Clean Energy Support is Saving Major Energy Importers Billions While Cutting Exposure to Fossil Fuel Shocks, New Analysis Finds

September 11, 2026—Across four of the world’s largest oil and gas importers, public support for renewable energy and clean electrification is proving to be an effective energy-security policy—expanding and diversifying domestic energy supply, reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, strengthening resilience to price shocks, and lowering energy costs—according to new analysis from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

The analysis examines Germany, Türkiye, China, and India—countries with very different economies and energy systems that together account for around 40% of global oil imports and 27% of gas imports. Germany and Türkiye have used renewable energy to reduce exposure to imported gas, China is using solar and wind to meet growing electricity demand at lower cost, and India is using electric vehicles to reduce dependence on imported oil. Across all four, public support for clean energy delivers measurable energy security benefits.

The benefits are particularly clear when fossil fuel prices spike. Renewable energy support in Germany and Türkiye delivered an estimated USD 38 billion in combined net savings from avoided gas imports during the 2022 energy crisis. With gas prices elevated again in 2026, the same policies are projected to deliver around USD 39 billion in combined net savings this year.

Key Findings

• Germany: Public support for renewable electricity is reducing dependence on imported gas and exposure to price volatility, with projected net savings of USD 28 billion in 2026.
• Türkiye: Supporting domestic renewable generation is displacing costly gas-fired power and lowering vulnerability to imported gas, delivering projected net savings of USD 11 billion in 2026.
• China: Expanding solar and wind instead of coal can meet growing electricity demand more affordably, with projected savings of USD 1.9 trillion by 2050.
• India: Support for electric vehicles is reducing reliance on imported oil, with projected savings of USD 7.8 billion for consumers and USD 2.5 billion in avoided crude-oil imports by 2035.

The headline savings tell only part of the story. Across all four countries, clean energy support is also expanding and diversifying domestic energy supply, reducing reliance on imported oil and gas, and leaving economies less exposed to global fuel shocks. It also gives countries greater control over the technologies and infrastructure their energy systems depend on.

“Taken together, these results show why clean energy is an energy security policy. Every fossil fuel price shock hits importing countries twice: first through higher import bills, and then through the cost of protecting households and businesses from those higher prices. The answer is not to stop protecting people—it is to invest in solutions that reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets. Across four very different economies, we see the same result: public support for renewables and electrification can build lasting energy security,” said Tara Laan, lead author of the analysis at IISD.

Released ahead of the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial in Houston, Texas—where ministers are expected to discuss deregulation, faster permitting, and expanded energy production—the analysis shows that genuine energy abundance and security depend not simply on increasing supply, but on directing public support toward energy sources that reduce countries’ exposure to volatile imported fuels.

Governments should spend smarter, not always spend more: shifting public support from fossil fuels toward people and clean energy; targeting support at the bottlenecks holding back renewables and electrification; using competitive, predictable and time-bound measures; and embedding reduced fossil fuel exposure in national energy, investment and transition plans.

Global public financial support for fossil fuels—including subsidies, investment by state-owned enterprises and international public finance—exceeded USD 1.2 trillion in 2024, compared with USD 254 billion for clean energy. IISD says governments can protect vulnerable households and businesses through targeted social protection while redirecting public support toward cleaner technologies that reduce exposure to future fuel shocks.

Notes for Editors

• The digital story, is available here: Spending Public Money Smarter for Energy Security | International Institute for Sustainable Development
• Authors: Tara Laan, Indira Urazova, Andrea M. Bassi, Natalie Jones, and Suban Biixi.
• Interviews with report authors and underlying data can be made available on request.
• The G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial is scheduled to take place in Houston, Texas, from September 14–16, 2026.
• Media contact: Mark Raven, senior communications officer at IISD, [email protected], +44 78414 74125