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Technology Roadmaps

There is a pressing need to accelerate the development of advanced clean energy technologies in order to address the global challenges of energy security, climate change and sustainable development. This challenge was acknowledged by the Ministers from G8 countries at their meeting in June 2008 in Aomori, Japan where they declared the wish to have IEA prepare roadmaps to advance innovative energy technology.

To achieve this ambitious goal, the IEA has undertaken an effort to develop a series of global technology roadmaps covering 19 demand and supply-side technologies. The IEA is leading the process, under international guidance and in close consultation with industry. The overall aim is to advance global development and uptake of key technologies to reach a 50% emission reduction by 2050. The roadmaps will enable governments and industry and financial partners to identify steps needed and implement measures to accelerate required technology development and uptake.

Work to date has included hosting technology and policy expert stakeholder meetings, conducting analysis and research to develop technology expansion scenarios, and developing technical, policy and financing milestones from 2010-50. The IEA has initiated roadmaps for the following technologies:

These findings are preliminary; first review drafts of the roadmaps are currently under development. The roadmaps will be published as stand-alone documents in time for the IEA Ministerial in October 2009.

The IEA will publish the initial set of roadmaps on its webpage as they become available and promote them through various international for a, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meetings in Bangkok and Copenhagen in 2009 and as input to the 2010 G8 meetings in Canada. The Major Economies Forum and other multilateral climate/energy efforts have also asked for more detailed, expanded energy technology roadmaps. Additionally, the roadmaps will form a chapter in the IEA’s Energy Technology Perspectives publication in 2010.

The initial set of roadmaps is a start; there is a need to begin analysis and roadmap efforts for the other technologies. Work on these roadmaps, as well as the other technology roadmaps identified in the Energy Technology Perspectives 2008 (ETP) study, will continue as funding becomes available.

Read an initial summary of the first roadmaps.