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Uttar Pradesh faces significant energy access gaps with 14.6 million households lacking electricity and existing users experiencing poor service quality. The state's electricity distribution companies are financially unsustainable, with a revenue gap reaching 17,042 crores ($2.6 billion in FY 2015), partly due to low meter installation rates in rural areas (25%) compared to urban areas (85%). Over 80% of the state's power generation relies on coal, and financial losses are currently managed through the state government assuming debt via the UDAY scheme.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that COVID-19 recovery spending provides a critical opportunity to shift public finance away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy. The proposed blueprint includes stopping public funding for fossil fuel production, reforming subsidies and implementing taxes to raise an estimated USD 553 billion annually, and incentivizing private investment in clean electricity. The framework emphasizes a just transition involving dialogue between workers, employers, and governments to ensure no one is left behind during the energy transition.

The document highlights the hidden costs of coal power in Indonesia, noting that coal producers received at least IDR 12.4 trillion (USD 946 million) in subsidies in 2014, which was five times the total subsidies for renewables from 2010 to 2015. It asserts that renewable energy is more cost-competitive when air pollution and CO2 externalities are included in the cost structure. Additionally, it emphasizes that significant investment in renewables is required to provide sustainable electricity access to millions of Indonesian households currently without connections.

The document asserts that renewable energy is significantly cheaper than coal when air pollution externalities are included. It highlights that coal producers in Indonesia received at least IDR 12.4 trillion (USD 946 million) in subsidies in 2014, which is more than five times the total subsidies provided to renewable energy between 2010 and 2015. The text warns that continuing coal reliance could lock in emissions and pollution for 25 years and notes that large renewable investments are required to provide electricity access to millions of households in Indonesia.

The document argues that Indonesia's electricity subsidies are inefficiently distributed, benefiting non-poor households and densely populated areas like Java while neglecting remote regions. It highlights that electricity subsidies have increased from Rp8.8 trillion in 2005 to Rp58 trillion in 2016, and that reform is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure support reaches the poor. Despite multiple delays, reform plans for early 2017 aim to narrow the number of subsidy recipients in the 450VA and 900VA connection classes.

The document critiques the European Union's proposed priority areas for the Africa-EU strategy, noting that it overlooks critical issues from the Abidjan Declaration and AU Agenda 2063. It highlights gaps in addressing poverty, healthcare, transport infrastructure, and internet access, while emphasizing that debt relief in response to COVID-19 will be a critical test for the partnership.

The 'Three Ps' framework (Principles, Policies and laws, and Practicalities) outlines a community-centric approach to the Just Energy Transition in Africa. It argues that for a transition to be truly 'just,' it must move beyond simple decarbonization to address historical injustices, ensure energy democracy, and protect the land and human rights of local communities. The guide emphasizes the necessity of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), the implementation of community-owned renewable energy (CORE) models, and the provision of climate finance in the form of grants rather than loans to avoid further debt for Global South countries.

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) is a Johannesburg-based research institute that conducts social science research and advocacy to improve democratic governance and state capacity in South Africa. Its work is organised into five primary programmes: Land Governance, State Reform, Local Government, Just Transition, and COMPACT (a EU-funded initiative for municipal accountability). PARI collaborates with academic institutions, civil society, and state bodies to address issues such as tenure security, public procurement corruption, municipal financial sustainability, and the decarbonisation of the power sector.

The report examines the gap between South Africa's high electrification rates and the actual ability of poor households to afford enough electricity to improve their lives. It introduces the concept of 'universal enabling access' and the 'Minimum Threshold Level of Consumption' (MTLC), arguing that current policies—such as the 50kWh Free Basic Electricity (FBE) allowance—are insufficient to catalyze socioeconomic development. The authors propose a 'Food First Approach,' suggesting that all households below the upper-bound poverty line should receive 350kWh of free electricity monthly to prevent a trade-off between energy and nutrition.

The report examines the failure of South Africa's electrification policies to translate physical infrastructure into socio-economic development due to a lack of affordability. It introduces the concept of 'enabling access' and the 'Minimum Threshold Level of Consumption' (MTLC), arguing that current policies like Free Basic Electricity (FBE) are insufficient. The authors propose a 'Food First Approach' where households below the upper poverty line receive 350 kWh of free electricity monthly to prevent them from sacrificing nutrition for energy.

The fact sheet contends that the traditional reliance on natural gas and LNG as a bridge to decarbonization in the Global South is outdated. It asserts that modern renewables and storage can meet reliability, speed, and cost requirements more effectively than gas. Citing IEA data, the document warns that gas-heavy strategies expose developing economies to higher consumer prices, price volatility, and technology lock-in, whereas a net-zero aligned approach could meet over 60% of their electricity needs via local renewables by 2050.

The report identifies low-income (LI) and fixed-income (FI) customers as critical segments at risk during the transition to distributed energy resources (DER). It maps their specific concerns—including rate affordability, technological barriers, and a lack of trust in environmental groups—against potential conflicts with smart grid and renewable technologies. The document suggests that while some solutions like rebate programs and customer education exist, there are unmet needs in incentive distribution, fair rate structures, and trust-building collaboration.

The document argues that while minigrids are technically feasible, they lack economic viability due to a typical cost of service between $0.55 and $1.00/kWh, which exceeds customers' ability to pay and the cost of alternatives like diesel generators. RMI proposes a hypothesis that costs can be reduced by over 60% to approximately $0.20/kWh by 2020 by addressing six key areas: hardware standardization, load management, customer engagement, project development/O&M efficiency, affordable financing, and supportive policy. The briefing outlines a strategy to test these ideas across three market segments—large under-grid, large off-grid, and small off-grid with subsidy—using Nigeria and Tanzania as primary test cases.

The proposal outlines a strategy to provide electricity to millions in sub-Saharan Africa and India using a modular 'solar energy ladder' that progresses from lanterns to microgrids. It aims to prevent carbon emissions and coal plant expansion while stimulating economic growth through standardized design, large-scale procurement, and innovative financing.

The report argues that decentralised renewable energy (DRE) is the most effective solution for electrifying rural health facilities, particularly during health crises like COVID-19. It proposes a delivery model combining 'smart grants' for upfront capital expenditures (CAPEX) with market-based compensation mechanisms, such as long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), to ensure both rapid deployment and long-term financial and technical sustainability. Through 16 case studies across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the document demonstrates how DRE can improve maternal and child health outcomes, enable the storage of vaccines, and foster socio-economic development by integrating health facilities as central nodes for wider community electrification.

Geres advocates for a holistic approach to universal energy access that moves beyond binary measurements to ensure high-quality, affordable, and reliable energy services. The organization focuses on the 'base of the pyramid' (BoP), integrating renewable energy deployment with energy sobriety and efficiency to avoid environmental degradation. Key operational models include Green Business Areas (GBAs) to foster rural entrepreneurship and the promotion of energy-efficient cooking and cooling solutions. Geres emphasizes capacity-building, gender equality, and the use of social enterprises to ensure the long-term sustainability and scalability of energy projects in rural and peri-urban areas.

The Alliance for Renewable Electrification (ARE) is seeking expressions of interest for its 2025 Investment Academy, a hybrid training programme running from 31 March to 17 October 2025. The programme is designed to help up to 12 early-stage decentralised renewable energy (DRE) SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa improve their access to finance and investor relations through eight training modules, culminating in a pitching session to financiers in Nairobi, Kenya.

Nuru, funded by Team Europe and Gaia Impact, has deployed solar-hybrid mini-grids in the Democratic Republic of Congo, providing renewable energy to approximately 15,000 people and 796 SMEs. The portfolio has installed 1.7 MW of capacity, created 116 local jobs, and mitigated 3,300 cumulative tonnes of CO2 emissions to date.

The report argues that integrating DRE infrastructure to power both mines and local communities—termed 'inclusive mining'—can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower operational costs, and catalyse rural socio-economic development. It identifies key barriers such as complex energy regulations, limited local technical skills, and the high upfront capital costs of renewable systems. Through four case studies in Australia, Madagascar, and Mali, the document demonstrates various models for community electrification, including shared microgrids, indirect feeding into local grids, and the repurposing of end-of-life mines. The authors recommend establishing inclusive governance structures, investing in productive use of renewable energy (PURE) to stimulate demand, and embedding a gender lens to ensure equitable benefit sharing.

The document details several Team Europe-funded green energy projects in Africa, focusing on solar mini-grids and solar home systems (SHS). Key initiatives include ANKA's Angovo project in Madagascar, ENGIE Energy Access's SHS scaling in Uganda, FRES's energy-as-a-service model in Mali, Burkina Faso, Uganda, and Guinea-Bissau, and projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, and Sierra Leone. These projects aim to increase electricity access for households, SMEs, and public institutions while reducing CO2 emissions and fostering local economic growth through job creation and improved services in health and education.