Renewable energy sources, natural gas and nuclear power could meet the world's growing electricity demand, driven besides the industry and households by the electrification of heating and cooling systems, as well as the spread of electric vehicles and data centres, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a recent report.
According to the study electricity demand is expected to grow by 3.3% in 2025 and 3.7% in 2026 - more than twice as fast as the growth of all other energy demand over the same period. The report highlights that while renewable energy generation is projected to overtake coal-fired power generation by 2025 or 2026 at the latest, global nuclear power generation is expected to reach a new record in 2025 and continue its upward trajectory in 2026. Global nuclear power generation is expected to grow by an average of 2% over the period, approaching 3,000 TWh in 2026, driven by restart of nuclear reactors in Japan, massive production in the United States and France and construction of new units in China, India and Korea. 
Keisuke Sadamori, IEA Director for Energy Markets and Security, said the strong growth of renewables and nuclear power is transforming electricity markets in many regions. However, this must be accompanied by investments in networks, storage and other flexible resources to ensure that energy systems can meet growing demand safely and affordably, the expert said.