• Commentary

        • 29 May 2026

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

        …in grid connection and permitting, will be key to setting the pace of growth. Growth in battery storage capacity broke records again in 2025, with new markets growing fast Global battery storage deployment expanded strongly last year. Total capacity additions reached 108 gigawatts (GW), up around 40% from 2024. Annual growth of this scale exceeds the historical peak for gas‑fired power capacity additions, which was around 107 GW in 2002.Utility‑scale battery storage accounted for around 87 GW of global battery capacity additions in 2025, around four-fifths of the total. Behind-the-meter battery storage deployment also accelerated, particularly in markets with…

        • Commentary

        • 19 Jan 2026

        7 certainties about energy for this age of uncertainty

        …widely used for many years to come, but the use of electricity is growing twice as a fast as overall energy demand. It’s the key energy input to the most dynamic parts of the global economy – such as AI, data centres and high-tech manufacturing – and is increasing its share of major sectors like road transport and heating through technologies such as EVs and heat pumps. Already today, more than half of the investment going into the global energy sector each year is going to electricity. Renewables will keep growing Despite some headwinds, in many countries around the world…

        • Country

        Korea

        Korea has set a target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 by substantially increasing the share of renewable energy sources, gradually phasing out coal, significantly improving energy efficiency and fostering the country’s nascent hydrogen industry. Korea’s energy sector is characterised by a dominance of fossil fuels, a strong dependence on energy imports and one of the highest shares of industrial energy use among IEA countries. Korea aims to leverage the fourth industrial revolution for its energy transition and to foster green growth by means of low-carbon technologies and clean energy. Due to Korea’s high share of…

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        • 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…

        • Country

        Hungary

        Hungary was among the first countries globally, in June 2020, to make a legal commitment to become carbon neutral by 2050 and plans to phase out coal by 2030 at the latest. Enhanced energy efficiency, increased renewable and nuclear electricity and electrification of end-use sectors are identified as the key drivers towards the 2050 target. Hungary plans to build two new nuclear unit and while solar PV has grown notably, wind lacks behind its potential but the change in siting limits for wind turbines are likely to have a positive impact on the sector.

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        • Commentary

        • 27 Jan 2026

        Designing an effective strategic stockpiling system for critical minerals

        critical minerals 2025 was the year when the risks of highly concentrated critical minerals supply chains 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…

        • Country

        Chile

        …has a single interconnected national electricity system.
        This frontrunner role is underlined by the governments pledge to net-zero by 2050, which includes closing two thirds of coal plants by 2025. This goal is supported by a Just Transition Strategy, currently being developed by the government. It also includes, for the first time, a focus on green hydrogen and electric mobility, in line with the respective National Hydrogen Strategy (2020) and the Electromobility Strategy (2022). The former aims for 5 GW of electrolysis capacity by 2025, while the latter lays out a goal of 100% electric vehicle sales by 2035.

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        • Commentary

        • 17 Feb 2026

        Sodium-ion battery momentum grows, but challenges remain

        …ion batteries was installed a few years earlier, in 2019 in China. However, in 2025 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…

        • Commentary

        • 04 Feb 2026

        Canada is set to play a leading role in supplying the world with responsibly produced critical minerals

        …companies, is already a major centre for the global mining industry. Though mineral mining takes place in every province and territory, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan account for about three-quarters of total exploration spending domestically and 85% of total capital expenditure. Large urban cities such as Toronto and Vancouver are also recognised as global hubs for mining and mineral exploration, financing and corporate services. The manufacturing of technologies that use critical minerals is gaining momentum, but challenges remain The IEA’s Review found that Canada also has the strong potential to grow its manufacturing base for renewable energy technologies…

        • Country

        Greece

        Greece is making progress on its energy transition, including implementing reforms to standardise and simplify licensing procedures for renewable projects and investigating options for offshore wind. Coal fired generation, once the main source of electricity, will be phased out by 2028 at the latest and EUR 5 billion has been committed to assist impacted communities. Auctions are driving strong deployment of solar PV, onshore wind and battery storage. There are also projects for interconnections and renewables to decarbonise electricity on Greek islands. However, more effort is needed boost electrification and improve efficiency in transport and buildings.

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