Search Climate Insights Directory

The report 'India's Clean Cooking Shift' by the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues for a diversification of India's clean cooking energy sources to reduce reliance on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and piped natural gas (PNG). It proposes a 'twin-track' strategy: scaling electric cooking (e-cooking) in urban and peri-urban areas and biogas in suitable rural areas to address issues of affordability, import volatility, and service gaps.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics evaluates the role of biogas and biomethane in the energy transition, arguing that their use should be limited to hard-to-abate sectors. The document highlights that biogas only addresses a minority of agricultural emissions, faces significant economic challenges requiring subsidies, and carries risks related to fugitive emissions and safety.

The Guarantee Fund for Biogas (GFB) is a proposed financial instrument designed to unlock public and private credit for independent biogas project developers in Brazil by providing construction-phase loan guarantees. By acting as a CVM-compliant fixed-income fund investing in treasury bills, the GFB addresses the lack of collateral that prevents smaller developers from accessing existing credit lines, aiming to scale Brazil's biogas capacity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This case study profiles Agnisumukh, a Bangalore-based company founded by Hari Rao in 2014, which develops energy-efficient, flameless radiant heat gas burner systems for commercial kitchens in India to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

This report documents a regional workshop and training session held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from 17 to 21 February 2020. The event, organized by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and UNEP with support from the Government of Canada, focused on sharing experiences regarding the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in the waste sector and providing technical training on Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems for experts from Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.

This report details a regional workshop and training session held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from February 17-21, 2020. Organized by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and UNEP with support from the Government of Canada, the event focused on implementing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and establishing Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems specifically for the waste sector in Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, while sharing these experiences with other ECOWAS member states.

This policy brief describes the Słupsk Bioenergy Cluster in Poland, an initiative led by Słupsk Waterworks to create a local circular economy. The cluster integrates renewable energy production from wind, solar, and biogas with waste recycling, utilizing a dedicated distribution network to provide stable, low-cost energy to local businesses and city facilities.

This case study examines how Elgin Fruit Juice in South Africa addressed seasonal energy demand imbalances by transitioning from a planned grid-feed electricity model to using biogas as a coal replacement in steam boilers.

This SEI discussion brief assesses the adoption of biodigesters among livestock farmers in Bangladesh. The study finds that while small and mid-sized privately owned biodigesters provide health, environmental, and economic benefits, the government's policy goal of establishing collectively owned 'community' biodigesters for small-scale and landless farmers has not been realized due to a lack of social capital and group financing.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the potential for biogas to help Indonesia meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, analyzing two development pathways and the policy barriers hindering their implementation.

This research paper analyzes the factors enabling or hindering the expansion of household-level biogas development in rural Bali, Indonesia, using an integrated approach to provide insights for low-carbon energy transitions in developing countries.

This case study examines the challenges and opportunities for decentralized renewable energy development in Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia. It highlights the gap between the province's high renewable potential—specifically in mini-hydro—and its actual installed capacity, while analyzing the technical, policy, and institutional barriers facing Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and community-led projects.

The 2015 GreenCape Market Intelligence Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the waste economy in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It examines the market for dry recyclables, organic waste, construction and demolition waste, and waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies, while detailing the regulatory barriers and investment opportunities within the sector.

The 2014 Market Intelligent Report: Waste Economy by GreenCape provides an analysis of the waste sector in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the regulatory shift from 'end of pipe' to 'cradle to cradle' solutions, examines the challenges of waste-to-energy and recycling projects, and outlines municipal initiatives to manage dwindling landfill airspace.

The Greencape Market Intelligence Report 2014: Waste examines the regulatory and economic landscape of the waste sector in South Africa, with a specific focus on the Western Cape. It details the transition from end-of-pipe to cradle-to-cradle waste management, the challenges of municipal procurement and licensing, and the development of waste-to-energy and recycling industries.

This case study examines the investment incentive policies for renewable energy in Thailand, analyzing their effectiveness in overcoming barriers to deployment. It details a variety of financial, fiscal, and regional incentives, while highlighting the transition from a feed-in premium (adder) system to a fixed-price feed-in tariff (FIT) to manage costs and avoid overcapacity.

This research paper examines the history and potential of rural biogas production in China, arguing that while subsidy-based programs have increased growth, policies must adapt to current livestock production realities to be effective. It explores how China could integrate these policies into a Sustainable Development – Policies and Measures (SD-PAM) mechanism to access international funding and technology.

This report, produced as part of the "From Waste to Traffic Fuel" (W-Fuel) project, analyzes the potential for biogas production and its use as motor fuel in Harju County, Estonia. It evaluates biomass resources, proposes a pilot biogas plant at the Hinnu pig farm, and compares the environmental and economic impacts of using biogas for combined heat and power (CHP) versus upgrading it to biomethane for transport fuel.

This report, produced as part of the 'From Waste to Traffic Fuel' (W-Fuel) project, evaluates the potential for biogas production and its use as motor fuel in Lääne-Viru County, Estonia. It analyzes biomass resources, proposes a pilot biogas plant in Rakvere, and compares the environmental and economic impacts of using biogas for combined heat and power (CHP) versus upgrading it to biomethane for transport.

This briefing from the Joto Afrika series, produced in partnership with the Climate and Development Knowledge Network, examines climate-smart agricultural innovations in Africa, using Kenya as a primary case study. It highlights specific technical adaptations—such as greenhouse farming, rock catchment water harvesting, and the use of drought-resistant crops and fodders—to enhance food security and resilience against climate variability.