The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its latest “Global Energy Review” report for 2026, indicating that global energy demand grew by 1.3% in 2025. This represents a slower growth than the previous decade’s average. However, electricity demand surged by 3%, driven by electric vehicles, data centers, and industrial activity.
Solar became the largest contributor to global energy supply growth for the first time, accounting for over 25% of the increase, followed by natural gas (17%). Renewables and nuclear met 60% of new demand, while oil demand rose modestly (0.7%) due to EV growth.
Regional trends varied significantly:
- China’s demand growth slowed (1.7%) as renewables replaced coal
- U.S. demand rose sharply due to data centers and cold weather.
- Global CO₂ emissions grew by just 0.4%, with declines in China and flat emissions in India, but increases in advanced economies.
In the power sector, solar PV added 600 TWh globally in 2025, the largest annual increase ever for any technology, while battery storage capacity grew by 110 GW. Nuclear saw 12 GW of new construction starts, reflecting renewed interest.