Search Climate Insights Directory

The analysis finds that while gas-fired power plants emit 58% less CO2 at the stack than coal, the lifecycle benefit is reduced to 24% when considering upstream emissions. This benefit varies wildly by production basin; gas from northeast Pennsylvania can significantly reduce GHG impacts, while gas from the Permian basin could potentially worsen them by 20% compared to coal. The report concludes that for natural gas to be compatible with net-zero goals, both aggressive upstream methane abatement and downstream carbon capture and storage (CCS) are required, noting that abated coal with CCS actually shows 37% lower emissions than abated gas with CCS due to the latter's persistent upstream methane and liquefaction emissions.

The analysis examines the complexities of assessing the climate impact of U.S. LNG exports, highlighting that lifecycle emissions vary significantly based on the source basin and the level of upstream and downstream mitigation. Using a case study of power generation in Vietnam, the author demonstrates that switching from coal to U.S. gas could either reduce greenhouse gas impacts by 40% or increase them by 20% depending on methane management. While U.S. EPA regulations and the Methane Emissions Reduction Program are expected to curb emissions, the document asserts that further policies and the application of carbon capture and storage are necessary for gas to remain viable in a climate-constrained world.

The report examines Energy Communities (ECs) in the EU, highlighting their role in democratising energy and achieving climate goals. It distinguishes between Citizen Energy Communities (CECs) and Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), noting that as of 2022, over 9,000 ECs were operational in the EU. The document details the climate, economic, and social benefits of these models, such as reduced energy poverty and increased grid resilience. Through case studies of Germany, Denmark, Latvia, and Greece, it illustrates how national legislation and financial incentives—like feed-in tariffs and grants—drive adoption. The report concludes that while the EU is a leader in these models, non-EU nations should consider similar legal recognitions to support a just energy transition.

The UK has adopted a heavily regulated asset base (RAB) model for its CO2 transport and storage (T&S) infrastructure to mitigate 'cross-chain risks' and attract investment. Under the Transport and Storage Regulatory Investment (TRI) model, private Transport and Storage Companies (T&SCo) operate networks under licenses from Ofgem, with revenues derived from user tariffs and supported by a Revenue Support Agreement (RSA) and a Government Support Package (GSP) for high-impact risks. This contrasts with the Netherlands and Denmark, where infrastructure is more commercially driven or involves direct state equity stakes in storage. The UK intends to transition toward a more competitive market for storage after 2035, while onshore transport is expected to remain regulated.

The report argues that the UK is currently off track to meet its 2030 NDC and sixth carbon budget, necessitating a shift toward 'accountability and implementation'. It advocates for a systems-based approach that complements electrification with carbon capture and storage (CCS), low-carbon hydrogen, nuclear energy, and aggressive methane mitigation. Key recommendations include establishing a Methane Action Plan, creating a 'producer responsibility' policy for CO2 storage, and prioritising low-carbon hydrogen for 'no-regrets' industrial sectors like refining and ammonia production. The document also emphasises the need for international collaboration, particularly with the EU and emerging economies, to scale these technologies and maintain the UK's global climate leadership.

The report argues that Poland requires a diverse technological portfolio—including wind, solar, nuclear, and carbon capture—to decarbonise its power system by 2050. Modelling of 19 scenarios indicates that relying on a narrow set of technologies increases system costs and infrastructure needs, while a 'base' scenario suggests a rapid transition involving a massive build-out of onshore wind and the introduction of nuclear power to replace coal.

The report argues that Poland, as one of Europe's most carbon-intensive economies, must adopt a diversified technology portfolio to achieve climate neutrality. It recommends a shift from coal (currently 70% of the power mix) toward a combination of renewables, nuclear energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS), clean hydrogen, and superhot rock geothermal energy. The authors emphasize that restricting technology options would significantly increase system costs and infrastructure needs. Key policy recommendations include implementing 'carbon contracts for difference' to advance CCS, prioritizing clean hydrogen for 'no regrets' industrial sectors, and reforming the nuclear industry through standardized, product-based business models. Additionally, the report calls for urgent action to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector and the mapping of thousands of abandoned wells. Public polling indicates strong Polish support for advanced nuclear (63%) and superhot rock energy (66%).

The report argues that next-generation geothermal technologies, specifically Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) and closed-loop systems, can expand U.S. geothermal resource potential from 40 GW to over 5,000 GW by engineering reservoirs in ubiquitous hot rock. It outlines a two-phase pathway: reaching 'liftoff' by 2030 through 2-5 GW of deployment across 5-10 geologic settings, followed by scaling to 90-132 GW by 2050. Key barriers identified include high up-front capital costs, long federal permitting timelines (7-10 years), and the need for power purchase agreements (PPAs) that value clean firm and flexible power. The report highlights that the industry can leverage the existing oil and gas workforce and supply chain to accelerate deployment.

The report analyzes transmission development between 2010 and 2020, finding that while projects requiring an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) represent only 3.5% of new lines, they account for 26% of new line miles. These projects are typically longer, more likely to be driven by renewable generation interconnection, and more likely to cross state or international borders. The average EIS review timeline is 4.3 years, with a moderate correlation between line length and review duration. The authors argue that these long and unpredictable timelines pose a challenge to future grid reliability and decarbonization goals, especially as federal funding and authority increase the likelihood of projects triggering federal reviews.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to implement more rigorous standards for voluntary carbon credit derivatives. CATF suggests adding 'durability' and 'vintage' to the CFTC's proposed commodity characteristics and requiring dynamic baseline analysis, independent third-party verification, and explicit accounting for the risk of carbon reversal to prevent low-quality credits from distorting prices and undermining climate goals.

The report provides a detailed technical overview of refinery processes and establishes four regional refinery archetypes (USA, GCC, Europe, and Singapore) based on median capacities and typical configurations to facilitate future decarbonisation analysis.

The report provides a detailed market assessment of the refining industry in four key regions, analyzing the transition from traditional crude-based products to low-carbon alternatives like SAF, green ammonia, and e-methanol, while evaluating the impact of regional climate policies.

The Clean Air Task Force and Pacific Environment argue that proposed LCFS amendments, including strengthened carbon intensity targets and the inclusion of intrastate aviation fuel, risk driving up demand for crop-based biofuels. They warn this could lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions from land use changes and disruptions to food markets. The authors recommend volume limits on first-generation vegetable oil-based fuels, annual market impact assessments, and extending sustainability requirements to used cooking oil and waste oils.

CATF supports the CFTC's oversight of voluntary carbon markets but argues that current crediting protocols are insufficient to prevent market manipulation and over-crediting. The organization recommends adding 'durability' and 'vintage' as essential commodity characteristics and requiring project-level transparency rather than relying on general protocol disclosures. CATF further urges the Commission to strengthen criteria for additionality, quantification (specifically leakage avoidance and business-as-usual baselines), and the mitigation of reversal risks, particularly for nature-based projects. Finally, it emphasizes the need for independent third-party verification to avoid conflicts of interest between project developers and verifiers.

The EU Industrial Carbon Management Strategy aims to scale up CO2 capture, utilisation, and storage to meet 2040 climate targets, specifically targeting an annual injection capacity of at least 250 million tonnes in the European Economic Area by 2040. To achieve this, the Commission plans to address current imbalances in storage—which is currently concentrated in the North Sea—by establishing transparent permitting processes by 2025 and creating an investment atlas of potential storage sites. The strategy also envisions a vast transport network, potentially reaching 19,000 km by 2040, and proposes a regulatory package for CO2 transport and a demand aggregation platform by 2026. Financial mechanisms discussed include the Innovation Fund, Connecting Europe Facility, and a possible Important Project of Common European Interest for transport and storage. Additionally, the strategy emphasizes industrial carbon removals (such as BECCS and DACCS) to help reach a target of removing 400 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2040.

The document argues that while COP28 increased ambition through technology inclusivity and pledges to scale renewables and nuclear energy, the transition now depends on effective financing and planning amidst significant geopolitical instability. It highlights that 2024 is a critical year due to widespread democratic elections and rising trade protectionism, which may prioritize domestic security over climate action. Looking toward COP29 in Baku, the authors expect a focus on the new collective quantified goal on climate finance (NCQG), the phase-out of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and the need for more realistic macroeconomic modeling to address a global climate financing gap estimated between $4.5 to $10 trillion per year. The text suggests that because multilateral consensus is increasingly difficult, progress will likely shift toward regional climate weeks and bi- or trilateral partnerships.

The document outlines the transition from traditional first-order decay (FOD) models to advanced monitoring technologies, including handheld analyzers, drones, and remote sensing via aircraft and satellites, to better quantify waste-sector methane emissions. It highlights that up to 80% of these emissions can be eliminated with existing technology, often at low or negative costs. The guide also details international efforts such as the Global Methane Pledge and the LOW-Methane Initiative to drive mitigation and investment.

The document analyzes the implementation of CCfDs in Europe, specifically comparing the Dutch SDE++, the UK's Industrial Carbon Capture (ICC) contract, and the Danish CCUS Fund. It details how these mechanisms bridge the cost gap between the EU ETS carbon price and the actual cost of carbon abatement for hard-to-abate sectors like cement, steel, and chemicals. The analysis covers critical design elements including fund sizes, technology eligibility, reference and bid pricing, payment symmetry, and the management of cross-chain risks related to transport and storage (T&S) infrastructure.

The document argues that next-generation geothermal technologies, particularly superhot rock (SHR) energy, could provide cost-competitive 24/7 renewable electricity but are currently hindered by permitting bottlenecks, high capital costs, and research silos. It recommends expanding permitting capacity at the Department of the Interior, providing targeted financial incentives, establishing a public-private research agenda for 400°C+ conditions, and creating a new superhot field testing site to complement the existing FORGE site in Utah. Additionally, it calls for a dedicated program area within the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) to focus on high-temperature innovation and the improvement of shared data resources like the Geothermal Data Repository.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) argues that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is indispensable for Austria to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors like cement, lime, and steel. The document recommends that Austria set specific deployment targets, remove legal barriers to geological CO2 storage, and develop a strategic plan for operationalising storage sites by 2035. To address the 'chicken and egg' problem of infrastructure investment, CATF suggests 'oversizing' transport networks and establishing an aggregation platform to match CO2 sources with sinks. Financially, the document proposes the use of carbon contracts for difference (CCfDs) to bridge the gap between EU ETS prices and decarbonisation costs, while advocating for long-term market demand through near-zero carbon product standards. Finally, it emphasizes the need for proactive public engagement and inclusive stakeholder dialogues to build political and social support for CCS.