingdom, energy security is a major concern to the government while transitioning to a (variable) renewables-based energy system and advancing the electrification of the heating and transport sectors to meet the ambitious climate targets to 2030 and beyond.
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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Brazil
…notably natural gas, wind (on-shore and off-shore) and bioenergy. Brazil is a global leader in second generation biofuels and flex-fuel cars provide a large domestic market. Ethanol supply is set to average 660 kb/d in 2026, up 90 kb/d compared with 2020 and 35 kb/d higher than in 2019. A system of contract auctions provides a mechanism to bring forward investment in new generation and transmission capacity, as well as to diversify the power mix.
Large offshore oil and gas discoveries have confirmed Brazil’s status as one of the world’s foremost oil…- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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Policy and financing momentum sustain CCUS progress despite setbacks
CCUS Projects Database 2026 commentary Efforts to expand carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) took some important steps forward in 2025. Despite delays and cancellations in some areas, projects reached notable milestones in key markets, while growing financing provided further momentum.CCUS deployment in Europe saw a step-change as the world’s first dedicated carbon dioxide CO2 storage hub began operating in Norway. Major projects were also commissioned in China and North America, and the construction of new facilities began in eight countries worldwide. The newest annual update to the IEA’s CCUS Project Database – which incorporates developments between…
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How global oil supplies have readjusted to help fill the huge gap left by the Strait of Hormuz shock
commentary Stock drawdowns, alternative routes and suppliers, and agile refiners have all contributed during the crisis, avoiding far more severe impacts on demand Global energy markets have been contending with their largest supply disruption in history resulting from the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for oil and gas shipments to reach global markets. The cumulative oil supply losses from producers in the Middle East now exceed 1.3 billion barrels, with flows through the Strait of Hormuz falling from around 20 million barrels per day prior to the conflict to an average of 2.7…
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Global EV Outlook 2026 Executive summary
…and CO2 standards, such as China and the European Union. Some countries in Southeast Asia – including Viet Nam, the largest EV market in the region – have already announced plans to expand or extend EV tax incentives as part of their response to the current energy crisis. Electric cars are poised to make up a greater share of total car sales in 2026 The current high oil price environment is drawing consumer attention to the economic benefits of driving EVs. Electric cars generally have lower running costs than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, mainly due to their higher efficiency. The recent rise…
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Southeast Asia Energy Outlook 2026 Executive summary
…faces. A robust, collective response is required. For the moment, governments are focused on managing the short-term energy impacts of the crisis. Measures include demand-restraint (such as promoting public transport and remote working), emergency interventions including price controls and subsidies, and efforts to secure alternative fuel supplies. Price controls and subsidies provide some protection for consumers but come at significant fiscal cost – especially when untargeted – and complicate market adjustments to the disruption. Fossil fuel subsidies in the region were around USD 40 billion prior to the crisis and are set to rise sharply in 2026. Looking further ahead…
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Australia
…Net Zero emissions by 2050, while ensuring a just and inclusive energy transition through the guidance of the Net Zero Authority under the Prime Minister’s office. By 2030, the government aims to reach the clean electricity target of 82% of renewable energy. In addition to this target, Australia is implementing a new 2030 critical minerals strategy and gas market reforms to boost energy security during the transition. Flexibility, fuel availability and resilient infrastructure will become even more vital as Australia’s energy system incorporates very high shares of variable renewables and faces more frequent and more extreme weather events.
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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