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The policy brief outlines seven critical functions that U.S. states perform to advance clean energy and climate goals, emphasizing that state-level action is resilient to federal political swings and provides scalable models for emissions reductions and economic development.

The report examines the 'electrotech fast-track' for 74 Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) nations, arguing that rapid cost declines in solar, batteries, and electric end-use technologies allow these countries to bypass the 'fossil detour'. It highlights that 46% of CVF nations, by electricity demand, have already surpassed the US in solar penetration. The document details how solar is now less capital-intensive than fossil fuels and how decentralized solar-battery systems are becoming cheaper than grid extension for remote areas. It further argues that transitioning to electrotech reduces the $155 billion annual fossil fuel import drain and leverages CVF nations' strategic assets in critical minerals and manufacturing to gain geopolitical influence.

Between 2021 and 2024, 24 major European banks provided US$41.9 billion to companies developing new gas plants, with 63% of this funding coming from seven banks in France and the UK. The report contends that gas power is not a 'transition fuel' but a source of severe air pollution, price volatility, and long-term greenhouse gas emissions lock-in. It highlights that 78% of this financing is directed toward OECD and European countries, where power sectors are expected to be carbon neutral by 2035. The document concludes that banks must immediately end financial services to gas power expansion to align with a 1.5°C warming limit.

The document argues that current RBF programmes often prioritize short-term connection numbers over long-term business viability, creating 'cliff-edge risks' and deterring commercial investors. It proposes a four-pillar approach: aligning impact metrics with commercial viability (e.g., rewarding energy usage and productive-use connections), adjusting disbursement schedules to support capital raises, introducing risk-mitigation instruments for macroeconomic and operational risks, and fostering ecosystem-wide coordination between governments, funders, and investors.

The document outlines the challenges and opportunities facing Africa's development, emphasizing the need to balance energy access with a low-carbon transition and the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It presents the 'Combined scenario' as a pathway to achieve the African Union's Agenda 2063 goals by 2043 through strategic investment and policy coherence.

The Gender and Social Inclusion Action Plan (GAP) for the PURE Rural Mozambique Climate Project establishes a framework to address gender-based inequalities in the energy sector. It focuses on mainstreaming gender-transformative interventions across institutional strengthening of FUNAE, mini-grid development, and the deployment of climate-smart PU(R)E solutions. The plan sets specific targets for women's participation, including a goal for 52% of mini-grid and PURE beneficiaries to be women and 15% of local operators to be women. It also implements safeguarding measures against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH) and gender-based violence (GBV).

The report assesses the intersection of gender inequality and climate vulnerability in rural Mozambique to inform the design of the PURE Rural Mozambique Climate Project. It identifies systemic barriers—including patriarchal social norms, low female literacy (49% nationwide), and limited access to land and credit—that hinder women's participation in the energy sector and their ability to adopt productive technologies. The project aims to deploy 30-40 solar mini-grids and use Results-Based Financing (RBF) to incentivise the uptake of climate-smart equipment. Key strategies include targeting 'time-saving' appliances to reduce women's labour burden, implementing SEAH (Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment) safeguards, and linking 5-10% of RBF milestone payments to GESI-specific results, such as the percentage of female mini-grid customers.

RMI proposes five policies to accelerate heat pump adoption in Illinois: increasing incentives for heat pumps and weatherization while phasing out gas equipment subsidies, providing 0% financing, reforming electric and gas rate designs, implementing an AC-to-heat pump replacement policy, and adopting electric-friendly standards for new construction. The brief notes that while heat pumps can reduce energy bills for most Illinois households—particularly those using propane or electric resistance heat—high up-front costs remain a primary barrier.

The document examines the role of cost tracker mechanisms in US utility expenditure recovery, noting that while they reduce financial risk for utilities, their overutilization can weaken cost-containment incentives and increase energy burdens for households. It recommends that regulators revisit the rationale for these trackers, retire unnecessary ones, and implement guardrails to improve transparency and review processes.

The document outlines a framework for transitioning away from fossil fuels (TAFF), emphasizing that roadmaps must be anchored in scientific alignment, the CBDR-RC principle, and national ownership. It argues that national plans should integrate energy access, subsidy reform, and economic diversification, while international efforts require structured producer-consumer coordination and reform of global finance systems. The guide aims to support 2026 initiatives, including the Brazilian COP 30 Presidency's global roadmap, to address the misalignment between current fossil fuel production plans and climate science.

The briefing examines the limitations of North-South Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETPs), specifically regarding funding, local ownership, and equity. It proposes South-South cooperation as a complementary approach that leverages peer learning and context-specific solutions to integrate local development needs like energy access and job creation. Using the experiences of South Africa and Colombia, the text identifies specific areas for collaboration, including mine closures and green industrialization, while noting that institutional support and inclusive participation are necessary to achieve transformative development goals.

The document is a formal reporting form for the PURE Rural Mozambique Climate Project, detailing the environmental and social safeguards (ESS) category and the disclosure of impact assessments and management plans.

The report advocates for a "twin-track" diversification of India's clean cooking energy to address the affordability, delivery, and price volatility issues associated with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and piped natural gas (PNG). It proposes scaling electric cooking (e-cooking) in urban and peri-urban areas and biogas in rural areas. The analysis suggests that e-cooking could halve LPG demand by 2050 and save over INR 2 trillion in subsidies, while rural biogas adoption depends on reducing high upfront costs and improving local maintenance ecosystems.

A pilot in rural Kenya demonstrated that solar irrigation systems with batteries can power electric pressure cookers (EPCs), leading to promising reductions in traditional fuel use. While EPCs were well-received, particularly by educated households, the impact was limited by battery constraints, competing energy needs, and gendered dynamics regarding energy control. The report suggests that scaling such secondary energy uses requires improved technology design, adequate battery storage, targeted financing, and behavioral support to ensure an equitable transition to clean energy.

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.

The report examines how the UAE and Saudi Arabia are emerging as primary financiers of clean energy in Africa, noting a shift toward multi-billion dollar renewable and hydrogen projects. While GCC investments are substantial, they are currently concentrated in a few low-risk markets like Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa. The authors argue that to maximize impact, the GCC should pivot toward funding transmission infrastructure, geothermal energy, methane abatement, and critical mineral refining across a broader range of African nations.

The study finds that while solar PV is the backbone of Nigeria's net-zero electricity system, the lowest-cost and most reliable pathways require a technology-neutral approach that includes nuclear power and natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS). Restricting these firm low-carbon technologies increases total installed capacity by approximately 50% and annual investment requirements by about 7%. Under baseline demand, net-zero timelines require average annual investments of US$7–10 billion, but a high-demand scenario aligned with Nigeria Agenda 2050 would increase average annual investment to US$35.8 billion and nearly triple total system costs.

The brief identifies that while renewable energy investments in Kenya offer high synergetic potential for economic growth and emission reductions, conflicts exist between industrialization goals and emission targets, as well as between renewable energy deployment and electricity affordability.

The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region generates 19% of its electricity from wind and solar, exceeding the global average. While nearly half of the 33 LAC countries have pledged net-zero emissions by 2050, an implementation gap persists. The region possesses a third of global lithium, copper, and silver reserves, though investment has historically favored extraction over local manufacturing. Recent trends show a rise in electric vehicle sales and a shift in Venezuela toward solar generation to improve grid stability.

The document identifies that while prioritizing renewable energy investments offers the highest synergetic potential for economic growth and emission reductions in Kenya, significant trade-offs exist between climate goals and industrialization. It highlights a critical conflict between the deployment of renewable energy and electricity affordability, noting that high tariffs driven by infrastructure investments hinder equity. The brief also identifies institutional barriers, including public debt, corruption, and skewed decision-making representation, as primary drivers of policy incoherence.