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7 certainties about energy for this age of uncertainty
ED commentary The energy sector, like many others, is contending with a blizzard of uncertainties, complicating the work of policymakers, business leaders and investors.Geopolitical twists and turns are straining long-established relationships and upending deeply held assumptions. The World Uncertainty Index, devised by economists from the IMF and Stanford University, has hit unprecedented levels in recent months.But in this time of flux, there are still some important trends that we can identify with some confidence. Here are seven that can help us keep our bearings: The world has entered the age of electricity Oil and gas will still…
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Coal 2025 Supply
Coal production plateaus in 2025 as structural shifts emerge to 2030 In 2024, global coal production hit a record high of 9.1 billion tonnes, largely driven by increased output in China, India and Indonesia. China retained its position as the world’s leading coal producer, maintaining output at 4 666 Mt. Coal remains the primary energy source in both China and India, making domestic production a cornerstone of their energy security strategies. Following supply shortages in 2021, both countries have ramped up coal production for several years in a row.At 9 111 Mt, global coal production in 2025 is projected to remain at 2024…
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Energy Technology Perspectives 2026 Supply chain risks and industrial competitiveness
Supply chain risks Supply chain security remains a challenge: Clean energy technology manufacturing is highly geographically concentrated, with China as the main supplier in most supply chain stages. China accounts for around 85% of solar and 80% of lithium-ion battery supply chain production capacity, and even higher shares for PV wafers (95%) and anode materials (97%). Cybersecurity considerations further enhance the importance of addressing security of supply. An “N-1” assessment, which models the impact of losing the largest exporter in each supply chain, shows that for the final downstream stages of most of the four technologies examined – solar…
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Hydrogen
Low-emissions hydrogen projects are set to grow strongly despite wave of cancellations and persistent challenges
Worldwide hydrogen demand increased to almost 100 million tonnes in 2024, up 2% from 2023 and in line with overall energy demand growth. The vast majority of this was met by hydrogen produced from fossil fuels without measures in place to capture associated emissions. Sectors that have traditionally used hydrogen, such as oil refining and industry, remained the biggest consumers.
The uptake of low-emissions hydrogen is not yet meeting the expectations set by industry and governments in recent years, especially in light of…
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Affordability
Multiple benefits of Energy Efficiency 2025 Energy efficiency provides multiple benefits. This page explores affordability. Why is energy efficiency important for affordability? Energy efficiency measures can reduce energy bills for households, decrease energy poverty, and make access to energy services more affordable. Key facts Energy efficiency measures can reduce average household energy bills in advanced economies by up to one-third. In emerging economies, they can also improve access to energy services. For many products, such as refrigerators, highly efficient models use less than half of the energy of inefficient models. A best-in-class model can save up to…
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Global EV Outlook 2025 Trends in the electric car industry
Manufacturing and trade Steady growth in global electric car production masks differences at the regional level A total 17.3 million electric cars were produced worldwide in 2024, about one-quarter more than in 2023, largely as a result of increased production in China, which reached 12.4 million electric cars. China remains the world’s electric car manufacturing hub, accounting for more than 70% of global production in 2024. Production in China has been increasingly shaped by the expansion of domestic manufacturers. In 2024, Chinese OEMs accounted for more than 80% of domestic production, up from roughly two-thirds in 2021…
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Autonomous vehicles
GEVO 2026 - Chapter 8 Progress in AI and computing power is disproportionately benefiting EVs, particularly for automated driving and integrated vehicle control. Sensors and chips integrate well with the stable, high-voltage power supply of EV batteries. Electric vehicles lead in automation and advanced driver assistance Driving automation is at the forefront of software developments for cars today. While fully autonomous cars (Level 5 automation)) are not currently in sight, electric driverless taxis (Level 4) are already operating commercially in more than 20 cities worldwide. Moreover, automated driving systems are not limited to self-driving cars – they are also rapidly gaining…
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Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025 Beyond NMC batteries: Supply chain issues for emerging battery technologies
The LFP battery supply chains are significantly more concentrated than those for nickel-based batteries Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries now supply almost half the global electric car market up from less than 10% in 2020, at the expense of the previously dominant nickel-based NMC lithium-ion batteries, due to improved performance and lower costs. This remarkable battery chemistry shift is leading to new battery critical mineral supply chains coming into focus beyond nickel and cobalt. Simultaneously, there is also the emergence of manganese-rich lithium-ion cathodes, sodium-ion batteries, as well as the anticipated impact of solid…
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How governments can best support consumers during this energy crisis
How governments can best support consumers during this energy crisis The conflict in the Middle East has triggered a major shock to global energy markets, with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz triggering the largest supply disruption in the history of oil markets and significantly impacting supplies of natural gas and a range of energy-related commodities.As concerns over supply security have grown, prices have risen across several parts of the energy system, increasing pressure on household budgets, public finances and economic activity more broadly. In response, many governments have announced emergency measures to protect consumers from…
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Coal Mid-Year Update 2025 Trade
Global coal trade reached an all-time high in 2024 Global coal trade reached a new all-time high in 2024, with total volumes estimated to be 1.55 Bt, surpassing the 1.5 Bt mark for the first time. Thermal coal trade rose by 28 Mt to reach 1 180 Mt. This growth was primarily driven by strong import demand in Asia, especially from China. The country experienced growth in imports, with coal imports reaching new highs. Imports increased by 14% up to 548 Mt, resulting in total annual imports surpassing 500 Mt for the first time. This volume is more than…
