IEEJ: April 2024 ©IEEJ2024

Scaling up clean energy technologies
Dr Timur Gül, Chief Energy Technology Officer, International Energy Agency
19 April 2024, IEEJ/APERC Symposium, Japan

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Innovation is already delivering new tools and lowering their costs
CO2 emission reductions by technology maturity in 2050 in the NZE Scenario of 2023
2021
Other

OtherUnder
development

On themarket

35%
46%

Clean energy innovation has been accelerating in the last few years,
yet more RD&D is needed to unlock the next generation of low-emissions technologies.
IEA 2024. CC BY 4.0.

Source: IEA (2023), Net Zero Roadmap: A Global Pathway to Keep the 1.5 °C Goal in Reach

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Deployment of electrolysers is accelerating and expanding
Announced electrolyser projects in 2030
100%

80%

Electrolyser projects
Committed

RoW
Australia
AfricaUnited States
India
Middle East
Latin America

60%

PlannedEurope
Australia

40%

Potentially installed capacity

14 GW
420
GW

United States
Middle East

20%

ChinaEurope0%China

Projects under construction or having reached FID are concentrated in Europe and China,but a growing number of projects are being developed around the world.
IEA 2024. CC BY 4.0.

Source: IEA (2023), Global Hydrogen Review

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Innovation today prepares the clean energy technologies of 2050
Evolution of technology readiness levels for selected clean energy technologies
MatureTRL
11Marketuptake

9

Demonstration
Large
prototypeGrid-scale onshore wind10

Grid-scale solar PV

87

Lithium-ion battery

65

Sodium-ion battery

4Conceptand small
prototype3

Cement direct separation
carbon capture2

100% electrolytic H₂-based
DRI steelmaking

1
1920

1940

1960

1980

2000

2020

Innovation is moving quickly, opening significant market opportunities.
However, the innovation journey can be long, and must be accelerated significantly to get on track.
IEA 2024. CC BY 4.0.

Source: IEA (2023), Net Zero Roadmap: A Global Pathway to Keep the 1.5 °C Goal in Reach

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A stronger role for government, industry and clean energy start-ups

Billion USD (MER, 2022)

Global spending on energy R&D and venture capital investment in clean energy start-ups, 2010-2022
Governments

Listed companies

100%

50

12080%

4060%

9060%

302040%

6040%

20

1020%

3020%

10100%

150

4080%

3050

2010

2022

2010

2022

Venture capital

20102022

Share in clean energy (right axis)

Clean energy R&D spending by governments and corporations have increased substantially since 2010.
The increasing role of clean energy start-ups indicates a new way of doing innovation in rapidly growing markets.
IEA 2024. CC BY 4.0.

Source: IEA (2023), Net Zero Roadmap: A Global Pathway to Keep the 1.5 °C Goal in ReachPage 5

IEEJ: April 2024 ©IEEJ2024

Five priorities for decision makers to scale up clean energy techs
1. Accelerate deployment of existing clean energy concepts, such as renewables, energy
efficiency technologies, and the electrification of end-uses
2. Stimulate innovation by fostering demand for clean energy, especially in sectors
where innovation needs are greater (e.g. heavy industry and long-distance transport)
3. Make pre-commercial technologies more bankable, especially in sectors where there
are few clean energy options today, and where risks are high (e.g. demonstration stage)
4. Nurture a pool of innovators to generate diverse ideas to embrace uncertainty andenable disruption, even if net zero emissions could be achieved without major discoveries
5. Foster international collaboration on clean energy innovation to share learnings andresources, such as through the IEA Committee on Energy Research and Technology(CERT) and the Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP)IEA 2024. CC BY 4.0.

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IEA 2024. CC BY 4.0.

Contact: report@tky.ieej.or.jp

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