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Energy Efficiency in China’s Buildings Sector
Policy opportunities Over the past two decades, China has made significant strides in energy efficiency, with strong reductions in primary energy intensity across the economy and increased energy services. Much of China’s improvement has come from energy efficiency upgrades in industry and overall economic structural shifts. The buildings sector accounts for approximately 20% of its total final energy consumption and its intensity has decreased at a slower rate. There remains significant potential to unlock further energy savings through technical and policy initiatives in buildings.This report outlines opportunities for actions, targets and timelines that could improve energy efficiency in…
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Designing Energy Efficiency Policies to Enhance Affordability
Examples from G7 countries Energy affordability has emerged as a critical concern in the context of rising global energy prices and growing inequality in energy access. Lower-income households spend a significantly higher share of their income on energy than wealthier households, leaving them exposed to price shocks and especially vulnerable when energy prices increase. Energy efficiency can play a key role in delivering lower energy bills, reducing emissions, and enhancing resilience. However, ensuring that all households benefit requires targeted, inclusive policy design.This issue was a central focus of an IEA workshop held in January 2025 with G7 country…
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Belgium
Belgium’s energy policy is focused on transitioning to a low-carbon economy while ensuring energy security, lowering costs for consumers and increasing market competition. Belgium has made progress on these goals, notably as a global leader in offshore wind. The country is also seeing a rapid uptake of electric vehicles. However, Belgium remains reliant on fossil fuels and more aggressive policies are needed accelerate emissions reductions, especially for the industry sector.
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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The Netherlands
The Netherlands aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and numerous measures have been introduced to support achievement of this goal. A competitive auctions process awards subsidies to renewables, hydrogen and carbon capture, based on avoided CO2 emissions. An offshore wind roadmap is driving rapid deployment and aims for 11.5 GW of capacity by 2030, while strong innovation programmes support deployment of key decarbonisation technologies. Electricity from solar has experienced an impressive growth, with the Netherlands ranking among the top countries in the world for installed PV capacity per capita. The Netherlands will need to closely monitor…
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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Renewables in District Energy
This report examines how renewables can play a larger role in district energy systems, helping to deliver cleaner, more secure and more efficient heating and cooling. District energy networks already supply heat to 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…
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Jobs
…energy sector jobs are more prevalent in areas with lower unemployment rates. Energy efficiency investments also contribute to enhance the quality of jobs in other industries. Firms that invest in energy efficiency can significantly improve the quality of the working environment, with efficient lighting that provides increased visual comfort, or efficient ventilation systems that enhance air quality. By freeing up businesses’ spending through reduced energy bills, energy efficiency helps minimise cost pressures and supports employers in safeguarding jobs. Need more information? IEA (2020), World Energy Outlook Special Report - Sustainable Recovery.MICAT (2024), Empirical basis factsheet on Economic impacts – Employment effects.
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Belarus
Energy policy in Belarus focuses on providing reliable energy while reducing import–dependence, particularly on natural gas from a single supplier. The government is contemplating attractive investment measures and fuel diversification to reduce natural gas consumption and include more coal and renewables into the country's energy mix, while developing local energy sources and introducing nuclear power.
Belarus has also prioritized improving energy efficiency in electricity and heat production and is phasing out subsidies for electricity, heat and gas, which is expected to make the energy sector more market-focused and investor-friendly. Belarus is part of the EU4Energy Programme…- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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Poland
Poland’s energy system has seen progress on energy transition, despite its reliance on domestic hard coal and lignite. For example, Poland has one of the fastest growing solar PV markets in the European Union and has also seen a strong uptake of heat pumps. Poland is pushing to become a major player in offshore wind, aiming for at least 3.4 GW of capacity by 2030. However, stronger efforts are needed across all sectors to accelerate energy transition and Poland would benefit from greater electricity interconnections with the rest of Europe.
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
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World Energy Outlook 2025 Stated Policies Scenario
…the STEPS, with India and other emerging market and developing economies leading demand growth. It increases more slowly than in the past decade as efficiency gains accelerate to 2.2% per year, driven by the increasing electrification of end-uses. Oil demand peaks at 102 million barrels per day (mb/d) around 2030 before gradually declining. Global electric car sales share rises from over 20% today to over 50% by 2035, despite lower electric vehicle (EV) sales in the United States in this Outlook. In 2035, over 840 million EVs displace 10 mb/d of oil, mainly in Asia and Europe. Oil…
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Sodium-ion battery momentum grows, but challenges remain
…their total global production was less than 1% of that of lithium-ion technologies.Recent technological advances and investment announcements suggest that this dynamic is starting to change. CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer, released its second-generation sodium-ion batteries and has confirmed plans for their commercial-scale deployment across multiple sectors starting in 2026. BYD, the second largest producer, began construction of its first sodium-ion battery plant in January 2024, targeting applications in electric vehicles, grid-scale storage and industry. Hina, a smaller Chinese battery manufacturer and the first to power an electric vehicle using sodium‑ion…
