IEA urges countries to diversify as green tech supply chains remain concentrated

Disrupting battery supplies would be a massive multi-billion-dollar hit to several markets.

Supply chains for modern green technology are controlled by only a few countries, forcing nations to boost their own industries and find more diverse sources, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The report finds that the geographical scope of these technologies – of which China holds the largest share – is unlikely to change significantly before the end of the decade.

Whilst China’s dominance is less extreme in final assembly, the IEA warns that every major energy supply chain has a ‘choke point’. If one key link fails or is cut off, the whole system collapses because no one else produces enough to fill the gap.

The impact of a trade freeze from China depends heavily on the technology. Disrupting battery supplies would be a massive multi-billion-dollar hit to car makers, especially in Europe, whilst solar disruptions would hit Southeast Asia and India hardest, though with a smaller total price tag.

The report projects that the clean energy market is on track to become as massive as the oil industry. Depending on how aggressively governments follow through on their plans, the market can be worth between $2t and $3t by 2035.

Growth is also evident amongst earlier-stage technologies. Investment in low-emissions hydrogen production projects rose by 80% year on year in 2025, whilst deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is also advancing.

Despite a brief slowdown in 2024, global trade in clean energy tech grew by 10% in 2025, proving that demand is rising even as prices for things like solar panels and batteries drop.