Scheduled maintenance 02/07/2025
Friday 23 of May - We're currently making improvements to our website.While we work, you might experience occasional issues with logging in or accessing your account.To ensure a smooth experience, we recommend holding off on any purchases or account activities until our maintenance is complete. Feel free to browse! Thanks for your understanding as we enhance our site. We'll let you know when everything's back to normal.. Please contact us if you have any questions. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Markets and investment

Global energy investment totalled more than USD 1.9 trillion in 2021, with the power and end-user sectors attracting more investment than traditional fuel production

Energy markets focus on the trade and supply of electricity, gas and liquid fuels. They consist of three main elements: generation or production, transmission and distribution, and supply. Once electricity is generated or gas and oil is produced, it is sold on the wholesale market to suppliers, who sell it on to consumers and arrange for its delivery. It is distributed to homes and businesses through transmission and distribution systems. Depending on a country’s government policy, these elements of energy markets may be nationalised or privatised. Energy markets are closely regulated to ensure secure access to energy at fair prices, since energy is a necessity for sustained economic output and human welfare. Energy markets in the UK are privatised and regulated by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), which is responsible for protecting the interest of consumers by promoting fair competition. UK energy markets have recently experienced significant changes due to diversification of electricity generation through the rise of renewable energy sources, as well as the addition of many new suppliers.

Around the world, investments in the energy system are shifting, with increasing funds flowing into renewables, grid flexibility mechanisms, and low carbon transport. An appropriate policy and regulatory environment is required for continued investment towards a low carbon economy while maintaining energy security. The low carbon transition often requires the government to drive and guide private spending since investments in low carbon energy infrastructure are often capital-intensive and require long-term returns. There is growing need for new market structures to be defined and existing ones to play different roles in order to encourage low carbon investments across all sectors of energy, while also keeping the energy system stable and conventional sources flowing. Increased interconnection is also an option for moving towards more sustainable and cost-effective energy systems; integration of national energy systems through cross-border infrastructure can redefine investment agendas.

Learn more about markets and investment by reading our Energy Insights.

For the latest news and articles on energy pricing read New Energy World.

View upcoming finanace and investment consultations and policies on our Policy Milestones Calendar.

What's new?

Latest Statistical Review of World Energy signposts age of energy additions

26/06/2025
In a year when average air temperatures consistently breached the 1.5°C warming threshold, global CO₂-equivalent emissions from energy rose by 1%, mar...

Read more »

Electricity bills to be slashed for over 7,000 UK businesses by green levy cuts

25/06/2025
The Industrial Strategy sets out a 10-year plan to boost investment, create skilled jobs and tackles two key challenges facing UK industry – high elec...

Read more »

Voltage missteps triggered the Iberian power outage, says Spanish government – but little consensus exists on who is responsible

25/06/2025
Presenting the incident report to Spain’s Council of Ministers last week, Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge Sara Aagese...

Read more »

Chinese carmakers drive global EV sales rise, say BNEF and ICCT

25/06/2025
BloombergNEF’s annual Electric Vehicle Outlook (EVO) expects sales of battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles to grow 25% this year ...

Read more »

EU gas demand set to drop 7% by 2030 – but UK deal with Norway bucks the trend

18/06/2025
  EU gas decline acceleratesEmber’s analysis of EU member states’ national plans predicts that EU gas demand is set to fall from 326bn m3 in...

Read more »

Events and training

Economics of the Oil and Gas Industry - October 2025

13/10/2025
A 2-day introduction to the economics of the oil and gas industry. This course is suitable for students who are new to the oil and gas industry.

Read more »

Introduction to LNG - October 2025

20/10/2025
This 2-day training course provides an introduction to the LNG chain. Suitable for students who are new to the LNG sector and/or those with a non-tech...

Read more »

Technical guidance publications

Visit our publishing site »

You may also be interested in