Clean Power for Growth

The fact sheet contends that the traditional reliance on natural gas and LNG as a bridge to decarbonization in the Global South is outdated. It asserts that modern renewables and storage can meet reliability, speed, and cost requirements more effectively than gas. Citing IEA data, the document warns that gas-heavy strategies expose developing economies to higher consumer prices, price volatility, and technology lock-in, whereas a net-zero aligned approach could meet over 60% of their electricity needs via local renewables by 2050.

• Renewables and battery storage are presented as viable alternatives to gas for economic development because they offer reliability, rapid deployment, and superior cost-effectiveness. Examples include hybrid facilities in South Africa, 100% renewable power in Sint Eustatius and Saba, and Ghana's plan to build only renewables through 2025. In terms of speed, a large storage project in Australia was deployed in under 100 days, and Vietnam tripled its solar capacity in 2020 by installing over 6 GW.
• Renewables are often the cheapest electricity source, with some procurements in Malaysia and Jamaica showing costs as low as half those of gas. India's largest renewables auction achieved a record low price for a renewable hybrid plant that was lower than the cost of coal.
• Comparing the IEA's Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario to the Stated Policies (STEPS) scenario for 2030, the NZE path for developing economies results in average household energy spending approximately 15% lower and a 21% reduction in the impact of global gas price volatility on consumers.
• Heavy investment in gas infrastructure, particularly LNG terminals costing $500 million or more, creates technology lock-in and exposes developing economies to significant financial risks. By 2050, gas-heavy strategies could expose approximately $140 billion per year of power sector gas use in these economies to supply risks and price volatility.

APA

RMI (n.d.). Clean Power for Growth. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2021/11/clean_power_for_growth_fact_sheet.pdf

Chicago

RMI. Clean Power for Growth. n.d. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2021/11/clean_power_for_growth_fact_sheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Clean Power for Growth |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2021/11/clean_power_for_growth_fact_sheet.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmindclean, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Clean Power for Growth}}, institution = {RMI}, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2021/11/clean_power_for_growth_fact_sheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }