IEA: Electricity Is Becoming the World’s Main Energy Source

International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol says the world is entering an era of electricity, gradually reducing its reliance on coal, oil and natural gas. He noted that electricity generation in the global economy has more than doubled. The expansion of AI data centres, rising demand for cooling and the growth of electric vehicles are driving electrification. Outside China, electric vehicle sales increased by 60% compared with the same period last year.

November 15, 2026 at 10:09 AM · 1 min read

International Energy Agency (IEA) chief Fatih Birol said that the world is gradually moving away from coal, oil and natural gas and entering the age of electricity. He made the remarks in an interview with «The Guardian» on the sidelines of the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31), which is being held in Türkiye.

Fatih Birol emphasised that electricity generation in the global economy has more than doubled. According to him, this trend is linked to unstable prices for fossil fuels and disruptions in their transportation.

“We will continue to use oil and gas as before, but electricity will become the main energy source,” the agency’s head said.

Fatih Birol identified three main factors driving the expansion of electrification. These include the growing number of data centres needed to process information for artificial intelligence, increased demand for cooling equipment due to global warming, and the development of the electric vehicle industry.

It was also noted that the transition to electricity in the transport sector is progressing at an unprecedented pace. According to the International Energy Agency, electric vehicle sales in countries outside China increased by 60 percent compared with the same period last year.