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Chile faces significant energy curtailments due to transmission bottlenecks and a lack of system flexibility, with 2024 curtailments reaching 19% of solar and wind generation. The document argues that while large infrastructure projects like the Kimal-Lo Aguirre line are planned for 2029, immediate action is needed through a 'Clean Flexibility Kit' including battery storage, Dynamic Line Rating (DLR), and demand response markets. It compares Chile's situation with other high-renewable systems like China, Ireland, and California to provide a roadmap of short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations to improve grid efficiency and reduce economic losses for investors.

The document asserts that blackouts are predominantly caused by infrastructure failure, human error, and extreme weather, rather than the deployment of variable renewables. It highlights a significant investment gap in electricity grids, noting that while renewable energy investment has more than doubled since 2015, grid investment has only grown by 24%. The briefing argues that modernising grids with storage, interconnections, and decentralised generation can enhance adequacy, operational security, and resilience, including 'black start' capabilities. However, the IEA warns that grids risk becoming the "weak link" in the energy transition due to underinvestment in ageing assets and the inability to keep pace with rising global electricity demand.

Central Europe's solar generation grew at twice the EU average rate between 2019 and 2024, with cumulative output increasing from 5 TWh to 29 TWh. While Hungary, Poland, and Czechia have seen significant surges—with Hungary reaching nearly 25% solar share in 2024—Slovakia has lagged due to policy hurdles. Despite this growth, the region's battery deployment remains low at 0.1 GW as of August 2025, though Poland has a substantial 7.3 GW project pipeline. The report argues that the region must improve grid flexibility and storage to sustain solar momentum and leverage its position as a global battery manufacturing hub.

The US power sector is experiencing unprecedented load growth, requiring the grid to expand more than five times faster than in the previous two decades. To address this, the report recommends maximizing existing grid value through grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) and demand-side flexibility, accelerating connections via 'energy parks' and streamlined interconnection processes, and adopting proactive, scenario-based planning. It also suggests targeted affordability measures for low-income customers and specialized rate designs for large loads to prevent cost-shifting and stranded-asset risks.

The document examines how governors in at least 14 US states have addressed rising electricity costs, which have increased by an average of 23% over the last decade. It identifies key cost drivers, such as grid modernization and natural gas volatility, and evaluates specific state-level interventions including regulatory reforms, energy efficiency programs, and the removal of coal plant subsidies.

The report examines how smarter grid strategies can unlock digital infrastructure investments, particularly for AI and data centres. It highlights that long grid connection queues in Europe are deterring developers, but suggests that phased connections, non-firm (flexible) agreements, and strategic siting in priority zones can significantly reduce wait times and infrastructure costs. The document emphasizes that data centres often underutilize their contracted capacity and can offer flexibility to the grid, which could potentially double available capacity if implemented.

The Institute for Energy Economics Japan (IEEJ) produces energy forecasts with significantly higher gas demand and carbon emissions than those of the IEA, ExxonMobil, and BP. This is driven by higher projected costs for solar and wind, a preference for thermal power as a backup to renewables, and optimistic forecasts for carbon capture and storage (CCS) deployment. The IEEJ maintains close ties to the Japanese government and industry, while Japan remains a major global financier and trader of gas.

The report argues for a 'hybrid market model' in Europe that combines proactive procurement for the market with competition in the market to ensure a reliable, 24/7 decarbonised power system. It identifies significant gaps in current National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), noting that many Member States are not on track to meet 2030 EU targets. To address this, the authors recommend expanding system needs assessments to include flexibility and resilience (including climate and cyber risks) and extending their time horizon to 2050. On the contracting side, the report suggests enhancing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) through standardisation and public demand, and improving Contracts for Difference (CfDs) by embedding dispatch incentives to avoid distorting market signals. It also proposes a tripartite contracting framework involving a central public entity to hedge risks for both the state and industrial consumers, thereby fostering industrial electrification and competitiveness.

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 a three-part framework consisting of on-the-ground solutions, policy and market-enabling conditions, and state levers. It categorizes electricity system improvements into six areas: system-wide efficiency and demand management, utility-scale clean energy supply, community- and commercial-scale clean energy supply, clean distributed energy supply, improved grid management, and updated grid infrastructure. For each category, the guide suggests specific actions—such as implementing clean portfolio standards, expanding virtual power plants (VPPs), and adopting grid-enhancing technologies (GETs)—and provides sample implementation pathways combining different state levers and market conditions.

The report outlines the necessity for ASEAN countries to shift from reactive grid expansion to proactive system transformation to support variable renewable energy. It proposes a six-pillar framework for future-ready grid planning—covering smart modernisation, strategic expansion, flexibility, regional integration, regulatory reform, and sustainable finance—and draws comparative lessons from the integrated power systems of Europe and Southern Africa to advocate for a more connected and resilient regional market.

The briefing distinguishes between attributional accounting, which allocates emissions responsibility, and consequential assessment, which estimates how specific corporate actions change total greenhouse gas emissions. It argues that while attributional reporting is necessary for inventories, it fails to quantify real-world abatement or value actions like grid storage. By adopting modernized consequential methods, companies can prioritize interventions—such as siting solar projects in coal-heavy regions—that drive faster grid decarbonization.

The policy brief examines the introduction of solar-hour time of day (ToD) tariffs for Indian households starting April 1, 2025. It assesses how these tariffs, which offer rebates during solar generation hours and surcharges during peak hours, affect non-rooftop solar (non-RTS) and rooftop solar (RTS) consumers across several states. The analysis finds that while non-RTS consumers may see bill reductions of 1-4%, RTS consumers may face longer payback periods due to peak surcharges. The author emphasizes that successful implementation requires accelerated smart meter deployment and state-specific, seasonal tariff designs.

The report examines 26 state-level Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs) submitted under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program, finding that most plans rely on generalities and high-cost incentives rather than sector-specific strategies. It argues that states must transition from high-level commitments to tailored, long-term roadmaps that prioritize cost-effective tools, such as operating-cost supports and regulatory standards, while leveraging co-benefits like public health improvements and workforce development to maintain American industrial competitiveness against international peers like China and the EU.

The briefing examines the components of grid reliability—resource adequacy, operational reliability, and resilience—within the context of the U.S. transition to clean energy. It argues that while load growth and fossil fuel retirements create short-term risks, a diverse portfolio of wind, solar, batteries, and demand-side resources can maintain reliability. The document emphasizes the need for interconnection reform, updated market rules for inverter-based resources, and the scaling of demand-response programs to avoid unnecessary supply-side costs.

The report examines the technical and institutional challenges of maintaining grid reliability in the United States as fossil fuel plants retire and demand grows from data centers and electrification. It argues that reliability does not require traditional baseload power but can be achieved through a combination of wind, solar, battery storage, and demand-side flexibility. The authors highlight that while 80-90% clean electricity is achievable with current technology, reaching 100% may require 'clean firm' resources like enhanced geothermal or advanced nuclear. Key recommendations include reforming interconnection queues, expanding interregional transmission, and implementing performance-based incentives for utilities to prioritize demand-side solutions.

The report addresses the surge in US electricity demand, noting that utility integrated resource plans covering 48% of sales expect load to grow 20% from 2023 to 2035. It argues that traditional forecasting is inadequate for new large loads—specifically data centers and industrial reshoring—which possess unique load shapes, high uncertainty, and 'flight risk'. The authors recommend that regulators shift toward scenario-based forecasting, increase the frequency of updates (e.g., quarterly), and implement 'least-regrets' capital investments and risk-shifting tariffs to protect ratepayers from the costs of forecast errors.

The author contends that households and businesses can act as a 'flexible power plant' by adjusting electricity use during peak demand, reducing the need for natural gas backup. The text highlights an Ontario program where smart thermostats created a 90 MW 'virtual power plant' and urges federal and provincial governments to incentivize energy efficiency and smart device integration to lower costs and carbon emissions.

The author contends that customer-driven demand-side management—such as smart thermostats, heat pumps, and optimized EV charging—can serve as a 'virtual power plant' to maintain grid stability. The text highlights a successful Ontario program that created a 90-megawatt virtual power plant and calls for federal and provincial policy shifts to prioritize energy efficiency investments over fossil fuel infrastructure.

The report provides a comprehensive roadmap for industrial decarbonization in East Asia, focusing on China, Indonesia, and Viet Nam. It proposes a six-tier technical strategy ranging from energy efficiency to green hydrogen and clean feedstocks. The analysis highlights that while efficiency and 'easy electrification' are cost-effective, deeper decarbonization requires massive investments—USD 1.7 trillion cumulatively through 2050 for industry alone across the three nations—and a fully decarbonized power grid. It recommends a policy package centered on carbon pricing, renewable energy procurement, and workforce reskilling to overcome high upfront costs and technical barriers.