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The analysis finds that no new natural gas capacity is needed to maintain grid reliability in California through 2030. Depending on carbon caps and the use of battery storage to meet local capacity requirements (LCR), between 28 and 56 of the 89 modeled natural gas plants could be retired. While overall natural gas generation decreases, the report warns that remaining plants may cycle on and off more frequently, potentially increasing NOx emissions and harming air quality in nearby disadvantaged communities.

The report argues that the UK is on track to phase out coal by 2025 without needing new large gas plants. It finds that renewables, particularly offshore wind, and increased electricity imports via interconnectors will replace coal generation. Analysis of the Capacity Market shows that coal is being replaced by batteries, demand-side response, and small peaking gas plants rather than large combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs). The report suggests that new large gas plants are incompatible with climate targets and would be unnecessarily costly due to low required load factors.

The report argues that the UK can transition directly to clean power generation by 2025, bypassing the need for a 'gas bridge' of new large gas plants. It finds that renewables, particularly offshore wind, along with interconnectors and battery storage, are sufficient to replace coal capacity. The document suggests that relying on large gas plants would be costly and lock in higher emissions, recommending instead a focus on long-term storage innovation and policies to limit emissions from small peaking gas generators.

The document warns that without a 550gCO2/kWh limit on capacity payments, Europe's 256 operational coal plants could be 'supercharged', potentially extending their design life from 40 to 60 years. It identifies multiple EU policy gaps—including low carbon prices, biomass co-firing, and mining cross-subsidies—that already favour coal. The author contends that poorly designed capacity markets risk crowding out flexible, low-carbon alternatives like batteries and demand-side response, arguing that clean capacity is already cheaper than extending old coal plants.

The European automotive industry faces a 'perfect storm' of disruption driven by climate change, autonomous driving, and shared mobility. While Europe was the cradle of the car, it is now lagging behind competitors like Tesla and Chinese manufacturers in electric vehicle (EV) production and battery technology. The author criticizes EU policymakers for being too lax and suggests that the Greens are well-positioned to help steer the industry toward a sustainable and competitive future through pragmatic dialogue and ambitious regulation.

The briefing examines how commercial electricity rate designs, specifically noncoincident demand charges, incentivize customers to flatten their load profiles using battery storage. While this reduces individual bills, it often conflicts with the needs of grids with high renewable penetration, where flexible demand is required to match variable generation. The author suggests transitioning to peak-coincident demand charges, time-of-use rates, or real-time pricing to better align customer behavior with system-wide costs and grid stability.

The report argues that Eskom is facing a liquidity and financial crisis driven by stagnant electricity demand and the high costs of its coal-fired power construction programme. Through system-level modelling and station-specific analysis, the study finds that the levelised costs of operating older coal stations (Arnot, Camden, Grootvlei, Hendrina, and Komati) exceed their system alternative value, meaning they can be replaced by cheaper alternatives without compromising security of supply. Specifically, decommissioning Grootvlei, Hendrina, and Komati early could save Eskom R12.5bn in present value terms. Additionally, the report finds that cancelling Kusile units 5 and 6 is economically viable if capital cost savings exceed a threshold of approximately R4.7bn. The authors conclude that South Africa no longer requires new nuclear, coal, or gas procurement, as solar PV and wind have become the most competitive new-build options.

ABB installed a microgrid at its Longmeadow facility in Johannesburg, combining a 750 kWp solar PV plant and a 1 MVA/ 380 kWh lithium-ion battery system. This 'power island' allows the facility to operate autonomously during grid disturbances, which previously occurred every three days on average. The system is managed by a cloud-based Microgrid Plus Control System that balances renewable and fossil-fuel sources. Since June 2016, the project has reduced annual diesel fuel consumption by 27% and diesel generator use by 76%, resulting in annual energy cost savings of US$150,000 and a reduction of approximately 1,000 tons of carbon emissions per year.

The briefing identifies critical policy gaps in national coal transitions, emphasizing that a 'just transition' requires more than carbon pricing. It highlights the need to protect workers, build local economic resilience, avoid stranded assets, coordinate international trade flows, and secure financing. The document frames these managed transitions as a credible way for countries to increase their climate ambition within the UNFCCC framework.

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.

The report finds that 100% decarbonization of Indian Railways' traction electricity demand in Madhya Pradesh would be 26-28% cheaper than the business-as-usual pathway by 2030. This cost-effectiveness is driven by falling renewable energy and battery storage costs, contrasted with rising fossil fuel costs. The study emphasizes that an optimal mix of wind and solar power is essential to minimize balancing costs, which are expected to account for 5-8% of total costs by 2030. However, the report warns of significant policy and regulatory risks, particularly the lack of recognition of Indian Railways' deemed transmission and distribution licensee status by state governments and the difficulty in securing power banking arrangements.

The South African energy services market is expanding due to rising electricity costs, decreasing technology prices, and supportive policies. Growth is primarily driven by the commercial and industrial sectors, particularly through rooftop solar PV and energy efficiency retrofits. While national regulations have lagged behind the rapid uptake of small-scale embedded generation (SSEG), local municipalities, especially in the Western Cape, are developing their own guidelines to unlock investment. Significant opportunities exist in public building retrofits, the water-energy nexus in municipal wastewater treatment, and industrial solar thermal applications in the food and beverage sector.

The project seeks US$ 28.21 million in GCF grants to enable a shift toward a low-carbon economy in Mauritius. It is structured in two phases (2017-2024) across three components: institutional strengthening via the creation of the Mauritius Renewable Energy Agency (MARENA), upgrading the national grid to absorb up to 185 MW of intermittent renewable energy (including 25 MW of rooftop PV), and deploying solar PV mini-grids on Agalega. The project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4.27 million tCO2e over the investment lifetimes, leveraging US$ 163.18 million in co-finance from the Government of Mauritius, the Central Electricity Board (CEB), and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

The Reiner Lemoine Institut (RLI) developed a methodology combining GIS-based data analysis and simulation models to evaluate the viability of hybrid power systems in Africa. The analysis indicates that integrating PV and battery storage into existing diesel grids can significantly lower production costs, outperforming diesel-only systems across nearly the entire continent. In most cases, renewables provide 35% to 40% of the energy, with higher shares in remote areas where fuel transportation costs are high.

In 2011/12, Phaesun installed a 3kWp off-grid PV system with battery storage at Yandup Island Lodge in the Kuna Yala archipelago, Panama. The system replaced a diesel generator that previously served the kitchen, reducing high fuel costs and delivery challenges. The installation consists of 40 monocrystalline solar modules and 32 Trojan batteries, providing reliable power for the kitchen, administration, staff accommodation, and tourist bungalows.

The document argues that as variable clean energy sources become a larger part of the electricity mix, grid operators must transition from simply dispatching supply to meet uncontrollable demand toward a flexible system that dynamically matches supply and demand. It identifies a hierarchy of flexibility resources, noting that improved operations (such as sub-hourly dispatch and better weather forecasting) are the lowest-cost options, followed by demand response, grid infrastructure upgrades, flexible generation (e.g., fast-ramping gas plants), and energy storage.

The report analyzes how battery energy storage can provide thirteen different services across three grid levels: transmission, distribution, and behind-the-meter. It argues that while single-use batteries are often underutilized and economically unviable, 'stacking' multiple services—such as combining demand charge reduction with wholesale grid services—can make storage a cash-positive investment. Through four U.S. case studies, the report demonstrates that behind-the-meter systems are technically capable of providing the widest array of services, though significant regulatory barriers currently hinder this potential.

In 2014, Lockheed Martin completed an ESPC at the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua, achieving a 54 percent energy reduction across nine buildings. The project integrated a 956 kW solar PV system—the State Department's largest overseas—which is projected to offset 37% of the site's energy consumption. Key measures included LED replacements, chiller-plant optimization, and HVAC upgrades. To overcome challenges such as a lack of local utility incentives and frequent staff turnover, the project utilized third-party expertise from LBNL and the DOE, and implemented a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to ensure continuity of project knowledge.

The report argues that demand flexibility—the use of technology to shift electricity use across hours of the day—can significantly lower both customer bills and grid investment costs. In the U.S. residential sector, it could avoid $13 billion annually in grid and energy costs while reducing customer bills by 10–40%. The analysis highlights that 'flexiwatts' from appliances like air conditioning and water heaters can reduce peak demand and better integrate renewable energy. However, the report warns that demand flexibility may accelerate 'load defection' if utilities reduce compensation for exported rooftop solar PV.

The briefing examines the transition from flat residential electricity rates to demand charges, which bill customers based on their peak power usage rather than total energy consumption. It argues that as technologies like rooftop solar and electric vehicles create diverse consumption patterns, demand charges can better align customer costs with the actual strain they place on the grid. The author highlights that such rates incentivize load shifting and the adoption of DERs, citing examples from utilities like Salt River Project and Black Hills Power.