-
Net Zero Emissions
An increasing number of countries have been making pledges to reduce their emissions to net zero in the coming decades. To inform these efforts, the IEA released a first-of-its-kind Net Zero Roadmap in 2021, outlining what would be required within the energy sector to achieve this goal at the global level by mid-century. An update to the Roadmap, which has served as an essential benchmark for policy makers, industry, the financial sector and civil society, was published in 2023.The Roadmap is based on the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions (NZE) Scenario, which portrays a pathway for the…
-
Renewables for Industry
Electrification of low-temperature heat and steam Industry is responsible for 30% of global energy consumption, most of which is supplied by fossil fuels. The focus of industrial decarbonisation has largely been on the steel and cement sectors, but significant potential also exists in less energy-intensive sectors such as food and beverages, textiles, chemicals, paper, and other manufacturing activities. These sectors offer some of the most immediate and cost-effective opportunities for industrial decarbonisation and diversification of energy sources. Commercially available electric technologies – including heat pumps, electric boilers and resistance heaters – can meet most heat demand in these subsectors…
-
Key Questions on Energy and AI Executive summary
The AI and energy nexus continues to evolve rapidly The largest technology companies are contributing to a surge in data centre investment, as their capital expenditure exceeded USD 400 billion in 2025 – and is expected to jump by another 75% in 2026. Capital expenditure of just five technology companies is now larger than global investment in oil and natural gas production. Many jurisdictions are seeing project pipelines accelerate dramatically, although not all projects will come to fruition. Those that are moving forward are doing so at pace: the IEA’s unique satellite-based tracking shows that “artificial intelligence (AI) factories…
-
Energy savings
Multiple benefits of Energy Efficiency 2025 Energy efficiency provides multiple benefits. This page explores energy savings. Why is energy efficiency important for energy savings? Energy efficiency measures reduce the amount of energy required to fuel and grow our economies. In economies where energy demand is set to grow significantly, efficiency also helps improve people’s lives by increasing access to additional energy services. Key facts In the last two decades, efficiency measures have generated over 27 EJ of energy savings in IEA countries alone, equivalent to 20% of total energy demand.The industry (including manufacturing) and services (including commercial buildings) sectors…
-
Renewables 2025 Biogases
Policy attention to biogas and biomethane has increased significantly in the past five years Since 2020, more than 50 new policies have been introduced around the world, as more countries recognise the potential role of biogas and biomethane in the transition to sustainable energy systems. Several key factors are driving this surge. First is the growing importance of energy security following the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and recent geopolitical developments. Second is the need to accelerate decarbonisation in hard-to-abate sectors, together with growing emphasis on methane emissions reductions. Third, countries are paying more…
-
Gas Market Report, Q3-2025 Executive summary
Following a slowdown in 2025, global gas demand growth is forecast to accelerate in 2026 Global natural gas demand returned to structural growth in 2024 and continued to expand in the first half of 2025, albeit at a markedly slower pace. Growth was primarily concentrated in Europe and North America, with adverse weather leading to stronger gas use in the buildings and power sectors. In contrast, gas demand was subdued in Asia, with both China and India recording demand declines in the first half of 2025. Market fundamentals remained tight in the first half of 2025 due to a combination…
-
Portugal 2026 Executive summary
Thanks to steady expansion of hydropower, wind power generation and solar photovoltaics (PV) in recent years, Portugal has one of the lowest carbon intensities of electricity generation among IEA Member countries. Portugal is entering a mid‑transition that requires managing two interconnected energy systems that are moving in opposite directions: one is based on renewables and electrification and must scale up rapidly; the other is a legacy fossil fuel system that must decline in an orderly way to avoid stranded assets and price shocks. Electricity is becoming the central pillar of energy security and the main driver of emissions reductions.Portugal…
-
Delivering on the EU’s electrification ambitions
EU paper The EU has ambitious goals for electrification Electrification is a key pillar of the EU’s energy security, industrial competitiveness, and climate strategy. Today, imported fuels account for around 60% of the EU’s total energy demand and cost the bloc EUR 380 billion in 2024. The risks associated with the EU’s reliance on fuel imports have been highlighted by recent market disruptions linked to the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict in the Middle East, bringing renewed attention to the EU’s target of increasing electrification from 24% today to 32% of…
-
Breakthrough Agenda Report 2025 Building
State of the transition Emissions Sectorial CO2 emissions trends have been fairly stable since 2018.Efficiency gains in buildings are improving energy use, but rising ownership of appliances and extreme weather increasingly offset these benefits.Emissions intensity of steel and cement is largely the same as 2020, while global construction activity has slowed in recent years. Cost Investment in building energy efficiency has risen over the past decade, but growth is now stalling, while spending on electrification grows steadily.High-efficiency building envelopes often entail higher upfront costs, constraining uptake in markets without dedicated financial support mechanisms.Strengthening the business…
- Executive summary
- Power
- Hydrogen
- Road transport
-
+ 4 pages
