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Mining operations, particularly in developing countries, suffer from extreme energy inefficiencies, with diesel power often converting only 12 percent of energy into measurable work. Transitioning to renewable energy like solar and wind can reduce costs—which can account for up to 30 percent of total expenditures—and help companies secure a "social license to operate" by providing energy access to remote communities. Examples include Rio Tinto's solar plant in Australia and Windiga Energy's project in Burkina Faso. RMI and the Development Partner Institute are facilitating the creation of innovative business models to coordinate the complex interests of mining companies, communities, and multilaterals.

Southern Africa faces an energy crisis characterized by a lack of electricity access and a coal-dominated energy mix. The document argues that overcoming this requires a combination of regional cooperation to manage hydropower resources and the deployment of decentralised solutions like mini-grids for rural areas, while addressing systemic barriers such as poor project preparation and inadequate regulatory frameworks.

This scoping report examines how global trends—including energy decentralization, affordability, mobile payments, women's entrepreneurship, urbanization, and humanitarian settings—affect gender equality and social inclusion in sustainable energy access, with specific analysis of five countries.

The analysis finds that renewable energy growth is positively associated with India's GDP, employment, and energy security, while helping to reduce the fiscal deficit and net energy imports. Despite these benefits, the report projects that India will likely miss its 175 GW renewable energy target by 2022, instead reaching it between 2027 and 2033 depending on the scenario. Under an optimistic scenario, renewable energy could add up to 4.52 million domestic jobs by 2042.

The report analyzes the relationship between renewable energy (RE) and macroeconomic factors in India, finding that RE growth is positively associated with GDP, interest rates (call rates), and remunerative tariffs, while negatively correlated with fiscal deficits, energy imports, and unemployment. Using an ARDL model, the authors project three scenarios (business as usual, optimistic, and pessimistic) for RE capacity through 2042. They conclude that India's target of 175 GW by 2022 is overly ambitious and likely to be achieved between 2027 and 2033. The report also estimates that an optimistic scenario could add up to 4.52 million jobs by 2042 and improve India's Energy Security Index (ESI) from 0.41 to 0.58.

The SADC region faces a significant electricity supply-demand gap, with 68% of residents lacking access and a heavy reliance on coal, primarily driven by South Africa. The report argues for a dual approach: strengthening the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) through better regional regulation and transboundary projects, and scaling up renewable energy mini-grids in rural areas. It highlights that while the region has vast solar, wind, and hydro potential, investment is hindered by poor policy frameworks and the financial insolvency of national utilities.

The report analyzes the financial instability of public electricity distribution companies (discoms) in Uttar Pradesh, where a revenue gap of INR 21,486 crores was recorded in FY16. It investigates two primary mechanisms for improvement: the reform of end-user tariffs and the implementation of the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) scheme launched in 2015. The study utilizes a political economy approach, incorporating surveys from 1,917 households, 413 farmers, and 65 commercial and industrial consumers, alongside interviews with government and discom officials to assess progress against UDAY milestones and stakeholder perceptions of tariff changes.

The report analyzes the financial instability of electricity distribution companies (discoms) in Uttar Pradesh, where a significant revenue gap of INR 21,486 crores existed in FY16. It examines consumer attitudes toward tariff hikes, revealing that while most expect increases, there is strong opposition to them unless linked to service improvements. The report also evaluates the UDAY scheme, finding that while it has reduced interest costs through bond issuance, progress on key operational milestones like smart metering and feeder segregation has been limited. Recommendations include improving rural metering, implementing targeted compensation for vulnerable users, and enhancing communication strategies to build public support for cost-reflective tariffs.

The report examines a variety of low-cost and sustainable cooling technologies, such as evaporative coolers and solar refrigeration, to reduce food loss and improve vaccine delivery in energy-poor regions. It argues that while technical solutions are abundant, the primary barriers to scaling are the enabling environment, including financing, policy alignment, and tailored business models for low-income consumers. The document also highlights the potential of using waste cold from LNG terminals and liquid nitrogen to decarbonize refrigerated transport, particularly in India and China.

The document is a full bibliography of sources used for the 'Cooling for All' project, listing reports, academic papers, and articles related to sustainable cooling, urban heat mitigation, and energy access.

The proposal seeks USD 100 million in senior loans from the GCF, matched by USD 100 million from Tata Cleantech Capital Limited (TCCL) and USD 50 million in project developer equity. The programme aims to install 250 MW of solar rooftop capacity between 2018 and 2023, targeting an indicative lifetime emission reduction of approximately 5.2 million tCO2eq. TCCL will act as the executing entity, providing loans to developers to overcome barriers such as the lack of long-term debt financing (12-15 years) and high perceived risks in the rooftop solar segment. The programme specifically targets the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector for 65-70% of funds, with the remainder for institutional, social, and residential sectors, including a focus on MSMEs and vulnerable communities.

The document argues that while there is significant overlap between G20 initiatives, the AU Agenda 2063, and the UN 2030 Agenda, the G20 can further support Africa by addressing gaps in regional economic integration, infrastructure financing, and inequality. It recommends that African G20 participants, particularly South Africa, prioritize areas where the G20 adds value to the African development agenda and advocate for a development-focused global dialogue on inequality.

The paper finds that while some countries like Ethiopia and Peru align their NDCs with national strategies, others like Bangladesh and Ghana exhibit a disconnect between climate commitments and energy planning. It argues that integrating climate objectives into national development strategies and leveraging co-benefits such as job creation and health improvements can drive higher ambition in revised NDCs.

The report identifies Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and East Asia as high-impact regions for clean energy investment, with a subset of eight countries offering over USD 360bn in potential by 2030. It argues that while clean energy costs are falling, private investment is hindered by off-taker, currency, and policy risks. The authors recommend shifting blended finance from covering viability gaps to providing risk-mitigation instruments like guarantees and local currency hedging, and creating liquid, tradable assets through securitization to attract institutional investors.

The document outlines a methodology for identifying high-impact clean energy markets in developing economies based on private sector attractiveness, energy access, and climate relevance. It identifies Tier 1 countries—including India, South Africa, Kenya, and Rwanda—and analyzes their specific investment barriers, such as off-taker risk in India and currency volatility in South Africa. Additionally, it provides case studies on blended finance structures, ranging from project-level interventions like the Lake Turkana Wind Farm to fund-of-funds like GEEREF, illustrating how concessional capital and guarantees are used to leverage private investment.

The Q4 2018 Risk Dashboard indicates that the Green Climate Fund's portfolio concentration and liquidity remain within approved risk tolerance levels. As of 31 December 2018, the fund reported no non-performing loans for the eighth consecutive quarter and maintained a foreign exchange commitment risk buffer of USD 33 million equivalent. The portfolio consists of 93 approved funding proposals with a geographic distribution led by Africa (39%) and Asia-Pacific (34%), and a funding balance favoring mitigation (39%) over adaptation (25%).

As of 30 June 2018, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) managed a portfolio of 76 approved funding proposals (FPs) with a total approved amount of USD 3.7 billion. Funding is distributed across mitigation (43%), adaptation (29%), and cross-cutting projects (28%), with the highest regional concentrations in Africa (33%) and Asia-Pacific (33%). The fund reports a projected liquid asset portfolio of USD 4.1 billion for the following 12 months and confirms there are no non-performing loans in its portfolio. Integrity and redress mechanisms recorded several closed allegations and a withdrawn request for reconsideration from Argentina.

The report examines the Nigerian minigrid sector, highlighting a potential annual revenue opportunity of ₦2.8 trillion (US$8 billion). Based on audits of ten commercial projects, it identifies best practices such as optimal site selection, community engagement, and appliance financing. While the regulatory environment is generally supportive, the report identifies barriers including high hardware costs, limited affordable finance, and inconsistent customs processes, proposing a series of stakeholder-specific actions to accelerate market growth.

The world is not on track to meet SDG7 by 2030, with progress falling short across all four targets. While electricity access is accelerating in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, and renewable energy is growing in the electricity sector, access to clean cooking remains the most lagging area. Energy efficiency is improving, particularly in the industrial sector, though the rate of improvement is below the target required to double the global rate by 2030.

The 2018 Sustainable Energy for All Forum highlighted that while progress is being made on most SDG7 objectives, the world is not on track to achieve universal energy access by 2030. Key discussions centered on the critical need to reform infrastructure finance, the emerging importance of sustainable cooling for survival and health, and the stagnation of clean cooking access, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Forum advocated for a shift toward viewing energy as a set of services rather than just electrons, emphasizing the need for integrated planning and gender-inclusive investing to reach the most vulnerable populations.