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Energy system
Appliances and Equipment
Standards and labelling can lift the average rate of energy efficiency improvement by two to three times
Based on global evidence from countries with Energy efficiency standards and labelling (EES&L) programmes, the average energy efficiency of new major appliances in these countries can increase two to three times the underlying rate of technology improvement. This can result in average energy reductions of 10-30% over 15 to 20 years in the stock of most regulated products across all countries.
In leading countries with strong regulations and long-running programmes which are regularly updated, the contribution could be much higher…
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Energy system
CO2 Capture and Utilisation
Country and regional highlights
CCUS and synthetic fuel policies are being strengthened in the United States and Europe
CO2 emissions
CO2 use can bring important climate benefits, but with caveats
Activity
CO2 use for synthetic fuels remains the leading new utilisation route
Technology installation and infrastructure
CCU supply chains can benefit from synergies with fossil-based synthetic fuel production and CCS
Innovation
Policy
Investment
Venture capital investment in CCU continues to grow
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Technology report
Nov 2025
What Next for the Global Car Industry
An Energy Technology Perspectives Special Report The global car industry has operated under relatively stable conditions for decades. The world’s largest car manufacturers are based in the European Union, Korea, Japan and the United States, and – more recently – in China, and the car industry is a major contributor to the economy in these countries. The strength of many of these car makers is built on decades at the forefront of technological innovation around the internal combustion engine (ICE), as well as highly integrated and optimised supply chains that allow for vehicles and their components to be produced at low…
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Country
United States
The United States introduced major energy and climate policy reforms which put the country on a path towards a clean, secure and affordable energy system for a net zero economy. The reforms aim to strengthen infrastructure deployment and resilience, include a major focus on clean energy manufacturing, improving diverse supply chains and affordability, enhancing equity and the creation of high-quality clean energy jobs.
The US plays a significant role in supporting international energy security as the world’s largest producer of oil and exporter of liquified natural gas. A wave of clean energy investment means the US is today…- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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Fuel report
Dec 2025
The Value of Demand Flexibility
Benefits beyond balancing This policy brief, developed under the International Energy Agency’s Digital Demand-Driven Electricity Networks (3DEN) Initiative, examines the value of demand flexibility as a core component of modern electricity systems, with a strong emphasis on its role in improving energy efficiency. As electricity demand grows and power systems become more electrified, decentralised and renewable-rich, managing when and how electricity is used is increasingly as important as expanding supply.The brief sets out a clear framework for understanding demand flexibility and highlights its contribution to an efficiency-first approach to power system planning and operation. By…
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Country
Rwanda
…its carbon sink capacity through sustainable forest management practices and to reduce emissions from the agricultural sector. In 2019, Rwanda’s energy mix was dominated by biomass and waste (74%) and oil products (20%), while natural gas, coal and hydro account for the rest of the energy supply. In 2020, less than 5% of the population had access to clean cooking and 50% had access to electricity. With annual access growth of more than 3 percentage points, Rwanda has shown greater progress in electrification than many other countries. The country has a target to reach 100 % electricity access by 2030.
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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Country
Switzerland
Switzerland has notably decoupled economic growth from energy use despite strong population growth. This trend should continue, and the energy efficiency first principle should be reflected in all climate and energy legislation. Reaching the 2050 net zero emissions target and addressing the growing winter electricity gap between demand and production requires an unprecedented volume of additional renewable generation capacity, especially wind and hydro. For this, the country needs to shorten the complex and extended administrative and legal permitting process. This will also help advancing investments in grid infrastructure to prepare for more decentralised and variable generation. Switzerland should also align…
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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Country
India
…PV and wind doubled in the electricity generation mix from 4% to 8%. Energy efficiency increases have enabled the avoidance of an additional 15% of energy demand and 300 MtCO2 emissions over the period 2000-2018.
India has also been prioritizing access to electricity and clean cooking. Progress in both have been remarkable: 700 million people gained access to electricity since 2000, and 80 million new LPG connections for clean cooking were created. The Government of India is continuing to focus on providing secure, affordable and sustainable energy, while achieving its ambitious renewable energy targets and reducing local air pollution.- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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Commentary
23 Jun 2026
How accelerating electrification could strengthen energy security in Southeast Asia
…For example, around 30% of energy consumed in Brunei Darussalam and Viet Nam is electricity, up from less than 20% in the mid-2000s. Some segments of the economy are also seeing rapid growth in electrification: in 2025, EV sales in the region more than doubled year-over-year and accounted for nearly 20% of all car sales – higher than the sales share in a number of advanced economies.Even so, there remains significant potential to further expand electrification across Southeast Asia’s industry, transport and buildings sectors – supporting more secure, affordable and sustainable energy systems across the region. Several of…
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Sector
Buildings
…best-in-class products
Financing and market mechanisms are needed to accelerate the clean energy transition. Governments can enact policy interventions to improve access to financing and de-risk clean energy investment to enhance the attractiveness of buildings sector investment. They can also broaden the availability of market-based instruments that reduce barriers to the transition, for example via means-tested subsidies for household to retrofits or weatherisation, or installation of lower-carbon and more efficient appliances and equipment. Public competitions to stimulate innovation, such as the Buildings Upgrade Prize developed by the US Department of Energy Building Technologies Office…