Everything Energy

The global energy sector is adding jobs twice as fast as the overall economy. But where is this growth coming from? And with skills shortages increasing, can it keep up the momentum?
 
In this episode, IEA analysts Elspeth Hathaway and Rebecca Ruff – two authors of the World Energy Employment report – dive into the latest data. They talk about who works in the energy sector, what’s been driving the strong rise in energy jobs globally, and how to tackle growing skills gaps, which could otherwise complicate efforts by countries to meet rising energy demand securely and affordably.

Enthusiasm for hydrogen has surged in recent years. The most abundant element in the universe, it offers a wide range of potential energy applications, and many governments now see it as an important part of the solution to their energy challenges.
Much of the focus has been on low‑emissions hydrogen. But building markets around a still‑emerging technology is far from straightforward. In this episode, IEA Energy Technology Analyst José Bermudez explores the obstacles that have slowed progress – and discusses why production could still grow strongly between now and 2030.

The car industry is a key part of many economies – and with passenger cars representing the single largest source of global oil demand today, changes in the worldwide auto sector have important implications for the energy sector. The global car industry is undergoing significant shifts, as the geography of car production evolves, new regions drive sales growth, and electric cars expand consumer choices.
 
In this episode, IEA Energy Technology Analysts Elizabeth Connelly and Leonardo Paoli – the lead authors of a recent report on the car industry – unpack the structural trends. They examine the underlying drivers, assess the potential implications for the energy sector and beyond, and discuss how competitiveness can be sustained in this market context.

For many decades, global energy demand was mainly concentrated in wealthy, industrialised economies such as the United States, Europe and Japan. That has changed in the 21st century as China’s rapid economic growth moved the centre of gravity eastward, with the country driving more than half of global oil and gas demand growth and 60% of electricity demand growth since 2010.
 
Now, the landscape is shifting again. Emerging economies – led by India and Southeast Asia, and joined by countries in the Middle East, Latin America and Africa – are poised to take the baton from China. This brings new opportunities and challenges that will affect energy markets for years to come.
 
In this episode, Ali Saffar, Head of the IEA’s Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America Division, and IEA energy analyst Siddharth Singh explore how energy demand has evolved over the past half-century and share insights on what lies ahead, based on new analysis in recent IEA reports.

Today, nearly two out of every five people in Africa still live without access to electricity. That means no lighting at home or in schools, no power to grow businesses, and no reliable energy for healthcare or essential services.
 
New IEA analysis outlines a pathway to universal access to electricity by 2035. But what will it take to get there? In this episode, Emma Gordon and Adam Ward – energy investment analysts and lead authors of a recent IEA report on this topic – explain what is needed, including the financial tools that could unlock essential investment.