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Electricity 2026 Executive summary
Electricity demand is set to grow strongly through 2030 as the Age of Electricity takes hold Global electricity demand is forecast to increase at a brisk average annual rate of 3.6% over the 2026-2030 forecast period, supported by rising consumption from industry, electric vehicles, air conditioning and data centres. Worldwide electricity demand grew by 3% year-on-year in 2025. This followed growth of 4.4% in 2024, when intense heat waves and strong industrial activity in many regions boosted electricity use. Looking ahead, annual demand growth over the next five years is set to be 50% higher…
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- Demand
- Supply
- Grids
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China’s Official Energy Finance in Emerging and Developing Economies Case 3. Saudi Arabia’s first green full-process heavy plate mill project
Project overview and impact Saudi Arabia is pursuing an ambitious industrial transformation under Vision 2030, including efforts to localise heavy industries, expand low-carbon manufacturing and diversify export capacity. Steel demand is expected to grow steadily due to investment in hydrogen, ammonia, shipbuilding, offshore engineering and large-scale infrastructure. However, the country currently imports nearly all of its heavy plate steel, and domestic production has lagged the needs of an economy shifting towards more capital-intensive sectors and cleaner industrial processes.A new heavy-plate complex developed jointly by China Baowu Steel Group, Saudi Aramco and the Public Investment Fund…
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Energy Efficiency Policy Toolkit Energy Efficiency Policy Toolkit: Case studies
The following case studies demonstrate how different countries have successfully implemented energy efficiency policies across various sectors. These real-world examples are designed to support policymakers by offering practical insights into what works, under which conditions, and why.Each case study highlights specific policy instruments—such as regulations, information campaigns, or financial incentives—and shows how they have been applied in different contexts. They provide evidence on the outcomes achieved, lessons learned, and the challenges encountered during implementation. Readers are encouraged to explore the case studies by sector, policy type, or geographic region using the filters provided. Case studies bridge…
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State of Energy Policy 2026 Climate pledges
The new round of NDCs does not imply stronger annual emissions reductions than the previous 2030 NDCs The past year marked a key milestone in the Paris Agreement’s ratcheting mechanism, under which countries update their climate pledges every five years. As of 27 March 2026, more than 130 countries had submitted new NDCs out of the 194 parties to the Paris Agreement that had previously submitted NDCs under the UNFCCC framework, with the vast majority setting new targets for 2035. In total, these submissions cover close to 75% of today’s energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.Some regions have not…
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World Energy Investment 2025 India
India is working to diversify its power generation mix by promoting investment in renewables and nuclear to meet sharply rising electricity demand Electricity demand in India has been rising sharply due to increases in commercial and residential space, a surge in ownership of air conditioners and appliances, and rising demand from industry. India has seen the third-largest growth in power generation capacity in the world after China and the United States over the past five years. While growth in power generation has come from all sources, there has been a surge in investment in renewables, led by solar PV…
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Coal Mid-Year Update 2025 Overview
Global coal demand grew by 1.5% in 2024, reaching an all-time high Global coal demand rose by 1.5% in 2024 to reach 8.79 billion tonnes (Bt), a new record. The growth was the slowest annual rate since the Covid-19 crisis in 2020 caused coal demand to decline. The post-Covid economic recovery and high natural gas prices have driven a sharp rise in global coal demand in recent years, but the growth has slowed year-on-year since 2021. Coal demand grew by 7.7% in 2021, 4.4% in 2022 and 2.3% in…
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Global EV Outlook 2026 Electric vehicle batteries
Electric vehicle battery deployment Electric vehicle battery deployment grew by almost 30% in 2025 Electric vehicles (EVs) remained the primary source of global battery deployment, accounting for more than 70% of the total in 2025, slightly down from almost 80% in 2024. In 2025, EV battery deployment reached 1.2 TWh, an increase of almost 30% compared to 2024, and more than 7 times greater than in 2020. Light‑duty vehicles remained the dominant segment, representing more than 85% of the 2025 EV battery deployment. However, the fastest growth came from electric trucks, for which battery demand more than doubled – largely thanks…
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China’s Official Energy Finance in Emerging and Developing Economies Case studies
China’s outbound energy engagement spans a wide range of technologies, financing structures and institutional actors. While aggregate trends reveal a system that is becoming more diversified, risk-sensitive and commercially oriented, the specific pathways through which Chinese capital supports energy transitions in EMDE become clearer when examined at the project level.The following case studies illustrate this diversity in practice, from large-scale renewable deployment and grid modernisation to industrial decarbonisation, equity participation in regional infrastructure platforms and upstream resource development. Together, they show how different parts of China’s official financing system interact with local conditions, how technical…
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World Energy Outlook 2025 Implications of CPS and STEPS
Between continuity and change By 2035, energy demand in the Current Policies Scenario (CPS) is around 35 exajoules (EJ) higher than in the Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS), a difference roughly equivalent to the current annual energy demand of the Middle East. All the extra energy required in the CPS compared to the STEPS comes from oil, natural gas and coal. In the absence of renewed geopolitical disruptions, markets for oil and natural gas appear well supplied in the coming years. But production from existing oil fields declines at a rate of 8% per year, if no investment is made, so it…
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Investment
This initiative includes a dashboard that offers free data on financing costs for clean energy projects, tools and analysis to help governments identify and address investment risks, and case studies showcasing successful strategies for mobilising capital. This initiative includes a dashboard that offers free data on financing costs for clean energy projects, tools and analysis to help governments identify and address investment risks, and case studies showcasing successful strategies for mobilising capital. Globally, energy investment by governments, households and businesses is expected to reach a new high of $3.3 trillion in 2025. How this spending is allocated has major…