This paper provides an overview of the IEA＇s 1998 edition of the World Energy Outlook. It discusses the likely developments in global energy demand for the period to the year 2020. Special attention is paid to the power generation sector. Prospects for electricity generation are discussed in detail for 10 world regions, followed by a description of the model that was used to produce these projections. Finally, the paper discusses the main uncertainties surrounding the projections presented here.