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The report details a period of transition for South Africa's energy efficiency sector. While new building codes (SANS 10400) and tax incentives (Section 12L) aim to institutionalize efficiency, the market for domestic solar water heaters has seen a decline and consolidation following the cessation of various Eskom subsidies. Conversely, the LED lighting and embedded generation sectors, particularly solar PV, show signs of growth and increasing price competitiveness.

The report assesses the Risk/Reward Incentive Mechanism (RRIM) implemented by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in 2007. While the RRIM increased senior management's attention toward energy efficiency and drove the expansion of cost-effective programs like lighting, it struggled to protect ratepayers due to the abandonment of the 'true-up' process. The mechanism's design—characterized by sharp earnings 'cliffs' and retroactive implementation—led to significant regulatory conflict and unpredictable earnings, which limited its value to shareholders. The report concludes that while the RRIM was a valuable experiment, future incentives should be implemented before program design, avoid sharp payment distinctions, and be designed for predictability and repeatability.

The report details a transition in South Africa's energy efficiency landscape, marked by the introduction of new building codes (SANS 10400) and mandatory quality testing for solar water heaters. While the high-pressure solar water heater market is consolidating after a peak in 2011 and the low-pressure sector is described as 'virtually extinct', the embedded generation sector, particularly solar PV, is showing growth as it approaches price parity with Eskom retail pricing. Financial incentives are shifting from Eskom-funded rebates, which have been largely cancelled, toward tax deductions under Section 12L.

The Help My House (HMH) pilot program provided on-bill financing (OBF) for energy efficiency retrofits in 125 homes across eight South Carolina electric cooperatives. The program demonstrated that 'whole house' upgrades—primarily attic insulation, air sealing, and HVAC replacements—could reduce electricity use by an average of 34% (approximately 11,000 kWh per year), with energy savings typically exceeding the annual loan repayments. The pilot achieved a 93% realization rate compared to predicted savings and significantly increased member satisfaction, leading several participating cooperatives to launch their own ongoing OBF programs. While the retrofits reduced coincident peak demand, they had no net impact on the system load factor, suggesting that the simultaneous deployment of load control devices is necessary to improve system efficiency.

The fact sheet highlights the need for consistent energy efficiency data across the U.S. to support decision-makers in grid planning, finance, and regulatory compliance. It maps various drivers for harmonization—ranging from integrated resource planning to the Clean Air Act—and identifies existing initiatives like the Regional Energy Efficiency Database (REED) and the Uniform Methods Project that aim to standardize definitions and reporting formats.

The analysis finds that while Boulder has achieved significant energy savings, current programs are insufficient to meet its 2012 Kyoto-based emissions targets. Residential lighting programs and audits are the most cost-effective, while renewable energy systems show below-average returns. The report recommends transitioning to a longer-term, integrated approach focusing on deep retrofits and exploring municipalization of the energy supply to close the emissions gap.

The report argues that US utilities must move beyond a 'business-as-usual' mindset to meet increasingly aggressive energy efficiency targets. It proposes a 'turbocharging' strategy that combines 'broader' savings (acquiring more participants) with 'deeper' savings (increasing energy saved per participant). The authors identify systemic barriers, including utility complacency, lack of competitive experience, and rigid regulatory frameworks, and offer a framework of recommendations centered on improving marketing, sales execution, reducing transaction costs, and embracing collaboration with third-party partners and regulators.

The briefing argues that traditional utility rebate programs, which focus on single-technology upgrades, yield only 1 to 5 percent whole-building savings. In contrast, a 'deep retrofit' approach—optimizing the building as a whole—can achieve 30 to 50 percent savings. To scale this, the authors propose the 'Deep Energy Efficiency Pays' (DEEP) program, which provides an additional incentive for projects that meet a specific energy savings threshold (e.g., 30 percent). This incentive is designed to 'tip' the economics of projects that would otherwise be financially unviable for building owners. The document highlights the Empire State Building as a successful example of a deep retrofit and discusses existing programs in California and Connecticut as precursors to this model.

Sierra Club CDM Watch submitted a letter to the CDM Executive Board arguing that Project 4629 in India is non-additional. The authors contend that the project would proceed regardless of CDM support because the Government of India mandates supercritical technology and the owner, Reliance Power, has already committed to such technology through a US$10 billion order. They further argue that the project's baseline scenario is flawed, fails to consider energy efficiency alternatives, and uses an unrealistically narrow coal price sensitivity analysis. If registered, the project could receive over 21 million CERs, potentially providing a windfall of approximately €257 million.

A formal request by Sierra Club and CDM Watch to the CDM Executive Board to review the additionality of Project 4533 in India. The authors argue that the project does not meet CDM rules because the Government of India mandated supercritical technology, financing was already secured, and the project sponsor's own shareholder communications describe CDM credits as a 'new revenue stream' rather than a necessity for implementation. They further contend that the project's baseline assumptions regarding coal prices are unrealistically low and that alternative energy efficiency scenarios were ignored.

The Policy-Adjusted IRP 2010-2030 outlines South Africa's strategy for electricity generation expansion and demand-side management. It recommends a diversified energy mix including 9.6 GW of nuclear, 6.3 GW of new coal, and 17.8 GW of renewables (wind, solar PV, and CSP) to balance security of supply, economic growth, and carbon emission constraints. The plan emphasizes accelerating renewable energy to foster local industry and includes a Medium Term Risk Mitigation Project to address anticipated supply shortfalls between 2011 and 2016 through demand response and increased generation availability.

The report documents a 2010 conference of the South African Civil Society Energy Caucus, focusing on the lack of transparency and public participation in the development of the second Integrated Resource Plan (IRP2). It critiques the government's continued reliance on coal and nuclear power, highlighting the failures of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) and the environmental risks of radioactive waste in the Witwatersrand goldfields. The document advocates for a 'just transition' toward renewable energy, specifically wind and solar, while calling for an independent system operator to resolve conflicts of interest within Eskom.

The report examines the role of Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) in promoting energy efficiency in developing countries. While the ESCO model—where remuneration is linked to energy savings—has succeeded in developed nations and recently in China, it faces significant hurdles elsewhere. Key barriers include limited access to financing, high transaction costs, government policy disincentives such as energy subsidies, and a lack of technical and financial human resources. The document details the impact of international agencies like the World Bank and domestic government programs in countries such as Brazil, India, and South Korea. It recommends a combination of loan guarantees, the elimination of energy price subsidies, the creation of standardized contracts, and the development of domestic commercial banking capacity to sustain the industry.

The paper analyzes the shift in energy efficiency promotion from national governments and utilities toward a diverse array of new intermediaries, such as ESCOs, energy agencies, NGOs, and public-private partnerships, within the European Union. It specifically evaluates the advantages and challenges of 'nesting' energy efficiency within broader sustainability or climate change frameworks, drawing on findings from the EC FP7 'Changing Behaviour' study.

The report examines South Africa's energy security, highlighting a critical over-reliance on coal-fired power generated by the state utility Eskom. It argues that this dependency creates a conflict with the country's climate mitigation goals and international commitments. The author identifies structural and institutional barriers—specifically Eskom's market dominance and a lack of coordinated government policy—that hinder the adoption of renewable energy. The report suggests that South Africa must shift from a 'business as usual' fossil-fuel path toward a 'business unusual' approach, leveraging regional hydroelectric and gas potential within the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) to ensure a sustainable and secure energy future.

The report examines energy security in Southern Africa, focusing on the need to expand electricity generation capacity and diversify away from coal. It identifies the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) as a key mechanism for regional cooperation to exploit vast hydropower potential in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique. However, the report notes that urgent short-term power shortages often lead countries, especially South Africa, to rely on quicker, coal-fired solutions, creating a 'lock-in' effect. It argues that for SAPP to succeed, the region must overcome significant regulatory risks, high upfront capital costs for hydropower, and a lack of cost-reflective pricing in national utilities.

The 2007-2008 drought in Barcelona was the most severe in the last century, resulting in total estimated losses of 1,661 million Euros for a one-year period, approximately 1% of the Catalonian GDP. The study categorizes costs into direct losses for economic agents (540.26 million Euros), indirect losses to the regional economy (358.47 million Euros), and non-market welfare losses (761.95 million Euros). To mitigate the crisis, the Government of Catalonia implemented demand-side restrictions and supply-side measures, including the shipping of water from France and Tarragona. The authors find that demand-side constraints were significantly more cost-efficient than water transport. Climate projections for the region suggest that the frequency of drought events may double, with increased duration and intensity.

The report presents a mitigation scenario for the EU27 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% in 2020 and 90% by 2050 relative to 1990 levels. This is achieved through radical energy efficiency, a shift to renewables, and the phase-out of fossil fuels, nuclear power, and carbon capture and storage. The analysis also estimates that Europe's fair share of international climate finance for developing nations would range between €150 billion and €450 billion by 2020.

Dr. Hyde Merrill provides expert testimony challenging the technical necessity of the $1.8 billion PATH transmission project. He argues that PJM Interconnection's reliability claims are based on flawed planning, inaccurate extrapolations, and undocumented changes in assumptions. Specifically, he asserts that alleged voltage issues could be resolved with capacitors costing $40 million, and that thermal violations on lower-voltage lines could be fixed for approximately $66 million. He further claims that 500-kV thermal violations are speculative, based on unreliable extrapolation rather than contingency analysis, and ignore available generation and demand-side management resources. Merrill concludes that the project would increase reliance on remote coal-fired power and recommends a strategic shift toward local renewables and gas-fired plants.

The report identifies that while Ghana has a target of 10% renewable energy in its energy mix by 2020, progress is hindered by implementation and roll-out barriers, including weak domestic technical capacity, inadequate regulatory frameworks, and limited access to long-term finance. It suggests a combination of market-mandated policies, the use of the Clean Development Mechanism, and the establishment of innovation centres to accelerate technology adoption. The study estimates that removing these barriers with international support could avoid at least 14 million tonnes of CO2 emissions from renewable energy projects and 70,000 tonnes from energy efficiency activities.