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China’s Official Energy Finance in Emerging and Developing Economies
…through equity investments or guarantees. This shift suggests a move towards a more competitive – yet still state-directed – model of international energy engagement.These changes reflect a financing system adapting to new domestic and global circumstances rather than a withdrawal from China’s overseas energy activity. For clean energy deployment in particular, the evolving pattern presents both opportunities – including expanded equity participation and greater risk-sharing – and challenges linked to uneven availability of concessional or long-tenor finance.This report maps and analyses these changes through an energy sector-level dataset covering 2015 to 2024. It explores how China’s…
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Energy security
…new peak demand records and resiliency challenges. In 2019, 1°C in outdoor temperature increase was associated with a 5 GW increase in peak electricity demand; with rising air‑conditioner ownership and increasing temperatures, this value rose to 7 GW in 2024 and could further rise to 12 GW in 2030 without further efficiency action. If India were to experience similar heatwaves as in recent years – with temperature anomalies of over 4°C – the additional peak load would amount to 47 GW. However, if all new air conditioners in India were highly efficient (e.g. through increased minimum energy performance standards), peak load during a heatwave could…
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Energy Efficiency 2025
Market Report Energy Efficiency 2025 is the IEA’s primary annual analysis on global energy efficiency developments, showing recent trends in energy intensity and demand, investment, employment and policy. The report provides sector-specific analysis on industry, buildings, appliances and transport and explores system-wide themes such as emissions reductions, energy security, affordability and competitiveness. This report is launched in parallel with an update to the IEA Energy Efficiency Progress Tracker, which can be accessed through the IEA website.
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Road
…needed
For cars and vans, increasing fuel efficiency 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…
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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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Vehicle-to-grid technology
…of smart and bidirectional charging, EV owners can reduce charging costs and, in some cases, generate revenue by participating in grid services, such as frequency regulation. Load shifting and vehicle‑to‑grid (V2G) capabilities provide substantial electricity system benefits, helping reduce peak demand and potentially limiting the need for future grid investment – benefits for which EV owners can be compensated. Vehicle-to-grid charging holds the promise of alleviating grid constraints but barriers remain The rollout of EVs is a major driver of global electricity demand growth. Residential EV charging can draw more power than any other single household load, including heating…
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State of Energy Policy 2026
…security policies to the period 1973-2025, from oil and natural gas to clean energy technology supply chains and critical minerals. It also spotlights the policy momentum around energy access, most particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, taking stock of the policy progress since the IEA Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa in 2024.The State of Energy Policy series draw on the Global Energy Policies Hub, which tracks more than 6 500 measures across 84 countries and more than 200 policy types, and the Climate Pledges Explorer, exploring last climate commitments made for more than 190 countries, both updated with the release of…
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Delivering Sustainable Fuels
…enhance energy security, strengthen environmental sustainability and stimulate economic development, particularly in rural areas.If fully legislated and implemented, current and proposed national and international policies would put the use of sustainable liquid and gaseous fuels on a path to nearly double from 2024 levels by 2030 and quadruple by 2035. Progress must occur on multiple fronts to increase uptake and foster a large and diverse set of sustainable fuel pathways. This calls for a shared global vision for sustainable fuels, along with targeted policies to bridge costs gaps with conventional fuels, innovation to expand production potential, robust and mutually…
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Global Hydrogen Review 2025
…significantly since the first publication of the Global Hydrogen Review in 2021. Low-emissions hydrogen production projects have gone from just a handful of demonstrations to more than 200 committed investments for projects that are increasing in number and in scale, reflecting the importance of hydrogen for climate goals, energy security and industrial competitiveness. Nevertheless, growth has not met all of the expectations raised at the start of the decade and remains uneven. Uncertainties about costs, infrastructure readiness and evolving regulatory frameworks all present barriers to faster deployment.This fifth edition of the Global Hydrogen Review takes stock of the…
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Best Practices and Insights to Expand Clean Energy Access and Adoption
…enabling infrastructure, and investment that support long-term behavioural change.This report examines how policies, public engagement and sectoral transformation can create conditions for sustainable lifestyles that follow low-emissions practices and are resilient and inclusive. It draws on international evidence, including workshop discussions, IEA analysis and a wide range of global case studies, to identify key impacts and lessons learned from evidence and practice. It highlights how behaviour change is most effective when supported by coherent policy frameworks, targeted measures addressing affordability and structural changes across sectors such as buildings, transport and appliances. By identifying good practices and practical…
