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Sheltering From Oil Shocks Road transport fuels
Road transport accounts for around 45% of global oil demand, ranging from a third in Korea up to two-thirds in some countries in Europe and Latin America. In advanced economies, passenger cars dominate road transport demand, accounting for around 60% of road energy use. Trucks make up most of the remainder. In emerging economies, there is also a significant role for two/three-wheelers (scooters, motorcycles and tricycles), which account for around 5% of road transport demand and are more numerous than cars in many countries. The share of energy use in medium and heavy freight trucks is also…
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Outlook for Biogas and Biomethane Assessing the sustainable potential and cost of feedstocks for biogas and biomethane
Feedstock assessment This assessment considers over 30 types of feedstocks for biogases. They can be broadly grouped together as crop residues, animal manure, biowaste and woody biomass. We assess feedstocks that can be processed without direct competition with food for agricultural land or animal feed, and that do not have any other adverse sustainability impacts. Biogas and methane yields are key indicators of how suitable a feedstock is for energy production. Biogas yield refers to the total volume of gas produced from a feedstock through anaerobic digestion, primarily methane (CH₄) and CO₂. Methane yield, by contrast, accounts only for the…
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Renewables in District Energy Regional trends in district heating
Regional trends in district heating
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Universal Access to Clean Cooking in Africa Clean cooking infrastructure
The right ingredients Extending access depends on new infrastructure, with differing requirements across technologies and regions. This chapter maps for the first time ever Africa’s existing clean cooking infrastructure, highlighting gaps and key considerations for expansion.Widening liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution in sub-Saharan Africa requires the buildout of infrastructure. This includes additional primary storage – which is concentrated in oil producing states today – and improved port infrastructure, as 50% of LPG demand in the region is imported. On the distribution side, additional bottling facilities and specialised vehicles for safe transportation are required. With nearly 20 plants operating, cylinder manufacturing…
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Coal Mid-Year Update 2025 Prices
…This shift was driven by a combination of expanding supply, softening natural gas prices, reduced concerns over energy security, and the realignment of trade flows in response to sanctions on Russian coal exports. The ARA and Newcastle FOB price benchmarks began to decline from late 2022, reflecting a broader rebalancing of market fundamentals.In 2023 and 2024, thermal coal prices peaked at European ports, reaching approximately USD 152 per tonne. Australian ports followed with peak prices around USD 121 per tonne. The average price for mid-calorific value coal delivered to South China, with a calorific value of 5 500 kcal per kilogram…
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Multiple Benefits of Energy Efficiency for Business Operational benefits
For every dollar in energy cost savings, productivity gains can deliver up to an extra 30 cents of value Energy efficiency measures can improve how firms use labour, equipment and materials, leading to gains that go beyond reduced energy use. These improvements are often driven by more efficient, precise and optimised processes. By reducing losses – such as excess heat, inefficient combustion or friction – equipment operates more smoothly and reliably. Electrified processes can further enhance efficiency by reducing the number of moving parts and points of failure.This improved performance leads directly to higher productivity. More efficient production lines enable better…
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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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Sustainable Transport Policy for Armenia: A Roadmap Accelerating sustainable transport
Amid a rapidly changing energy landscape and mounting environmental pressures, Armenia faces both an urgent challenge and an opportunity to reshape its transport system. As it seeks to balance the twin goals of enhanced energy security and reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels, Armenia has made the transition to sustainable transport a top priority.This chapter lays out a forward-looking framework designed to accelerate Armenia’s shift to an efficient, low-carbon and resilient transport system. Drawing on international best practices, the recommendations focus on three interconnected priorities: electrifying the road transport fleet, boosting overall transport system efficiency and…
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Global Methane Tracker 2025 Understanding methane emissions
…a dangerous pollutant. Methane leaks also present explosion risks. The latest Global Methane Budget estimates annual global methane emissions to be around 610 Mt, with human activity responsible for almost two‑thirds of the total and natural sources accounting for the rest. IEA analysis suggests that the energy sector was responsible for around 145 Mt of methane emissions in 2024 – more than 35% of the total amount attributable to human activity. Oil operations were responsible for around 45 Mt, natural gas operations for nearly 35 Mt, and abandoned wells for around 3 Mt. An additional 2 Mt of methane leaked from…
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What Next for the Global Car Industry Pathways to global EV cost-competitiveness
Highlights The gap in competitiveness in electric car manufacturing between new market-entrants located in China and incumbents in other countries has grown in the past 5 years. Battery electric car production costs are over 30% lower in China than in advanced economies, and around a third of the difference can be attributed to the battery. However, a similar production cost gap exists for conventional cars. Battery cell prices are, on average, over 30% lower in China than in Europe and over 20% lower than in the United States. Reducing the manufacturing cost gap is possible – half is due to efficiency…
