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Energy and AI AI for energy optimisation and innovation
…leak detection and repaid automation. AI has various applications in electricity systems owing to the complexity of supply, transmission and demand profiles. In the Widespread Adoption Case, the application of AI in power plant operations and maintenance yields potential cost savings of up to USD 110 billion annually by 2035 from avoided fuels and lower costs. AI also enables greater integration of renewable electricity into the grid. Our analysis finds that up to 175 GW of additional transmission capacity could be unlocked in existing lines with the use of AI. The applications of AI in end-use sectors are varied but have…
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Austria 2026 Executive summary
…strategies and adequate funding. The country’s commitments to climate neutrality by 2040 – a full decade ahead of the European Union (EU) – and a 100% renewable share in the national annual electricity balance by 2030 are bold. These goals are underpinned by a large hydropower fleet (accounting for around 60% of electricity generation), including 5.6 gigawatts (GW) of pumped hydro storage and a nationwide smart meter roll-out. Austria has the highest share of renewable energy in electricity consumption in the European Union and is the first European country to develop a pioneering approach to integrated energy system planning. However…
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Financing Electricity Access in Africa Beyond new connections
…states or small islands. These communities have some of the lowest electrification rates on the continent but are often excluded from financing due to their complexity. In many of these settings, decentralised solutions are viable, but higher risks mean public and highly concessional capital will be necessary, particularly to pilot new financing models.Women play an integral role in electricity access since they are often managers of household energy, as well as consumers, including as entrepreneurs. They face severe barriers to accessing finance, with an estimated USD 42 billion financing gap for women-led businesses on the continent. Improving sex-disaggregated data…
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Global Energy and Climate Model Announced Pledges Scenario (APS)
…of fossil fuels and low-emissions fuels, such as hydrogen, is shaped by what full implementation of all targets means for global demand. The APS also assumes that all country-level targets for access to electricity and clean cooking are achieved on time and in full.The way that these pledges are assumed to be implemented in the APS has important implications for the energy system. A net zero pledge for economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions does not necessarily mean that CO2 emissions from the energy sector need to reach net zero. For example, a country’s net zero plans…
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Renewables in District Energy Executive summary
…energy systems across Europe, China, Russia and parts of Central Asia. District cooling is less developed than district heating but is expanding beyond the Middle East into multiple regions. With rising cooling demand and urban density, it can improve efficiency, reduce peak electricity demand and support system integration.To date, district heating remains largely fossil fuel-based, with around two-thirds of consumption in energy-importing countries, exposing consumers to price volatility and geopolitical supply risks. While efficiency improvements – including the shift to combined heat and power – have reduced emissions intensity, overall fossil fuel use remains high. Coal accounts for…
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Global Energy and Climate Model Macro drivers
Overview The Global Energy and Climate Model (GEC Model) uses macro drivers, techno-economic inputs and policies as input data to design and calculate the scenarios. The values for the different data categories and scenarios used in the GEC Model 2025 can be downloaded here.Economic activity and population are the two fundamental drivers of demand for energy services in GEC Model scenarios. Unless otherwise specified, these are kept constant across all scenarios as a means of providing a starting point for the analysis and facilitating the interpretation of the results. The projections are based on the average retail prices…
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Energy Efficiency 2025 Buildings
…the efficiency of existing buildings. To accelerate the deployment of electric heating systems, such as heat pumps, governments can regulate fossil fuel-based heating technologies, harmonise labels for heating solutions, provide targeted rebates, or reduce the price gap between gas and electricity.In emerging economies, the number of buildings is growing almost twice as fast as in advanced economies, so efficient new buildings and urban planning are important to accelerate efficiency progress. Building energy codes, which currently apply to around half of new floor area in emerging economies, can ensure that new buildings are built efficiently. Improving the efficiency of…
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Global Energy Review 2025 CO2 Emissions
Energy sector carbon emissions reached a new record in 2024 Total energy-related CO2 emissions increased by 0.8% in 2024, hitting an all-time high of 37.8 Gt CO2. This rise contributed to record atmospheric CO2 concentrations of 422.5 ppm in 2024, around 3 ppm higher than 2023 and 50% higher than pre-industrial levels. In 2024, CO2 emissions from fuel combustion grew by around 1% or 357 Mt CO2, while emissions from industrial processes declined by 2.3% or 62 Mt CO2. Emissions growth was lower than global GDP growth (+3.2%), restoring the decades-long trend of decoupling emissions…
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Global Hydrogen Review 2026 Demand
…industry and refining. Trade-oriented agreements were higher than agreements for domestic use for the first time.Volumes for low-emissions hydrogen included in procurement tenders grew marginally in 2025, to reach more than 1 Mtpa. More than 0.3 Mtpa have been contracted as of Q1 2026, with progress occurring mostly in refining and fertilisers thanks to supportive policies and regulations in Europe and India.Refining and industry remain the main sectors in which low-emissions hydrogen adoption is taking place. Based on projects that have at least reached a final investment decision (FID), 2.5 Mt is expected to be produced…
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Renewables 2025 Renewable heat
…heat demand, leading to rising fossil fuel consumption for heat and associated CO2 emissions (+4%/+0.6 Gt CO2 in annual emissions). Over 2025-2030, cumulative heat-related CO2 emissions are anticipated to total 100 Gt CO2 – more than one-fifth of the carbon budget remaining for a 50% likelihood of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Using more electricity for process heat expands renewable heat consumption, but not enough to curb fossil fuel use Industrial heat demand is projected to expand 14% (+16 EJ) globally during 2025-2030, with China and India together accounting for more than half of the growth. Over this period, renewable heat…
