IEA Database Reveals Global Overview of Clean Energy Demonstration Projects

In a strategic effort to accelerate the innovation needed for the global energy transition, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has developed the Clean Energy Technology Demonstration Project Database, an international platform that maps, organizes, and shares detailed information on major projects underway around the world. The tool is a fundamental part of the IEA's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and aims to address one of the key gaps in the new green economy: the transition of promising technologies from the laboratory to the market.

Full-Scale Innovation: An Antidote to the Technological "Valley of Death"

Demonstration projects are crucial stages in the energy innovation cycle. They represent the moment when emerging technologies leave the prototype stage and are tested on a commercial scale under real-world conditions. Although they carry high risk and cost, they are essential for reducing investor uncertainty and paving the way for their mass diffusion. It's no coincidence that the IEA estimates that at least US$90 billion in public funding will be needed by 2026 to enable a robust demonstration pipeline that will enable new technologies to reach the market by 2030—especially in hard-to-decarbonize sectors such as heavy industry and long-distance transportation.

The IEA database provides structured information on nearly 600 projects and technology components, including location, sector, status, timeline, installed capacity, and funding sources. Regularly updated with the support of experts and national governments, it also serves as an invitation for global collaboration, allowing stakeholders to contribute data and expand the platform's coverage.

Access the data HERE