The electrification of end uses

Let's take a closer look at the report "Electricity 2026 - Analysis and Forecast to 2030", published by the IEA (International Energy Agency) in February 2026. It paints the picture of a global electricity system undergoing rapid transformation. Indeed, since 2024, global electricity demand, driven by the accelerated electrification of transport, industry, and buildings, has surged.

→ A breakdown with Enerfip!

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🔄 The transformation of the global electricity system

Key figures

• According to the IEA, global electricity demand is expected to grow by 3.6% per year between 2026 and 2030, adding 1,100 TWh each year, compared to approximately 700 TWh per year over the previous decade.

While China remains the main driver of this increase, India and Southeast Asia are also expected to accelerate through rapid industrialisation and an explosion in air conditioning demand. Emerging economies and the digital sector are indeed driving up electricity consumption worldwide. In the United States, growth in electricity consumption is driven by the rise of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and data centres. In Europe, the levers behind the increase are broadly similar: air conditioning, data centres, but also heat pumps and electric vehicles. The adoption of this sustainable mode of transport, along with the rollout of charging infrastructure, is expected to contribute more than 100 TWh of additional demand by 2030.

→ The stakes behind the mass electrification of uses are significant. Whether it is reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, ensuring energy sovereignty, securing supply, or maintaining economic competitiveness, adjustments are needed to absorb this demand while guaranteeing its stability.

Despite debates that have slowed certain European policy decisions on green electricity growth, the figures show that demand is expected to rise at a sustained pace until 2030. The increase in industrial consumption, electric vehicles, air conditioning, and data centres are the catalysts of this new era, referred to as the "Age of Electricity".

→ This dynamic is unfolding against a backdrop of growing demand and structural challenges for electricity systems.

🌱 Renewables in the race

By 2030, half of the world's electricity is expected to come from renewable energy and nuclear power, which together would surpass coal. The growth of renewables is estimated at 1,000 TWh per year through 2030, with solar PV alone accounting for more than 600 TWh per year in additions.

→ The IEA sees this acceleration in favour of the energy transition as a global economic and ecological turning point.

Even though the European Union remains a pioneer in this field, other major powers, such as China, are standing out by investing massively in renewables. Indeed, the Middle Kingdom will represent, within a few years, nearly 60% of global renewable capacity additions.

→ In this context, the global competition in favour of the energy transition is entering a new growth cycle, with the electricity sector undergoing a profound revolution.

🇪🇺 Focus on the European Union

Even though the European Union is on track to become the world's greenest major power in terms of electricity, it still faces many challenges, particularly related to grids, flexibility, and the social acceptability of prices.

→ In this context, the IEA forecasts an average annual increase of 2.3%, representing approximately +300 TWh in total between 2026 and 2030.

Driven by the rise of electric vehicles and the expansion of air conditioning and heat pumps, this dynamic points to an ambition to green its energy mix. To achieve this, a radical transformation is required. By 2030, more than 400 GW of net renewable capacity will be installed, 70% of which will be solar.

→ The share of low-carbon sources (renewables combined with nuclear) will reach 84% by 2030.

The European Union's trajectory is clear: it envisions the complete greening of the electricity sector. While this is an ambitious project, the rise of renewables is a genuine lever for decarbonisation. The carbon intensity of European electricity is indeed expected to fall from 170 g CO₂/kWh in 2025 to 90 g CO₂/kWh in 2030.

→ A pace of -12% per year, unmatched among the world's major powers! For reference, the United States is targeting barely more than -3% per year, and China less than -5% per year over the same period.