By: Green Building Africa

A Multifaceted Energy Security Crisis

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has issued a stark warning in its World Energy Outlook 2025, stating that governments are confronting a broader range of energy security threats than ever before. These risks now span traditional fuels like oil and gas, as well as electricity and the critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol emphasized that energy has become central to geopolitical tensions and called for a level of international policy coordination akin to the response following the 1973 oil crisis to manage these growing dangers.

The Dawn of the "Age of Electricity"

A dominant trend across all the report's scenarios is the rapid rise of electricity demand, outpacing overall energy use. This surge is primarily driven by data centers, artificial intelligence, and widespread electrification in homes and industry. In a landmark shift, global investment in data centers is projected to reach $580 billion in 2025, surpassing spending on oil supply for the first time. However, the IEA cautions that this new "Age of Electricity" brings its own security challenges, as grid expansion and energy storage are failing to keep pace with the growth in power generation.

Progress and Persistent Vulnerabilities

The report highlights significant progress in renewables, led by solar power, and a revival in nuclear energy. It also notes ample near-term supplies of oil and gas, largely due to new LNG projects in the U.S. and Qatar. Despite this, profound vulnerabilities remain. The world is dangerously dependent on a single country for the refining of 19 out of 20 critical minerals. Furthermore, the global community is off-track on its climate and energy access goals, with 730 million people still lacking electricity and global temperatures set to exceed 1.5°C of warming in the near term across all scenarios.

An Urgent Call for Resilience and Cooperation

The IEA concludes with an urgent call to action for governments to strengthen the resilience of energy systems against climate impacts, cyberattacks, and supply disruptions. The report underscores that the traditional risks in oil and gas markets are now compounded by new threats to electricity grids and mineral supply chains. It advocates for a renewed spirit of international cooperation, diversified supplies, and accelerated investment in grids and flexible power systems to navigate the complex and interconnected energy security landscape of the future.