Energy providers will play a pivotal role over the coming decades in managing energy demand growth and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The IEA projects that the power sector will deliver up to two-thirds of cumulative emissions reductions...

In 2009, the term “21st Century Coal” was jointly coined by the governments of China and the United States to describe the importance of strategic international partnerships to advance development of near-zero emissions (NZE) technology enabling...

The purpose of this report is to highlight energy efficiency policy action and planning in IEA member and key non-member countries over the period from September 2011 to September 2012. The report provides an overview of energy efficiency policy...

At the October 2011 Governing Board Meeting at Ministerial Level, IEA member countries endorsed the IEA Electricity Security Action Plan (ESAP). The proposed electricity security work program reflects the challenge of maintaining electricity security...

China faces the dynamic of rapid economic development that drives ever increasing energy use, primarily electricity, and consequently increasing CO2 emissions. It has taken a pledge to curb its emissions intensity, and is exploring various policy...

The production of heat is responsible for a large share of final energy demand. In 2009, heat accounted for 47% of total energy used worldwide. Expanding the use of modern biomass, geothermal energy, solar energy and ambient energy to produce heat...

Taxes, loans and grants, trading schemes and white certificates, public procurement and investment in R&D or infrastructure: known collectively as “economic instruments”, these tools can be powerful means of mobilising the finances needed to achieve...

Concerns about energy security, climate change and rising energy costs make it imperative for all countries to significantly improve their energy efficiency. To assist them in doing so, the IEA has proposed 25 energy efficiency policy...

Improving energy efficiency has long been advocated as a way to increase the productivity and sustainability of society, primarily through the delivery of energy savings. The impact of energy efficiency measures can go far beyond energy savings, and...

Electricity generation from coal is still growing rapidly and energy scenarios from the IEA expect a possible increase from today's 1 600 GW of coal-fired power plants to over 2 600 GW until 2035. This trend will increase the lock-in of carbon...

Russia is in the process of one of the most ambitious electricity sector reforms ever undertaken, reflecting the importance of an efficient and reliable electricity sector for promoting economic activity, growth and community prosperity. However, the...

This paper is the first IEA analysis that focuses on country-specific trends, opportunities and challenges for carbon capture and storage (CCS). It follows previous IEA publications on CCS and studies on cleaner coal and advanced coal technologies....

Successful deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is critically dependent on comprehensive policy support. While policy plays an important role in the deployment of many low-carbon technologies, it is especially crucial for CCS. This is...

Public opinion related to the consumption of coal is directed primarily to its environmental impact in light of ongoing efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and tackle global climate change. Nevertheless, the benefits of coal as a widely available and...

The rationale for an individual company making an investment that will reduce energy consumption varies considerably and depends on a range of factors. This report delves into the major factors or driving forces that decision makers within a large...

Due to its clean burning properties, low investment costs and flexibility in production, natural gas is often put forward as the ideal partner fuel for wind power and other renewable sources of electricity generation with strongly variable output....

Ensuring energy security has been at the centre of the IEA mission since its inception, following the oil crises of the early 1970s. While the security of oil supplies remains important, contemporary energy security policies must address all energy...

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is a carbon reduction technology that offers permanent net removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. This has been termed 'negative carbon dioxide emissions', and offers a significant...

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that 100 Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects will be required by 2020 and over 3 000 by 2050 if CCS is to contribute fully to the least-cost technology portfolio for CO2 mitigation. For CCS to...

Coal is an important source of energy for the world, particularly for power generation. To meet the growth in demand for energy over the past decade, the contribution from coal has exceeded that of any other energy source. Additionally, coal has...