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In 2025, India experienced significant solar curtailment, estimated at 2.3 TWh between late May and December, primarily due to the inability of the coal fleet to ramp down sufficiently during periods of low daytime demand. This was exacerbated by weaker-than-forecast demand growth in 2025, driven by mild temperatures and increased behind-the-meter solar generation. The report highlights that while operational errors in forecasting contributed to the issue, the structural lack of flexibility in coal plants—many of which must operate above a minimum thermal load of 55%—creates a systemic challenge as solar capacity continues to grow faster than demand.

The Global Coal Plant Tracker (GCPT) monitors coal-fired electrical generating plants of 30 MW or larger, including operating units, those proposed since 2010, and those retired since 2000. The methodology employs a two-level system consisting of a database for unit-level tracking and detailed wiki pages for project histories. Data is validated through government records, company reports, NGO tracking, and on-the-ground contacts, with updates occurring bi-annually in January and July. The tracker categorizes plant status into nine stages, ranging from 'Announced' to 'Retired', and calculates carbon dioxide emissions based on unit capacity, emission factors for coal types, heat rates for combustion technology, and global average utilization rates.

The report finds that data centers are the primary driver of near-term electricity demand growth in Wisconsin, which risks increasing reliance on fossil fuels under current policies. By implementing a Clean Electricity Standard and CO2 reduction policies, Wisconsin could generate 83% of its electricity from clean energy by 2050 and reach net-zero CO2 emissions. Such policies would avoid significant health-related costs and mortalities compared to current trajectories. The report recommends reintroducing Integrated Resource Planning and establishing a clean electricity standard to protect ratepayers and the climate.

The report evaluates the viability of firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) in India, finding that its competitiveness against coal depends on the ability to sell surplus power and the inclusion of external costs like pollution. It highlights that FDRE can be deployed significantly faster than coal plants and provides net economic gains, including GDP growth and job creation, while reducing emissions.

The document details a multi-component methodology to evaluate 30 major asset managers from the US and Europe. It assesses their policies on restricting new fossil fuel investments, their holdings in bonds issued by fossil fuel developers between January 2024 and June 2025, and their 2025 proxy voting behavior at annual general meetings. The methodology employs a color-coded system (Red, Orange/Yellow, Light Green, Green) to categorize the level of commitment and alignment with climate goals across five specific criteria, including board re-elections and executive remuneration votes.

The report finds that while Kenya has successfully increased its renewable electricity generation to 87% by 2022, the transition lacks policy coherence regarding affordability and equity. High electricity tariffs, driven by infrastructure investments and a distribution monopoly, hinder industrial competitiveness and limit energy access for vulnerable groups. The analysis identifies a significant trade-off between coal-based industrialization goals and climate mitigation targets, though the latter has gained dominance due to international financial pressure. Institutional barriers, including corruption and limited resources for social equity, further impede a just transition.

India is generally on track to meet its NEP 2032 capacity mix, with solar, hydro, and coal well-positioned to reach targets. However, onshore wind additions must accelerate, and nuclear capacity is likely to fall short due to long lead times and a limited near-term pipeline. Battery and pumped hydro storage are expanding rapidly to support renewables integration.

The report analyzes the rising effective costs of coal power in India due to underutilisation, which is expected to increase average tariffs by roughly 25% as PLFs fall. It highlights that fixed costs drive 85% of this increase, making new coal capacity economically inferior to Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE). The author concludes that India's 2032 power goals can be met with the ~35 GW of coal already in the pipeline, rendering further expansion unnecessary and financially risky for distribution companies (DISCOMs).

The document outlines strategies for India's power sector transition, emphasizing the need to improve coal plant flexibility, reform power purchase agreements, and scale up energy storage to manage solar integration and grid reliability.

As of 2025, solar energy is the cheapest source of electricity generation in Türkiye, with a Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) of $43 USD/MWh. This is 21% cheaper than the average cost of generating electricity from existing domestic coal plants ($55 USD/MWh) and 52% cheaper than a new domestic coal plant, which is estimated at $90 USD/MWh. Over the last decade, solar installation costs in Türkiye fell by 77%, contributing to a 69% reduction in LCOE. In contrast, the average cost for domestic coal generation varies significantly based on plant efficiency and coal calorific value, ranging from $32 USD/MWh to $86 USD/MWh. Furthermore, purchase prices for wind and solar projects under recent YEKA tenders are less than half of the $75 USD/MWh provided to domestic coal power plants until 2030.

Solar energy has become the cheapest electricity generation method in Turkey, with the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for new solar plants falling to 43 USD/MWh. This is 21% lower than the average cost of existing domestic coal plants (55 USD/MWh) and significantly cheaper than the projected 90 USD/MWh for new domestic coal plants. While the Turkish National Energy Plan targets 1.7 GW of new domestic coal by 2030, the document highlights that solar installation costs have dropped by 77% over the last decade, making new solar plants 52% cheaper than new domestic coal plants.

The document outlines the climate and community risks associated with the proliferation of AI data centers, noting their high energy and water demands and their tendency to rely on fossil fuels. It provides practical advice for journalists to report on local data center capacity, utility rate increases, and pollution, while citing specific examples of community struggles in the US and AI's varied roles in climate adaptation and forecasting.

Air pollution is the second deadliest risk for children under five globally, causing over 709,000 deaths in 2021. Children are more vulnerable due to developing immune systems and higher breathing rates. The burden is heavily skewed by economic disparity, with children in the least-developed countries facing death rates 94 times higher than those in the most-developed nations. The document highlights how structural lock-ins to fossil fuels and polluting land-use practices drive this crisis, noting that less than 1% of fossil fuel subsidies were spent on outdoor air quality between 2018 and 2022. Case studies in South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, and Bangladesh illustrate the specific drivers—such as coal power, biomass burning, brick kilns, and oil extraction—that contribute to high child mortality and lifelong developmental impairments.

In the first half of 2025, China, India, the EU, and the US accounted for 63% of global electricity demand and 64% of CO2 emissions. China and India saw declines in fossil fuel generation as clean energy growth outpaced demand, with China contributing 55% of global solar and 82% of global wind growth. Conversely, the US experienced a rise in emissions as solar and wind growth failed to keep pace with demand, leading to a 17% increase in coal generation. In the EU, strong solar growth was offset by declines in wind and hydro due to poor weather conditions, resulting in a 14% increase in gas generation and a 4.8% rise in power sector emissions.

Spain has significantly lowered its wholesale electricity prices by decoupling them from volatile fossil fuel costs through the expansion of wind and solar capacity. In the first half of 2025, Spain's wholesale prices were 32% lower than the EU average, with the share of hours where prices were tied to gas costs dropping from 75% in 2019 to 19% in 2025. However, a blackout on April 28, 2025, led to a 'reinforced mode' of grid operation that increased reliance on gas for stability services. This resulted in the cost of grid balancing doubling in May 2025 and renewable curtailment tripling from 1.8% to 7.2% between May and July 2025. The report highlights a lag in investment in battery storage and grid-enhancing technologies, noting that Spain's 120 MW battery fleet is only the 13th largest in Europe despite being the 4th largest power market. To address this, Spain is implementing reforms, including adding eight synchronous compensators to the mainland grid and expanding its battery storage pipeline.

Ten years after the Paris Agreement, French banks and insurers continue to heavily finance fossil fuel expansion, with some increasing their support for oil and gas extraction. The report argues that 'green finance' and ESG labels are largely greenwashing, as they fail to redirect capital away from climaticide activities. It further criticizes the French and European governments for favoring voluntary industry commitments over binding regulations and for weakening key directives like the CSRD and CSDDD under pressure from financial lobbies.

The analysis argues that fossil fuel producers are overestimating future demand, as oil, gas, and coal are each expected to slow or peak in the coming years due to the rise of electric vehicles and renewable energy.

China is transitioning from a focus on adding renewable capacity to building a "new electricity system" that integrates high levels of variable energy. In 2024, China invested $625 billion USD in clean energy, significantly outpacing other major regions. This shift, combined with expanding electrification in industry, transport, and buildings, is contributing to a structural decline in fossil fuel generation. By the first half of 2025, combined wind and solar generation surpassed the combined output of hydro, nuclear, and bioenergy, and total installed capacity for these sources exceeded that of coal for the first time.

The report argues that while coal's share of power generation in China has reached historic lows, institutional inertia—including capacity payments, inflexible dispatch rules, and a lack of a national retirement strategy—continues to drive high levels of new coal capacity additions. It highlights a disconnect where clean energy is growing rapidly but is often offset by the continued expansion and protection of coal assets, which are not fulfilling their intended role as flexible backups for renewables.

The report investigates the factors behind the acceleration of coal power approvals in China between 2022 and 2024, including rising power demand and energy security concerns. It details China's strategy to maintain supply continuity through flexibility retrofits and carbon-reduction pilots while proposing a transition toward clean power generation and storage technologies to replace coal's role in system reliability.