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Global Energy Review 2026 Natural gas
Natural gas demand growth slowed in 2025 Following a strong increase of 2.8% in 2024, global gas demand growth slowed significantly in 2025 amid weaker industrial activity and relatively high spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices in the first half of the year. Demand increased by 1% in 2025, translating to an increase of around 40 bcm (or 1.4 EJ) in absolute terms. Incremental demand was largely concentrated in the United States and the European Union – where it was supported by colder winter weather – and in the Middle East, where gas use in the power sector grew rapidly…
- Key findings
- Global trends
- Oil
- Natural gas
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+ 9 pages
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Congo
In Congo, 3 out of 5 people do not have access to electricity. As a country with a very low population density, Congo faces particularly severe challenges in bringing energy of any kind to its rural communities.
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
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+ 5 pages
![Congo Flag]()
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Coal 2025 Demand
…mostly due to wind droughts in the first half of the year. And although India has been the engine of growth in recent years, in 2025 its coal demand has been falling.Meanwhile, China’s coal consumption held steady at 4 953 Mt, with flexible coal-fired power supporting renewables and coal demand increasing for chemical production, offsetting declines in cement and other industries. ASEAN countries’ demand continues to expand on the back of new power capacity and metals processing activity. Overall, the picture is a complex interplay between expansion in emerging markets and the phase-out challenges in mature systems.In…
- Executive summary
- Demand
- Supply
- Trade
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+ 2 pages
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Financing the ASEAN Power Grid Executive summary
…to meet this demand. By 2040, total generation capacity is set to more than double with renewables accounting for 75% of new additions under today’s policy settings. This will require over USD 300 billion of investment in the expansion and modernisation of electricity grids from 2025 to 2040 – a 72% increase compared to investment from 2009 to 2024.Interconnectors are set to be a critical component of this grid build-out. The ASEAN Power Grid (APG) has been a pillar of regional cooperation for decades and has emerged as a cornerstone of the ASEAN energy transition. IEA analysis shows…
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Global Energy Review 2026 Electricity supply
…the first decrease since the Covid‑driven drop in 2020 and the first decline outside of a period of crisis-related disruption since 2015. As a result, in line with previous IEA forecasts, global renewable generation virtually matched coal-fired generation in 2025. Global renewable generation increased by around 8.5% year-on-year in 2025, slightly slower than the 9.6% rise observed in 2024 but much faster than the around 6% average of the previous decade. This was despite declines in hydropower output in Europe and Eurasia and lower-than-normal wind speeds, particularly in Europe, which tempered growth…
- Key findings
- Global trends
- Oil
- Natural gas
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+ 9 pages
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World Energy Investment 2025 Executive summary
Despite elevated geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, this tenth edition of the IEA’s World Energy Investment shows that capital flows to the energy sector are set to rise in 2025 to USD 3.3 trillion, a 2% rise in real terms on 2024. Around USD 2.2 trillion is going collectively to renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency and electrification, twice as much as the USD 1.1 trillion going to oil, natural gas and coal. Open questions about the economic and trade outlook means that some investors are adopting a wait-and-see approach to new project approvals, but we have yet…
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China’s Official Energy Finance in Emerging and Developing Economies Case 1. Uzbekistan 1-GW Solar PV Project
…a 1-GW solar photovoltaic (PV) complex project, consisting of two 500-MW solar farms, was built in the Bukhara and Kashkadarya regions, with two farms developed largely in parallel. The first 400 MW entered commercial operation in December 2023, and the remaining 600 MW was commissioned in June 2024. Energy China acted as developer and sponsor, implementing the project through a fully owned local project company and coordinating design, engineering, procurement and construction across both sites.Led by Energy China, this project is one of the country’s first large-scale solar projects and plays a meaningful role in…
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Global Energy Review 2026 Key findings
…Republic of China (hereafter, “China”) accounted for the largest overall share of global energy demand growth, but at 1.7% its growth rate slowed sharply due to the rapid growth of renewables and efficiency improvements.Demand for electricity grew at well over twice the rate of energy demand, reaffirming that the world has entered the Age of Electricity. Growth of nearly 3% remained above the average of 2.8% over the last decade, but was slower than in 2024, largely due to one-off factors such as lower demand for cooling in India and Southeast Asia. Electricity demand growth was…
- Key findings
- Global trends
- Oil
- Natural gas
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+ 9 pages
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Global Energy Review 2026 Global trends
…first time on record that a modern renewable source contributed the largest share of the growth in global energy demand. Natural gas followed, meeting around 17% of global demand growth. Oil contributed around 15%, followed by solid bioenergy and waste. Coal demand growth slowed, due to declines in China and India. In all, low-emissions sources contributed nearly 60% of total energy demand growth. This was despite almost no growth in hydropower due to poor hydrological conditions in some major regions. Demand for each of the three fossil fuels grew in 2025, albeit at a slower rate than in 2024…
- Key findings
- Global trends
- Oil
- Natural gas
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+ 9 pages
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Global Energy Review 2026 Technology: Battery storage
Battery storage is the fastest growing power technology today. In 2025, 108 GW of new battery storage capacity was deployed worldwide, 40% more than in 2024. Installed capacity is now eleven times higher than in 2021. Lithium‑iron phosphate (LFP) batteries now account for around 90% of deployments; while less energy‑dense than rival chemistries commonly used in EVs, LFP batteries are typically cheaper and better suited to more frequent cycling. Just five years ago, the market share of LFP batteries in deployments was well below 50%. Around 80% of new battery capacity in 2025 was utility‑scale. The remainder was behind-the…
- Key findings
- Global trends
- Oil
- Natural gas
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+ 9 pages
