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The report argues for a shift from fragmented, scheme-driven DRE deployment to a coordinated approach using Village Energy Plans in rural India. It emphasizes that DRE design must be driven by local electricity-use patterns and supported by strong institutional coordination to ensure economic viability and long-term durability.

The report highlights that 'next generation geothermal' technologies, such as Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), have expanded the geographic viability of geothermal power beyond volcanic regions. In the EU, approximately 43 GW of capacity could be developed at costs below 100 €/MWh, potentially generating 301 TWh of electricity annually. While Europe has a strong historical foundation in geothermal energy, the report warns that the EU risks losing its leadership to the US and Canada due to slow permitting and a lack of coordinated policy frameworks. It also notes geothermal's potential to meet the rising energy demands of AI data centres and its ability to provide firm, low-carbon power and mineral recovery, such as lithium.

The report analyzes the potential for California to meet its 2045 CDR target of 75 MMT CO2e by diversifying its portfolio with Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) systems. Using seven scenarios based on cost and social acceptance, the study finds that BiCRS can remove between 13 and 75 MMT CO2e annually. Scenarios utilizing high biomass availability estimates show that BiCRS alone could meet the state's target, potentially reducing costs and increasing bioenergy and job production by up to 10 times compared to the DAC-heavy 2022 Scoping Plan. However, scenarios with limited forest biomass availability fail to meet the target. The report highlights a trade-off between optimizing biomass for CDR versus sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production and recommends expanding the state's CDR portfolio beyond hydrogen-based BECCS.

The research assesses the techno-economic drivers of hydrogen-based steelmaking, finding that while access to low-cost renewable energy can 'pull' industry to new locations, this effect is sensitive to assumptions and can be moderated by labour costs, capital costs, and 'strategic push' subsidies. The authors warn that relying solely on the renewables pull effect may delay necessary innovation and upscaling in higher-cost regions required to meet 2030 climate goals.

The report argues that direct electrification is the most efficient way to decarbonize industrial process heat, outperforming alternatives like green hydrogen, bioenergy, and carbon capture. It identifies three primary barriers: economics (high electricity costs relative to fossil fuels), grid readiness (slow interconnection and outdated planning), and technology maturity (lack of awareness and scale for high-temperature solutions). To overcome these, the authors recommend a combination of financial incentives (such as a Clean Heat Production Tax Credit), grid reforms (including surplus interconnection and real-time pricing), and foundational RD&D and workforce training.

The document introduces energy parks as a strategy to meet rising electricity demand by integrating wind, solar, and storage with co-located loads like hydrogen electrolyzers and data centers. It outlines the evolution from simple solar farms to complex hybrids and identifies key barriers, including interconnection queues and utility monopolies. The authors propose a 'digital resource' paradigm shift and new state legal frameworks to enable these projects.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the passage of H.R. 8665 to accelerate the development of supercritical geothermal energy, which it describes as a high-density, 24/7 carbon-free power source capable of meeting significant energy demands. CATF argues that while the bill's structure is sound, its current $5 million annual allocation is insufficient to cover even a single deep geothermal well. Additionally, the testimony supports H.R. 7053 to provide states with more flexibility in using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for plugging orphaned wells by reducing mandatory, costly methane measurements. CATF emphasizes that the U.S. can leverage its existing oil and gas workforce and subsurface expertise to lead in next-generation geothermal innovation, competing with countries like China, New Zealand, Japan, and Iceland.

India's heavy industries emit 920 million tonnes of CO2 annually, with steel and cement contributing 18% of total national emissions. The report argues that green electrification is a critical lever for decarbonisation, starting with the transition of current electricity demand to renewable energy sources (RES) by 2030 and moving toward deep electrification and power-to-fuel technologies by 2050. By 2030, meeting the projected 253 TWh industrial electricity demand with RES would require 120 GW of capacity and could avoid 180 Mt of CO2. In the long term, a 'Potential Electrification Case' suggests that electricity's share of industrial energy consumption could triple to 34.5% by 2050, requiring 699 GW of RES capacity and potentially reducing CO2 emissions by 37% (737 Mt) compared to business-as-usual.

The paper argues that low-carbon hydrogen should be reserved for 'no-regrets' industrial applications—such as refining, ammonia, methanol, and steel production—rather than residential heating or light-duty vehicles, due to high energy costs and physical transport challenges.

The report asserts that the EU cannot reach net zero by 2050 without large-scale deployment of CCUS, estimating a need to capture and store between 300 and 640 Mt of CO2 annually by 2050. It highlights a significant gap between current project announcements and the necessary infrastructure, particularly in CO2 transport and geological storage. The authors recommend that the European Commission establish clear targets, a regulatory framework for CO2 grids, and financial mechanisms like Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD) to de-risk investments. The document specifically identifies 'hard-to-abate' sectors—such as cement, steel, and waste-to-energy—as critical areas where CCUS is either the lowest-cost or only viable decarbonisation pathway. It also emphasizes the necessity of technology-based carbon dioxide removals (CDR) via BECCS and DACS to balance residual emissions.

Superhot rock energy involves tapping into Earth's deep heat (400°C or hotter) to produce high-density, zero-carbon power. While current geothermal is limited to specific volcanic regions, superhot rock could be accessed worldwide through deep drilling. The report identifies critical engineering needs in drilling, reservoir creation, and materials, suggesting that leveraging unconventional oil and gas expertise could accelerate commercialization.

The report finds that biomass supply chains, particularly those using lignocellulosic biomass, could offset a significant portion of the approximately 4,000 coal trucking jobs expected to decline during South Africa's energy transition. By modelling four SAF production pathways, the study estimates that nearly 75% of current coal trucking jobs could be directly transitioned to biomass transport using existing side tipper trucks. Additional opportunities exist for super link and tanker drivers, though these may require capital investment for truck conversion or specialized training. The analysis concludes that embracing a bio-based and circular economy is essential for an inclusive just transition for workers in the coal value chain.

South Africa has the technical potential to produce between 3.2 and 4.5 billion litres of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) annually, depending on the use of green hydrogen. The most cost-efficient route is the first-generation alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) pathway using sugarcane A-molasses, while the largest volume potential comes from processing invasive alien plants (IAPs) and garden waste via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. A domestic SAF industry could create over 100,000 direct green jobs, including significant opportunities for coal-truck drivers in transition, and improve the national balance of trade by up to R170 billion per annum.

The study assesses green hydrogen in Mongolia, finding it most viable for heavy-duty mining transport in the South Gobi region, where it could mitigate 1.2 Mt CO2e annually. While production costs are competitive at 3.3-4.7 USD/kg, water scarcity in the south poses a limit. Public transport in Ulaanbaatar is a possible but limited-scale application, while decentralised heating is currently not cost-competitive compared to LPG.

The paper argues that while coal is insignificant to Russia's national GDP, it is critical to regional economies like Kuzbass. It criticizes official diversification plans for continuing to rely on extractive industries and instead proposes five innovative low-carbon pathways: utilizing abandoned mines for geothermal heating and energy storage, developing wind and solar PV, producing solid biofuels, establishing Green Special Economic Zones (GSEZ), and supporting small business entrepreneurship.

The document compares natural gas-based hydrogen production methods, finding that ATR with carbon capture and storage (CCS) can achieve significantly higher carbon reduction rates (96-98%) than standard SMR (50-65%), though it requires more power for oxygen production. It estimates the cost of ATR-produced hydrogen at approximately $1.38/kg based on a US Gulf Coast scenario.

The document explores five supply-side pathways to reach 100 percent zero carbon power in the U.S. by 2035. It argues that while the final 10 percent of decarbonization is the most expensive, it can be achieved at a cost that keeps average wholesale rates similar to the 2020 average of 5.2 cents/kWh. The analyzed pathways include three green hydrogen options (fuel cells, turbine retrofits, and synthetic methane) and two carbon capture options (CCS retrofits and Direct Air Capture). The report highlights that green hydrogen production costs could drop to $1.50/kg by 2030 due to falling solar and wind costs and cheaper electrolyzers.

The report finds that South Africa has sufficient waste biomass to meet the potential demand of Sasol's Secunda plant, with availability estimated at 2 to 4 times the maximum potential demand. Garden waste and sawdust are identified as the lowest-risk feedstocks. Fuel rods are the most cost-competitive densification option for woody biomass, while white pellets are cheapest for soft biomass. The study concludes that biomass feedstock would be 3-4 times more expensive than coal, though this could be offset by SAF premiums and carbon tax liabilities.

The report presents five scenarios demonstrating that global warming can be limited to well below 2 C° if the world leverages exponential technological improvements and S-curve market diffusion. It highlights that experts often underestimate the speed of energy transitions by ignoring learning rates and systemic feedbacks. The proposed pathways involve reducing energy demand by approximately 60% through efficiency and electrification, shifting the electricity supply to over 90% renewables by 2040 in aggressive scenarios, and transforming agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) into a net carbon sink by the mid-2040s.

RMI proposes that a nearly 100 percent renewable energy system is achievable by the mid-2050s by applying market adoption 'S-curves' seen in previous industrial revolutions to clean energy technologies. The briefing emphasizes that the transition is driven by declining costs, electrification of end-uses, and decentralized adoption rather than solely by government mandates. To meet the 1.5°C target, the document asserts that the energy sector must be paired with high-impact measures in the agricultural, forestry, and land-use (AFOLU) sectors to create net carbon sinks by mid-century.