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Renewables for Industry
…resistance heaters – can meet most heat demand in these subsectors.Widespread electrification of low-temperature heat and steam in industry, coupled with increasing deployment of renewable electricity supply, can deliver multiple benefits. In addition to reducing fossil fuel use and associated emissions, it can improve energy security by lowering exposure to volatile gas and oil prices and, when integrated with thermal storage, it can create demand flexibility that helps ensure a higher share of variable renewable generation.This report explores how to expand the role of renewables in the industrial energy mix through electrification of low-temperature heat and steam…
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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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Biofuels
Country and regional highlights
The United States Inflation Reduction Act makes USD 9.4 billion available for biofuels
Energy
Biofuel demand increased by 6% in 2022, continuing the recent pace of growth
Technology deployment
Biofuel production technology needs to diversify to sustainably take advantage of existing waste and residue feedstocks
Innovation
Technologies that can convert woody feedstocks into biofuels need to be proven at scale in the next few years
Supporting infrastructure
Policy
Investment
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Road
…standards is important as even in the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, nearly 80% of cars and vans on the road in 2030 are still powered with internal combustion engines. Sales of heavier, less efficient SUVs reached around 46% of global sales in 2022, while electric vehicles were just 14% of sales. More and more countries are formulating vehicle efficiency standards and some are even putting in place zero-emission vehicle sales requirements. To be in line with the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, all car and van sales will need to be zero-emission by with 2035.
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7 certainties about energy for this age of uncertainty
…rise again, generating more electricity than ever before last year. Today, more than 70 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity is under construction, one of the highest levels in the past 30 years. Soaring electricity demand from data centres means tech companies are also turning to nuclear, attracted by its promise of low-emissions, round-the-clock power supply. Energy security risks are multiplying, especially for critical minerals Traditional hazards affecting the security of oil and gas supplies are now accompanied by vulnerabilities in other areas, including electricity security, as highlighted by the recent major blackouts in Chile and Spain, and…
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Investment in next-generation geothermal is surging. Policies are key to further growth
…provide heating and cooling, electricity and energy storage. As global electricity demand rises and power systems place a growing premium on firm supply, geothermal energy’s ability to provide an around-the-clock, low-emissions source of power is attracting renewed attention. However, easy-to-access conventional geothermal resources are relatively rare and mostly confined to a small number of shallow geothermal hotspots globally, accounting for only about 1% of global electricity demand today.Next-generation geothermal technology developers are seeking to overcome these limits by drilling deeper and harnessing heat from hard-to-reach reservoirs. Operators can either circulate…
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Unlocking Ukraine’s Hydrogen Opportunity: A Roadmap
…more than USD 0.5 trillion – three times Ukraine’s GDP.Reconstruction offers an opportunity to build back better. In the energy system, this means strengthening energy security and reducing GHG emissions. The use of low-emissions hydrogen in industrial applications can provide the dual benefit of lowering GHG emissions and supporting the development of an export-oriented industrial base that can help to restore the fiscal balance. This is a long-term opportunity that will not happen overnight, but efforts need to start today to progressively build the experience required to enable such an industry in the future.The…
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The State of Energy Innovation 2025
…public and corporate R&D spending, venture capital flows, and technology demonstration efforts, highlighting an increasingly international landscape, with emerging economies making strides alongside traditional leaders. The report documents the increasing focus on low-emissions, modular and mass-manufactured technologies, as well as launching a set of 18 “races” to encourage faster progress towards key demonstration milestones. It identifies areas where new approaches to policy support are being developed to use public funds more effectively, but also highlights areas where more efforts are needed to address barriers to scale-up and attract private capital. The report includes focus chapters on…
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Renewables for Industry Executive summary
…electrification of low-temperature heat and steam. Energy efficiency measures lower overall heat demand, reduce losses and thereby enable smaller, more cost-effective electrification solutions. In many industrial facilities, basic optimisation such as recovering and effectively using waste heat, improving insulation, enhancing process control and plant-level thermal optimisation can deliver immediate reductions in fuel consumption at comparatively low cost. These measures not only cut emissions but also reduce the scale of investment required for electric heating technologies. Prioritising efficiency therefore maximises the impact of subsequent electrification efforts and strengthens the business case for switching from fossil fuels.Industrial heat…
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Renewables 2022 Renewable heat
…global energy-related CO2 emissions.The rise in policy attention renewable heat is gaining worldwide is due not only to environmental considerations but to acute energy security concerns in the context of the current global energy crisis. Major recent heat-related policy updates include the US Inflation Reduction Act passed in August 2022, which allocates an estimated USD 22 billion (out of an estimated USD 369 billion for overall energy and climate change spending) for home energy supply improvements. The bill includes substantial rebates (of up to USD 8 000 for a space heating heat pump for low- and moderate-income…
