Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, says the world’s cheapest, most secure, and cleanest energy source is starting to look like one thing: electricity. His argument comes from the agency’s latest report on global electrification, and it rests on a simple observation. For the first time in years, the cost, security, and environmental footprint of electricity are all moving in the same direction.
Birol’s Trilemma
The energy world used to force choices. You could pick the cheapest fuel, the safest fuel, or the cleanest fuel. Rarely did all three line up at once. Birol calls that the “energy trilemma,” a concept in energy and economics research about balancing cost, security, and environmental impact.
He said those priorities are increasingly aligning in part because of the Iran war, which has driven up fuel prices and made energy security a bigger concern.
“Many, many years in the energy world, we had three choices in front of us. Shall I choose the most secure energy option? Shall I choose the most economic energy option? Or shall I choose the cleanest energy option?” he asked. “We have to make choices, we have to make trade-offs but when we look at the world today, for the first time in years, all of these three objectives are getting aligned.”
The Numbers Behind the Claim
The report includes figures that explain why Birol sounds so optimistic. Here is how electricity compares to fossil fuels on cost:
| Fuel | $100 Worth | Distance / Days |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline (ICE car) | 862 miles | N/A |
| Electricity (electric vehicle) | 2,310 miles | N/A |
| Natural gas (boiler) | 30 days of heating | N/A |
| Electricity (heat pump) | 42 days of heating | N/A |
These are 2025 global averages from the IEA report. The gaps are probably larger today, with gasoline and natural gas experiencing price spikes that exceed rising electricity costs.
What the Figures Mean
The electric vehicle figure is striking. With $100 worth of electricity, an electric vehicle travels nearly three times as far as an internal-combustion-engine car gets on $100 worth of gasoline. That is a huge advantage for drivers who care about running costs.
The home heating comparison shows a smaller but still meaningful difference. $100 buys enough fuel for a gas boiler to provide 30 days of heating, while the same amount funds enough electricity for a heat pump to provide 42 days of heating. That is a 40 percent edge for the heat pump.
Both comparisons point in the same direction. Electricity is cheaper to use than the fossil fuels it replaces, and the gap appears to be growing.
The Hard Part
Birol’s optimism is notable because the IEA is the world’s leading energy research organization. The report’s conclusions are based on global averages. They do not capture every local market or every household.
The report’s conclusions are based on global averages. They do not capture every local market or every household. The figures are striking, but they are averages, not guarantees for every driver or homeowner.
The numbers are striking. Electric vehicles travel nearly three times as far per dollar of electricity as internal-combustion-engine cars, and heat pumps deliver 42 days of warmth to gas boilers’ 30.
Source material: “All hail electrification. But let’s talk about the hard part.,” Ars Technica.
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