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Sodium-ion battery momentum grows, but challenges remain
batteries commentary sodium batteries Recent technological advances and investment announcements suggest dynamics are shifting for sodium-ion batteries Sodium-ion batteries are emerging as a new player in battery markets, offering opportunities to diversify battery chemistries and supply chains at a time of rising global demand for electric vehicles and energy storage. Developed in laboratories since the early 1980s, sodium-ion batteries operate on the same fundamental principles as lithium‑ion batteries – which currently dominate the market – yet their path to commercialisation has been markedly slower.While lithium-ion batteries entered commercial use in the 1990s – with the first electric vehicles…
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The Middle East and Global Energy Markets
The IEA is responding to the energy market impacts of the conflict in the Middle East and continues to closely monitor the latest developments.The disruption to oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on energy infrastructure across the region have major implications for energy security and affordability – and for the world economy. The IEA's Executive Director has said the combined impacts amount to "the greatest threat to global energy security in history." The war in the region that began on 28 February has impeded energy trade flows through the Strait, creating the largest supply disruption in…
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Maroš Šefčovič
Executive Vice-President.
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Jose M Bermudez
Energy Technology Analyst. Jose M Bermudez is an Energy Technology Analyst at the International Energy Agency (IEA), where he coordinates the analytical work of the IEA in hydrogen technologies. He is also the coordinator of the Clean Energy Ministerial Hydrogen Initiative. Jose has more than 15 years of professional experience, working in research, innovation and energy policy in the areas of hydrogen, bioenergy and alternative fuels.
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Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025 Policy mechanisms for diversified mineral supplies
Increasing cost pressures in operations outside dominant producers pose risks to diversification and sustainability efforts Supply chains for key energy minerals are highly concentrated, creating strong incentives for policymakers to build more secure and resilient supply chains through greater diversification. This concentration is often underpinned by network efforts, lower costs, and, in many cases, by relatively energy- and emissions-intensive processes. Capital expenditures for mining and refining in regions outside the dominant player are typically 50% higher than those within the top producing country. These producers also often face higher all-in sustaining costs, making it difficult to remain profitable…
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Critical Minerals
Critical minerals are essential for a range of today’s energy technologies and for the broader economy. For example, lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and graphite are crucial to battery performance. Rare earth elements are essential indispensable to the permanent magnets used in wind turbines and electric vehicle motors. Electricity networks need a huge amount of aluminium and copper, the latter of which is the cornerstone of all electricity-related technologies. As demand for these materials grows strongly, their strategic importance has also increased – and policymakers have made ensuring secure and resilient mineral supply chains a major priority. Critical Minerals Security…
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Renewables 2025 Renewable electricity
Renewable electricity additions for 2025-2030 total 4 600 GW – equal to the combined installed power capacity of China, the European Union and Japan Globally, renewable power capacity is projected to increase almost 4 600 GW between 2025 and 2030 – double the deployment of the previous five years (2019-2024). Growth in utility-scale and distributed solar PV more than doubles, representing nearly 80% of worldwide renewable electricity capacity expansion. Low module costs, relatively efficient permitting processes and broad social acceptance drive the acceleration in solar PV adoption.Distributed solar PV applications (residential, commercial, industrial and off-grid projects) account for 42…
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Ian Hamilton
Director, EREDA Consultants Ltd..
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Energy Efficiency 2025 Executive summary
Global energy efficiency progress sees improvement in 2025, but remains off track to meet global goal Global energy efficiency progress is set to improve by 1.8% in 2025, up from around 1% in 2024. Preliminary estimates indicate that several key regions are showing some signs of stronger progress compared to their average since 2019. For example, energy intensity progress in 2025 is estimated to be over 3% in the People’s Republic of China (hereafter “China”) and over 4% in India, well above their averages in the years since 2019. In the United States and the European Union (EU…
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Global battery markets are growing strongly – and so are the supply risks
part 1- lithium-ion batteries Batteries’ importance is increasing across key sectors including autos, power, data centres and beyond The global lithium-ion battery market exceeded USD 150 billion in 2025, an increase of over 20% from 2024, but its economic and strategic significance extends far beyond market size. Batteries are becoming a cornerstone of the automotive sector, a critical source of flexibility for power systems, and an increasingly important source of back-up power for digital infrastructure, including data centres and artificial intelligence.Beyond energy, batteries remain indispensable for a wide range of industrial and strategic applications, from portable…