IEA’s Electricity Mid-Year Update 2026

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The IEA’s Electricity Mid-Year Update 2026 says global electricity consumption is projected to rise from 28,600 terawatt hours in 2025 to 30,700 terawatt hours by 2027.

• The renewable electricity generation is set to overtake coal globally in 2026, after reaching near parity in 2025.
• It will be driven by industry, electric vehicles, cooling, appliances and data centres.
• Solar photovoltaic power remains the largest contributor to global electricity supply growth.
• The solar PV is to surpass wind power and become the world’s second-largest renewable electricity source after hydropower.
• Global gas-fired electricity generation is forecast to remain broadly unchanged in 2026, breaking the growth trend seen through much of the past decade.
• Nuclear power generation is also expected to rise in 2026 and accelerate in 2027, supported by new reactors coming online in China and India, and strong output in the United States and France.
• India’s electricity demand is forecast to rebound by 7% in 2026, supported by industrial activity, services growth and heatwave-driven cooling demand.
• India crossed 100 GW of variable renewable energy supply for the first time in July, even as rising evening peaks continue to strain the grid.
• The rapidly rising evening peak demand continues to require coal and gas-fired plants to increase generation.
• India’s combined solar PV and wind generation rose by more than 25 per cent during the first half of 2026.
• Its share in total power supply reached 42.79 per cent, the highest recorded so far.
• Instantaneous ground-mounted variable renewable energy generation touched an all-time high of 103 GW.
• The renewable energy’s share has ranged between 35 per cent and 42 per cent.
• When hydropower and nuclear power are included, non-fossil sources have accounted for nearly half of total electricity supply.
• International Energy Agency (IEA) is a Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organization, established in 1974.
• It provides policy recommendations, analysis and data on the global energy sector.
• The 32 member countries and 13 association countries of the IEA represent 75% of global energy demand.
• It was set up under the framework of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis.
• Its publications include annual World Energy Outlook, as well as, the Net Zero by 2050 report.
• All IEA member countries have signed the Paris Agreement which aims to limit warming to 1.5 °C, and two thirds of IEA member governments have made commitments to emission neutrality by 2050.
• But the United States has withdrawn twice.
• India officially declared its "Association" status with the International Energy Agency (IEA) on March 30, 2017.
• In July 2025, Brazil started the process to become a member country.
• Clean Energy Transitions Programme of IEA has identified Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and South Africa as priority countries.

Reference

Down to Earth | IEA’s Electricity Mid-Year Update 2026