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The report introduces the National Integrated Clean Cooking Planning (NICCP) for Rwanda, utilizing the Integrated Clean Cooking Planning Tool (ICCPT) and a financial model to assess paths toward clean cooking access. It compares two scenarios: the 'Aligned' plan, which follows current government ambitions, and the 'CleanStep' plan, which prioritizes rapid adoption by 2029 followed by economic recovery. Key findings indicate that while infrastructure deployment is necessary, affordability gaps—particularly in rural areas—remain a primary barrier. The CleanStep plan achieves higher adoption and better environmental outcomes by 2029, while the Aligned plan shows better health outcomes and lower long-term funding requirements by 2034. Both plans emphasize the potential of carbon credits and the need for combined pricing measures (subsidies on both appliances and fuels) to ensure sustainable transitions.

The document argues that while Africa possesses immense renewable energy potential, over 600 million people lack electricity, and only 2% of global renewable energy investments in the last two decades have gone to the continent. It identifies critical barriers to private sector engagement, including currency mismatch, regulatory instability, and inadequate grid infrastructure. Using Nigeria as a case study, the report highlights the success of off-grid solar solutions compared to the struggling privatised on-grid sector. It recommends institutionalising predictable policies, expanding innovative finance like green bonds and blended finance, and investing in grid-compatible infrastructure and local technical capacity to accelerate the energy transition.

The document analyzes the impact of the Ghana cedi's 24.5% appreciation against the U.S. dollar in early 2025 on electricity costs. While macroeconomic indicators have improved, the power sector remains burdened by 80 billion cedis in debt, high transmission and distribution losses of 35.26%, and a projected US$2.23 billion financing gap. The brief examines potential outcomes for the September 2025 tariff review, including modest reductions, tariff freezes, performance-linked adjustments, or debt-for-efficiency swaps, arguing that currency strength alone cannot resolve deep-rooted structural weaknesses.

The document outlines the RISE model, where tax-exempt organizations act as solar owners to install systems for LMI households at low or no upfront cost, utilizing the IRS 'direct pay' mechanism to claim the Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit (ITC). It details an eight-step implementation process: determining project type and team, identifying ownership structures (such as green banks or CDFIs), planning capital stacks, selecting installers, conducting community engagement, constructing projects, claiming tax credits, and managing ongoing operations. The guide emphasizes the importance of trusted community messengers and provides strategies for adapting to potential policy changes regarding federal incentives.

The document details the growth of Kiru Energy, a Nigerian cleantech startup founded by Chibunna Ogbonna in 2017. It tracks the company's evolution from portable solar kits to residential rooftop installations and battery inverters, achieving a revenue of 15 million Naira and installing over 250 kilowatts of solar energy. The text outlines the financial trajectory of the firm, from a USD 5 logo investment to a USD 10,000 grant from the Clean Technology Hub in 2020. It further analyzes systemic barriers to scaling renewable energy in Africa, including unpredictable policies, forex fluctuations, and a fragmented innovation landscape where companies work in silos. Ogbonna advocates for better alignment between policymakers and the startup ecosystem to foster innovation and attract investment to a region often perceived as unstable.

RMI analysis indicates that repealing tech-neutral clean electricity tax credits, such as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Production Tax Credit (PTC), would significantly raise electricity costs for American farmers and rural electric cooperatives. For a mid-sized dairy farm, annual costs could increase by $10,000 in 2026, while Wisconsin’s Dairyland Power Cooperative could see project costs more than double, increasing annual costs by $137 million. These credits are described as essential for reducing operating costs, diversifying income, and improving grid resilience in rural areas, which already face a 33 percent higher energy burden than the rest of the nation.

The report examines how to increase the use of solar PV-powered cooking solutions in marginalized 'last-mile' communities by addressing financial and awareness barriers through public and private capital and scalable business models.

The report argues that South Africa's current free basic services (FBS) for electricity and water are insufficient to lift households out of poverty, providing only 'survival access' rather than 'developmental access'. It finds that for 40% of the population living below the lower-bound poverty line, current tariffs are unaffordable, often forcing a trade-off between paying for utilities and purchasing adequate nutrition. The document identifies 'adverse inclusion'—where physical connection to a grid exists but the terms of use are restrictive or unaffordable—as a primary barrier to socioeconomic development. It recommends increasing free electricity from 50kWh to 150kWh and water from 6kl to 8kl per month for the poorest 7.5 million households, while replacing municipal discretion in indigent registration with a national policy.

The report finds that while energy transition policies in China and Southeast Asia acknowledge justice indicators in some form, the overall representation is low, with all countries scoring below 50% of the maximum possible score. Environmental, restorative, and distributional justice are particularly underrepresented, while procedural justice and energy access score relatively higher. The study highlights a significant gap between policy goals and actual implementation, especially regarding land rights and labour protections for fossil fuel workers.

The 'Banking on Renewables' report critiques the current funding models of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), arguing that the rush to increase renewable energy capacity often leads to 'green extractivism' and human rights violations. It proposes three core criteria for public funding: financing a total transition to 100% renewables (excluding 'false solutions' like CCUS), ensuring democratic and decentralized energy systems, and centering people and the planet. Through case studies in India, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Indonesia, the report contrasts large-scale projects that displace communities with community-led initiatives that improve local livelihoods. It concludes with a ten-point action plan urging MDBs to increase grants over loans, adopt a strict renewable energy taxonomy, and mandate Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for all projects.

The Tariff Analysis and Cost-Benefit Tool for Solarizing Irrigation (TACTS) is an Excel-based tool created to support the implementation of solarized irrigation in India, specifically under the PM-KUSUM scheme. It addresses barriers such as unviable tariffs, financing difficulties, and lack of administrative buy-in by providing sections for tariff calculation, financing projections, and cost-benefit quantification. The tool emphasizes that grid unavailability significantly affects the levelized cost of energy and argues that solarizing agricultural power can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and state subsidy obligations.

The SFY2025-26 New York State Budget provides significant funding for climate and water initiatives, including $1 billion for the Sustainable Future Program and a record $425 million for the Environmental Protection Fund. However, Earthjustice criticizes the budget for entirely omitting funding for the Energy Affordability Program and the NY HEAT Act, and for including amendments that weaken the Electric School Bus program.

Since 2013, GHE has installed decentralized solar micro-grids in remote areas of Ladakh and northeast India, providing clean energy to over 70,000 people across 190 villages. The model emphasizes community ownership, where residents are trained as technicians and eventually manage the systems. This transition from fossil fuels to over 1 megawatt of solar power has enabled the creation of 70 women-led homestays, the revival of traditional crafts, and the establishment of 35 Innovation centres providing digital content to 17,000 students.

Small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) are factory-built reactors with capacities under 300 MW that offer potential for flexible, low-carbon power and industrial heat. While the Nuclear Energy Agency projects a global market of 375 GW by 2050 that could avoid 15 Gt of cumulative CO2 emissions, SMRs remain in the demonstration phase. Significant barriers include high costs—estimated by Wood Mackenzie at US$6,000 to US$8,000 per kilowatt—which far exceed those of solar and wind power, as well as regulatory hurdles, waste disposal issues, and long deployment timelines that may limit their near-term impact on the energy transition.

In 2021/22, Nigeria received USD 2.5 billion in climate finance, a 32% increase from 2019/20, yet this remains far below the estimated annual need of USD 29.7 billion. Public actors, led by multilateral development finance institutions, provided 70% of the funding, while private contributions reached 30%, primarily driven by corporate investments in solar PV. Mitigation efforts dominated the landscape, particularly in energy systems, while adaptation finance reached only USD 0.74 billion, covering just 6% of estimated needs. The report highlights critical barriers including high capital costs, a lack of bankable projects, and heavy reliance on debt, which is concerning given Nigeria's substantial debt burden. Key recommendations include operationalizing the National Climate Change Fund, prioritizing anticipatory adaptation, and developing a domestic green industry to reduce import dependence.

The report examines Indonesia's energy transition through a lens of national interest, highlighting a significant gap between the high investment needs for Net Zero Emissions (NZE) and the limited availability of domestic and international funding. It argues that foreign climate finance often arrives as debt rather than grants, potentially exacerbating Indonesia's chronic fiscal deficits and public debt. The document analyzes the capacity of the Indonesian banking sector to fund renewable energy projects, finding that while capital adequacy is generally high, systemic bottlenecks in foreign exchange liquidity and long-term stable funding persist. It also evaluates the nascent Indonesian carbon market, noting a lack of clear emission caps (PTBAE) and low carbon prices. The authors propose 'The Indonesian Way,' a strategy focusing on eight action paths, including the dekarbonization of transport and electricity, targeted subsidies, and the development of a domestic green manufacturing ecosystem to reduce technological dependency.

The document outlines a training curriculum focused on 'energy justice' and 'energy sufficiency' to ensure the transition to renewables does not replicate the injustices of fossil fuel systems. It explores the risks of 'energy extractivism'—where resources are exploited in the Global South for consumption elsewhere—and provides examples of community-owned energy models in The Gambia, Brazil, Denmark, and the UK. The module guides participants through a process of identifying barriers to just transitions and developing local projects based on circular design and 'people power'.

The document asserts that gender equality is essential for achieving universal energy access by 2030, noting that women reinvest up to 90% of their income into community livelihoods. It provides a framework of recommendations for renewable energy (RE) companies to use gender-disaggregated data and promote female leadership, and for investors to fund capacity building and digital tools for women. The paper illustrates these points through three case studies: a solar irrigation project in Jharkhand, India; the DESFERS vocational training programme in the Sahel region; and a female-led solar enterprise in Maharashtra, India.

Michigan faces grid reliability issues, including frequent blackouts and narrowing capacity for peak demand. Virtual power plants (VPPs), which aggregate distributed energy resources (DERs), are proposed as a solution to support the state's clean energy goals of 80% by 2035 and 100% by 2040. The document recommends that utilities seek funding from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), utilize the MPSC's 90-day pilot review program, and that the legislature mandate VPP implementation. Additionally, it suggests the MPSC allow residential and small commercial aggregation in wholesale markets and update metering infrastructure procurement to ensure DER integration capabilities.

Government representatives of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) meeting in Barbados on 12 March 2025 issued a call to action for a just energy transition. The document highlights that over 24% of the SIDS population lacks electricity and nearly 43% lack clean cooking access. To address these gaps and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels, the SIDS call for the swift capitalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, increased public grant and concessional finance, and the implementation of the Baku to Belém Roadmap to mobilize $1.3T. Proposed actions include submitting ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ahead of COP30, scaling up innovative financing like debt-for-climate swaps, and deploying fit-for-purpose technologies such as Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and electric cooking.