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The Future of Electricity in the Middle East and North Africa
Electricity demand in the MENA region This study analyses electricity demand in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and its evolution to 2035. MENA has long been a cornerstone of global energy supply. But the region is fast becoming a central character in the story of global energy demand, particularly that of electricity use. Rapid population growth, urbanisation, and rising temperatures are driving up electricity demand. Since 2000, MENA has become one of the top contributors to global electricity demand growth. The region’s climate, characterised by extreme heat and water scarcity, implies that reliable and resilient electricity…
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Designing an effective strategic stockpiling system for critical minerals
…action on critical minerals security has never been more urgent. A clear priority is to develop diversified sources of supply for key critical minerals. However, inevitably, it takes time to develop new projects in both mining and refining. Strategic stockpiling of critical minerals can serve as an important protective measure to safeguard countries from supply shocks and disruptions while they develop new, diversified sources of supply. Strategic stockpiles provide a way for countries to strengthen economic and national security, while also helping to deter future export controls and limiting their impact. Strategic stocks are an insurance policy against short-term…
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Oil Market Report - June 2026
…peace deal. Investor exchange holdings slumped in parallel, as positive price momentum reversed sharply and traders reduced positions in the face of extreme price volatility and higher exchange margins. New deal An interim agreement between the United States and Iran to end the war in the Middle East could pave the way for a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a lifting of a US blockade on Iranian oil traffic. The biggest breakthrough in negotiations since the start of the conflict sent oil prices tumbling to their lowest levels since early March. While details of the deal, that is…
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Overview graphic: key technology trends for EVs
…or hybrids, making them more compatible with digitalisation and automation. The relative simplicity of electric drivetrains enables shorter development cycles for new vehicles, allowing emerging technologies to reach BEVs sooner than vehicles with other powertrains.While the transition from mechanical to software-based vehicle control has been underway for decades, it has accelerated dramatically with the rise of EVs. Pure‑play EV makers have pioneered the shift towards high-level, continuously updateable software-based vehicle control, speeding up the development and rollout of new features. Vehicles are evolving into software platforms for which users can access subscription‑based premium features, in the…
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Household Energy Affordability
Energy is one of the top expenses for millions of households, making energy affordability an important policy concern for governments. The impacts of the global energy crisis on consumer prices have been significantly felt in household budgets. Despite coming down from their peak in 2022, prices remain elevated compared to pre-crisis levels and households continue to grapple with higher living costs.This report sets out to identify key trends that are shaping the state of energy affordability around the world today. It explores how system drivers and household energy consumption influence the makeup of energy bills and opens a…
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How accelerating electrification could strengthen energy security in Southeast Asia
Commentary Electrification is key to energy security and sustainability across Southeast Asia Energy demand is rising rapidly in Southeast Asia, driven by economic growth, industrialisation, urbanisation and rising incomes. Since 2015, energy demand has risen by around 40%, while electricity demand has grown even faster – twice as fast as overall energy use. Although renewables have increased significantly over the past decade, fossil fuels have continued to dominate, meeting over 70% of energy demand growth across this period, with oil accounting for nearly half of total energy consumption.Rapid energy demand growth and continued dependence on fossil fuels brings greater exposure…
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Electricity 2026
…transportation, and the buildings sectors. Growing consumption is also coming from some of the most dynamic segments of global economies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), data centres, and evolving technological innovations.Against this backdrop, Electricity 2026 – the IEA’s annual report on global electricity systems and markets – provides in-depth analysis of the recent trends and policy developments underpinning this new era. It includes forecasts for electricity demand, supply and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for select countries, by region and worldwide. This year the forecast period has been expanded to five years, 2026-2030, compared with the previous three-year…
- Executive summary
- Demand
- Supply
- Grids
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+ 4 pages
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Electric Vehicles
Global electric car sales continue to break records as affordability improves
Despite recent economic headwinds that have put pressure on the auto sector, global sales of electric cars have continued to break records as electric models become increasingly affordable. Electric car sales exceeded 17 million globally in 2024, reaching a sales share of more than 20%. Just the additional 3.5 million electric cars sold in 2024 compared with the previous year is more than the total number of electric cars sold worldwide in 2020.
In 2025, sales of electric cars are expected to surpass 20 million, accounting for over…
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Grid investments
…rapidly – and so is the demand for the expansion of electricity grids. Energy efficiency can help close the gap between supply and demand, but often at a lower cost, and more quickly, than new generation and grid expansion. Key facts On average, energy efficiency costs less than half the amount it would cost to build new generation capacity and grid infrastructure, per unit of energy.Energy efficiency measures can typically be deployed in under a year, while generation and transmission projects require between one and seven years to build on average, depending on technology, or over a decade for nuclear…
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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…
