As incomes and temperatures rise around the world, demand for cooling is soaring. And while expanding access to air conditioning stands to improve quality of life for millions of people, it is also putting new strain on electricity systems during hot periods.

In this episode, we hear from Brian Motherway, who leads the IEA’s work on energy efficiency. He walks through the latest global data on air conditioning demand, the consequences for energy affordability and reliability, and what governments can do to help.

When you think of batteries, you might picture charging a phone or laptop. But it’s the energy industry that has transformed the battery market over the past decade. Today, over 90% of battery demand comes from the energy sector, driven by record-breaking electric car sales and the rapid growth of battery storage to support power grids around the world.

In this episode, we hear from Teo Lombardo, an IEA analyst specialising in batteries, and Araceli Fernandez Pales, the head of the IEA’s Technology Innovation Unit. They explain how batteries work and their role in modern energy systems, as well as why prices have fallen dramatically in recent years and what innovations could drive further growth.

Oil markets have faced significant turbulence this year. Heightened geopolitical risks, trade tensions and policy shifts have all affected the outlook. At the same time, the major drivers of supply and demand over the past 15 years are losing momentum, signalling that a deeper transformation of markets is underway.

In this episode, Toril Bosoni, Head of the IEA’s Oil Industry and Markets Division, unpacks the latest developments, speaking about the forces shaping oil markets today, how resilient they could be to tensions in the Middle East and elsewhere, and what the oil market might look like in the years ahead.