Fulfilling Our Potential: The International Energy Agency's Energy Technology Perspectives 2014

June 16, 2014- Beginning in 2006, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has been issuing its annual Energy Technology Perspectives (EPT) report. Over time the EPT has become a suite of publications that establishes a roadmap to what the IEA calls "A sustainable energy future in which optimal policy support and technology choices are driven by economics, energy security and environmental factors."

Here are some highlights, gleaned from the Executive Summary of the IEA's Energy Technology Perspectives 2014:

• Beginning with the premise that "electricity will be an increasingly important vector in energy systems of the future," the EPT for 2014 looks deeply into the actions necessary to "support deployment of sustainable options for generation, distribution and consumption."

• The EPT models the global outlook to 2050 under different scenarios for 500+ technology options.

• The EPT also considers the possibility of "pushing the limits" in terms of the following key areas:

- Solar Power: Possibly the Dominant Source by 2050
- Natural Gas in Low-Carbon Electricity Systems
- Electrifying Transport: How Can E-mobility Replace Oil?
- Electricity Storage: Costs, Value and Competitiveness
- Attracting Finance for Low-Carbon Generation
- Power Generation in India

• The EPT lists topic-specific books and papers on timely subjects or "crosscutting challenges."

• Yearly advances among diverse areas and the "interplay" among technologies is covered in a section titled "Tracking Clean Energy Progress."

• An IEA Technology Roadmap, supported by the EPT analysis, assesses the "potential for transformation across various technology areas," and outlines actions and milestones for deployment.

• The IEA writes, "Collectively, this series lays out the wide range of necessary and achievable steps that can be taken in the near and medium terms to set the stage for long-term energy policy objectives, clearly identifying the roles of energy sector players, policy makers and industry."

• The EPT's espoused values include "a detailed and transparent quantitative modeling analysis and well–rounded commentary, which ultimately support high-level policy messages," writes the IEA, whose past experience indicates that the audience for EPT publications includes:

- Energy technology analysts and academics
- Heads of governments and policy makers
- Business leaders and investors

• Plans are for the EPT to examine the role of technology innovation to meet climate goals (2015) and urban energy systems (2016).

Read the full Executive Summary of the IEA's Energy Technology Perspectives 2014 here. The page also includes a link to download the full 14-page publication.

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