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The report examines the financial and operational crisis facing South African municipal electricity distribution, characterized by rising bulk costs from Eskom and a massive infrastructure maintenance backlog. It proposes that municipalities leverage the growing amount of behind-the-meter rooftop solar PV—estimated at 3,495 MWp as of December 2024—to reduce reliance on expensive bulk purchases. By purchasing curtailed excess power and deploying leased BESS for peak demand arbitrage, municipalities could significantly increase operating surpluses to fund infrastructure renewal. The report specifically analyzes the City of Johannesburg, arguing that rooftop solar is not the primary cause of its revenue decline—which is instead driven by high technical and non-technical losses—and warns that punitive policies toward solar owners may accelerate grid defection.

The document describes the traditional centralized electricity grid model, which has been the global default since 1882, and explains how it functions through generation, transmission, and distribution. It notes that while this model was historically cost-effective, aging infrastructure and extreme weather now necessitate a shift toward distributed energy resources (DERs) to enhance system resilience.

The roadmap advocates for a phased exit from fossil fuels in Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasizing a transition that integrates climate justice, economic diversification, and the recognition of nature's rights. It categorizes countries by their hydrocarbon profile—booming production, mature production, or importing with refining capacity—to tailor phase-out strategies. Key goals include achieving a net-zero electricity system by 2050, decarbonizing industrial and transport demand, and reforming financial systems to reduce debt-based climate finance. The document also calls for the criminalization of ecocide and the exclusion of climate policies from investor-state arbitration mechanisms.

The document analyzes fossil fuel subsidies in Brazil and Colombia, advocating for the creation of national inventories and a prioritized reform roadmap. It highlights the inefficiency of certain production subsidies, such as Brazil's REPETRO, and suggests redirecting savings toward renewable energy and social equity. Using regional examples, it warns against abrupt reforms, as seen in Bolivia, and recommends progressive, well-communicated strategies similar to those in Ecuador.

The report finds that Mozambique's 'Current Path' is not viable, as the country is likely to miss most of its National Development Strategy (2023-2043) targets and see an increase in extreme poverty by 2043 despite gas megaproject revenues. To achieve inclusive growth, the authors recommend an integrated development push focusing on governance transparency, agricultural productivity, economic diversification, and human capital. Specific climate-related recommendations include investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as solar-powered irrigation, and adopting ecosystem-based approaches like wetland restoration to protect rural communities from floods and land degradation.

Rooftop solar capacity in the Philippines has likely doubled between April 2025 and April 2026, reaching approximately 1,300 MW. This growth is driven by surging electricity prices, which have reduced payback periods for residential, commercial, and industrial users to between 2.3 and 3.1 years. The report highlights a massive influx of solar panel imports from China and the emergence of domestic manufacturing. To further scale rooftop solar to a target of 3,500 MW with 4,500 MWh of battery storage within 24 months, the author recommends expanding low-interest loan schemes, legalising 'plug-and-play' solar kits under 800 watts, and implementing a distributed grid-battery project.

The report concludes that Africa's current development trajectory is insufficient to meet Agenda 2063 and SDG goals, with 19.1% of the population projected to remain in extreme poverty by 2043. It argues that a 'Combined scenario' of coordinated reforms—including the full implementation of the AfCFTA, improved governance, and an accelerated energy transition—could lift GDP to nearly US$9 trillion and reduce extreme poverty to 10.9% by 2043. Key recommendations include doubling or tripling annual energy buildout through renewables and regional power pools, and prioritizing industrialization in agro-processing and mineral beneficiation.

The report outlines the 'Large Infrastructure and Leapfrogging' scenario, which models the effects of targeted infrastructure investment in Africa from 2027 to 2050. It emphasizes the synergy between large-scale renewable energy, off-grid solutions, and ICT to lower barriers for private capital and formalize the informal economy. The analysis uses the International Futures (IFs) platform to categorize spending across traditional, ICT, and other infrastructure, benchmarking progress against developing regions in South Asia and South America.

GadgetroniX installed a boutique off-grid energy system at Hamia Villa in Zanzibar, Tanzania, consisting of a 3.68 kWp solar array, 10 kWh lithium battery storage, and a 300l solar water heater. The system was implemented to provide stable electricity for the main lodge, laundry, and staff areas, resulting in reduced operational costs and lower dependency on external power sources.

Virtual power plants (VPPs) are reaching scales that rival traditional power plants, with some programs exceeding 1 GW. Despite this, the document finds that utilities often fail to properly model VPPs in integrated resource plans (IRPs) and distribution system plans (DSPs), frequently treating them as fixed load adjustments rather than selectable resources. This planning gap leads to an underestimation of VPP value and a risk of redundant infrastructure investment. The author recommends that regulators and utilities develop detailed resource attributes for VPPs, allow for their growth in models, and evaluate their benefits across both bulk power and distribution systems.

In 2025, global coal capacity increased by 3.5% while generation fell by 0.6%, driven largely by record additions in China and India. These countries are building coal plants for system reliability and energy security, even as renewables displace coal's role in meeting demand. The report notes a geographic narrowing of coal expansion, with only 32 countries proposing or building new plants, and highlights the specific challenges facing Ukraine's energy recovery following Russian attacks on its infrastructure.

The playbook offers a structured set of questions for advocates and regulators to use across pre-filing, planning, and ratemaking proceedings. It emphasizes the need to clarify who bears the cost of distribution investments, especially when load or distributed energy resource (DER) forecasts are inaccurate, and suggests the use of guardrails like cost caps and reconciliation rules to protect residential customers.

The report evaluates the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme, specifically Components A (decentralized solar plants) and C-FLS (feeder-level solarization). While these components offer significant benefits—including reliable daytime power for farmers, reduced agricultural subsidies for DISCOMs, and rural employment—they have seen low uptake, with only 7% and 34% achievement against targets respectively as of December 2025. Key barriers include a mismatch between regulatory tariffs and market costs, inadequate rural grid infrastructure, complex land acquisition and leasing laws, and poor institutional coordination between state agencies and distribution companies (DISCOMs). The report recommends shifting toward competitive bidding, implementing GIS-based land identification, adopting virtual feeder segregation via IoT, and enhancing the leadership role of DISCOMs in project implementation.

The methodology establishes a framework for the 'integrated replacement' of fossil-fuel generators (such as diesel or natural gas gensets and mini-grids) with greenfield renewable energy systems (RES), including solar PV, wind, and hydro. It mandates the permanent decommissioning of the baseline system and the implementation of a Just Transition Plan to protect affected workers and consumers. Emission reductions are calculated by comparing the RES output against a baseline of historical or default fossil fuel emissions, adjusted downward over time via a Downward Adjustment Factor (DAF) to align with national Net Zero trajectories. The framework includes detailed requirements for demonstrating additionality, accounting for embodied emissions from RES manufacturing, and managing reversal risks if the RES fails. A voluntary annex also allows for the quantification of avoided black carbon and PM2.5 emissions.

The Dominican Republic faces high electricity costs and grid instability due to a heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels, which account for nearly 83% of generation. While rooftop solar exists, it is concentrated among the wealthiest 4.5% of the population, creating an unequal transition that erodes utility revenues and increases government subsidy burdens. To address this, the Convite Solar initiative uses a community-led model based on standardized, modular systems installed through collective labor and local training. A pilot in Nizao has demonstrated success in reducing household bills and increasing resilience during blackouts. The model proposes redirecting a portion of the $2 billion annual government electricity subsidies toward equipment costs and cooperative financing to scale distributed generation across the Caribbean.

The report examines the risks of AI integration in the ASEAN power sector, highlighting data limitations, regulatory uncertainty, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. It argues that while AI is a 'low-hanging fruit' for accelerating the energy transition, its success depends on strengthening data foundations, updating grid codes, and building AI-ready workforces through phased roll-outs and 'AI sandboxes'.

The document examines the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in overcoming the technical challenges of integrating variable renewable energy (VRE) in Southeast Asia. It highlights five commercially proven AI applications: improving forecast accuracy to reduce reserve needs, enabling predictive maintenance to extend asset life, optimising dispatch to lower balancing costs, providing real-time control for grid security, and supporting dynamic line rating (DLR) to increase transmission capacity. The report provides global case studies—including examples from Google DeepMind, Siemens, and various utilities in the US, UK, and Belgium—to demonstrate how AI can reduce operational costs, curtailment, and carbon footprints while enhancing the reliability of power grids facing high VRE penetration.

The report argues that AI can significantly accelerate the energy transition in ASEAN by managing the complexity of rising variable renewable energy (VRE) shares. It identifies five key AI applications—forecasting, predictive maintenance, dispatch optimisation, real-time control, and dynamic line rating—that can reduce operational costs and emissions. While ASEAN shows strong digital readiness, current AI adoption is fragmented and pilot-based. The report estimates that widespread AI adoption could save up to $67 billion and reduce nearly 400 million tonnes of CO2 by 2035, provided that regulatory, data, and cybersecurity challenges are addressed.

Between January and September 2025, Village Energy installed solar-hybrid and off-grid energy systems in 26 Ugandan health centres to address unreliable grid power and blackouts that compromised oxygen therapy. The systems, ranging from 4.6 kWp to 5.8 kWp, enabled oxygen concentrators to operate up to 20 hours per day without grid input, reducing dependence on costly oxygen cylinders and improving neonatal and paediatric care. The project highlighted the importance of remote monitoring, local staff training, and a two-year maintenance warranty for sustainability. Village Energy has since powered over 100 health centres in Uganda.

RMI's analysis of more than 200 utility PIMs reveals a strong preference for 'upside-only' reward structures over penalties, with Return on Equity (ROE) and shared savings being the most common and highest-paying designs. While utilities consistently achieve targets for percentage adder-based and equity-focused PIMs, the report suggests that targets may be set too low. Most PIMs are short-term experiments lasting two to three years, except for fuel cost-sharing and distributed energy resource mechanisms, which often lack end dates to provide regulatory certainty.