Fatih Birol

Stories

Number of people without electricity has halved since 2000

Co-author of the Tracking SDG7 progress reports

In 2000, 1.35 billion people lived without electricity. By May 2026, that count has fallen to roughly 675 million. The drop works out to about 334,000 new connections every day, sustained for a quarter century.

Updated May 31

Global energy investment hits record as clean spending widens lead over fossil fuels

Money Moves

Serving third term, leads annual World Energy Investment report

The International Energy Agency expects global energy spending to reach $3.4 trillion this year, with about $2.2 trillion flowing to clean power, grids, storage, and electrification. Oil spending falls below $500 billion for the third consecutive year. Gas investment hits a 10-year high at $330 billion, driven by LNG expansion in the US and Qatar.

Updated May 29

Global oil markets enter oversupply era

Money Moves

Leading voice on energy transition and market balance

Brent crude averaged $80 per barrel in 2024. The U.S. Energy Information Administration now forecasts it will fall to $58 in 2026 and $53 in 2027—a decline of more than one-third in three years. The reason: global oil production is growing faster than demand, and inventories are piling up at a rate not seen since the pandemic.

Updated May 27

The renewable revolution

New Capabilities

Leading voice on global energy transition analysis

In 2004, the world installed one gigawatt of solar power in a year. By 2025, that amount goes online every single day.

Updated May 27

The great energy flip

New Capabilities

Leading global energy policy since 2015

Renewables drew level with coal globally in 2025 and are now overtaking it, according to the International Energy Agency's February 2026 Electricity report. Renewables and nuclear combined are forecast to reach 50% of global electricity by 2030, up from 42% today.

Updated May 19

AI data centers are rebuilding – and stress-testing – the U.S. power grid

Built World

Framing AI and data centres as a top-tier driver of global electricity demand

Since late 2022, U.S. regulators and utilities have warned that AI-optimized data centers could reshape national power demand, ending an era of flat electricity consumption and forcing rapid buildout of generation and transmission. By early 2026, those warnings have crystallized into concrete challenges. PJM Interconnection's December 2025 capacity auction hit the $333.44/MW-day price cap and failed to meet reliability requirements for the first time in its history. Data centers accounted for $6.5 billion—or 40%—of the auction's $16.4 billion in costs.

Updated May 10

Notable Quotes

Today's rate of progress is not nearly enough to reach universal access by 2030. — IEA, June 2025

from Number of people without electricity has halved since 2000 · Updated May 31

Once, it's a mistake; doing it for a second time, that's no longer a mistake. — On Europe re-engaging Russian energy, Euronews, May 28 2026

from Global energy investment hits record as clean spending widens lead over fossil fuels · Updated May 29

These uncertain times—not just for energy markets but also for geopolitics and economies—call for more exchange. More exchange of ideas, of perspectives and of outlooks.

from Global oil markets enter oversupply era · Updated May 27

"Last year, we said the world was moving quickly into the Age of Electricity – and it's clear today that it has already arrived."

from The renewable revolution · Updated May 27

The transition to clean energy is happening worldwide and it's unstoppable. It's not a question of 'if', it's just a matter of 'how soon.'

from The great energy flip · Updated May 19

The more we go for clean energy, the more resistant we are to global conflicts because nobody can take solar or wind as a hostage.

from The great energy flip · Updated May 19