• The IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2025 identifies electricity as the cornerstone of achieving global net-zero emissions by 2050.

• The share of renewables in global power generation must rise from 40% in 2024 to 75% by 2035, with battery storage capacity expanding seventeenfold.

• Africa, still heavily reliant on fossil fuels, faces both a challenge and an opportunity to build a cleaner, more reliable power system.

Electricity will play a decisive role in achieving net-zero carbon emissions, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its World Energy Outlook 2025 released on November 12. The report outlines multiple pathways for the global energy system, including the Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario, which targets carbon neutrality by 2050.

According to the IEA, reaching that goal requires a deep transformation of electricity production and widespread electrification of energy-consuming sectors. The agency identifies four main levers for the NZE scenario: decarbonizing power generation, electrifying end uses, improving energy efficiency, and deploying complementary low-carbon technologies such as hydrogen and carbon capture.

These measures, the IEA estimates, will deliver two-thirds of the planned emissions reductions by 2035.

Decarbonizing Power Generation

Low-carbon sources accounted for just over 40% of global electricity generation in 2024. Under the NZE scenario, renewable energy capacity must triple between 2022 and 2030, reaching about 75% of the power mix by 2035.

Battery storage capacity is projected to increase seventeenfold, hitting roughly 2,900 gigawatts (GW) and 8,400 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of stored energy by 2035. The IEA also calls for massive grid expansion—an additional 30 million kilometers of transmission and distribution lines—to ensure system reliability.

The report stresses the continued role of nuclear, hydropower, carbon capture-equipped plants, and facilities using hydrogen or ammonia to stabilize a grid dominated by variable renewables.

Electrifying End Uses

Industry, transport, and construction currently generate over half of global energy-related emissions. In the NZE scenario, electricity’s share of final energy consumption rises from 20% today to one-third in 2035 and 55% by 2050.

Electric vehicles alone are expected to cut 2.4 gigatonnes of CO₂ emissions by 2035. Heat pumps will supply 45% of global heating needs by 2050, up from 12% today. In light industry, electricity use will increase from about 40% to over 50% by 2035.

For sectors harder to electrify—such as heavy industry and aviation—the report highlights the role of bioenergy, hydrogen, synthetic fuels, and carbon capture solutions.

Africa’s Energy Transition: Challenge and Opportunity

In 2023, fossil fuels still dominated Africa’s power generation mix, with gas accounting for 42%, coal for 25%, and oil for nearly 8%. Hydropower contributed 18%, while wind and solar combined made up only 5%.

This fossil-heavy structure reflects the production profile of major energy countries such as South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and Nigeria. Meanwhile, nations like Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo already operate largely renewable systems.

The IEA notes that Africa remains highly vulnerable to climate impacts despite its vast solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal potential. Expanding renewable capacity and increasing electricity access could both curb emissions and improve reliability across the continent—two critical needs for economic growth.

The IEA concludes that a net-zero-compatible energy system depends primarily on clean, flexible, and widely accessible electricity. For Africa, this transformation represents both a daunting task and a historic opportunity to align its power infrastructure with sustainable development and climate resilience goals.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum