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The NGO Forum on ADB calls for the Asian Development Bank to align its energy policy with the 1.5°C goal, divest from coal, and provide unconditional debt relief to developing member countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter also demands the 'No Dilution' of the 2009 Safeguards Policy Statement and the introduction of binding labor and social protections.

Since 2015, the Law and Justice (PiS) party has led Poland toward Euroscepticism and the erosion of the rule of law. The author argues that PiS's worldview creates critical contradictions: while seeking to reduce dependence on Russian gas and oil, the government has increased imports of cheaper Russian coal and lacks a strategic plan for renewable energy, leading to a rise in carbon emissions. Simultaneously, while opening the labor market to Ukrainian workers for economic reasons, PiS has overseen a deterioration in bilateral relations with Ukraine and tightened citizenship laws, potentially priming the country for a nationalistic backlash.

The report identifies that Indonesia's solar energy growth lags behind India and the GCC region due to differences in land acquisition policies, policy enabling conditions, and investment risk. It suggests that Indonesia can lower costs by creating a stable investment climate, streamlining decision-making through intra-governmental restructuring, and reconsidering local content requirements, citing the success of long-term Power Purchase Agreements in the GCC and Solar Parks in India.

Brazil ranks first among non-OECD G20 countries in the scorecard due to low support for coal and fossil fuel-based power, though it continues to provide significant funding for oil and gas production. While state-owned enterprise investments in fossil fuels decreased by 23% compared to the 2014–2016 average, the country faces criticism for a lack of transparency and the implementation of new tax incentives to boost oil and gas production.

The guide argues that sustainable mini-grid deployment requires a balance between government control, public funding, and retail tariffs. It introduces 'fourth generation mini-grids' as a tool for rural industrialization and provides a decision tree to help governments select appropriate delivery models, such as ESCO or split-asset models. Key recommendations include mitigating demand and termination risks through flexible contracts and phased implementation, and utilizing the 'Cost of Service' model to ensure financial viability. The document emphasizes that scaling requires efficient, digitalized administrative processes and portfolio-based licensing to reduce bureaucratic burdens.

The document argues that sustainable rural electrification requires a stable regulatory framework that balances government control, public funding, and consumer tariffs. It introduces 'fourth-generation' mini-grids that integrate productive use of energy to drive rural industrialization. The guide provides a decision tree to help governments select implementation models—ranging from public utility-led to private-sector driven—and details mechanisms for risk mitigation regarding demand volatility and project termination.

The document outlines strategies for implementing clean energy mini-grids, emphasizing the need for a balance between government control, financial subsidies, and consumer tariffs. It introduces 'fourth-generation mini-grids' as tools for rural industrialization and provides a decision-making matrix to help governments select the most appropriate delivery model based on their financial and operational capacities.

The report finds that while energy finance disbursements in high-impact countries (HICs) grew by 61% between 2013 and 2018, they still significantly lagged behind commitments (USD 32 billion disbursed vs USD 52 billion committed). Analysis of projects from 2002 to 2018 reveals that 58% of planned financing and 49% of projects were delayed. Key barriers include cumbersome administrative processes, poor project design, limited access to local finance, and low public awareness, particularly for clean cooking. The report argues that sound project design and streamlined administration are more critical for disbursement efficiency than general regulatory improvements.

Rwanda has significantly improved its electricity access and investment landscape through robust policy frameworks, including the expansion of off-grid solutions and the restructuring of utilities. While the country has seen rapid progress in electrification rates and the attraction of private investment, it still faces challenges in energy efficiency, gender mainstreaming, and the inclusion of informal settlers in its energy plans.

The document introduces a qualitative assessment framework designed to guide policy makers through the phased process of decarbonising the electricity sector. It emphasizes that while the transition to variable renewable energy sources (vRES) like wind and solar presents universal technical challenges, the impact of these challenges is shaped by a country's specific geographic and socio-economic characteristics. The author argues that successful transformation requires timely planning and the embedding of technical solutions within country-specific regulatory frameworks to achieve Paris Agreement goals.

The Espejo de Tarapacá project in Chile proposes the construction of a 300 MW pumped storage hydroelectric (PSH) plant and a 561 MW-AC photovoltaic (PV) solar plant. The project aims to provide a renewable baseload energy solution to the Chilean national grid, reducing CO2 emissions by an average of 1,001,187 tonnes per year. The proposal requests US$ 60 million in direct equity from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to act as an 'anchor' investor, helping to overcome market barriers and attract an additional US$ 1 billion in private sector debt and equity. Beyond energy generation, the project includes adaptation measures for local fishing communities in the Tarapacá Region, such as providing stable drinking water via a desalination plant and funding for economic diversification.

The report identifies about 50 policies from July 2018 to May 2019 in 25 countries, noting that the energy sector saw the most activity with 29 entries. While most policies aim to reduce emissions, the document highlights emissions-increasing policies in Argentina and the United States. Additionally, it notes that of the 25 countries, four have submitted long-term GHG strategies to the UNFCCC and five have developed drafts or domestic strategies.

Puerto Rico's energy transition, guided by Act 17 of 2019, is threatened by projects expedited by PREPA and the P3 Authority that circumvent regulatory oversight. This lack of transparency weakens institutional trust and increases investor risk, potentially making public-benefit projects more expensive and less likely. The document suggests that civil society pressure during the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) process is necessary to ensure compliance and public benefit.

The document introduces Integrated Electrification Pathways (IEP) as a systemic approach to planning electricity access. It argues that relying on a single technology is insufficient and advocates for a complementary mix of centralized grids and decentralized solutions (mini-grids and off-grid systems) tailored to human needs and socio-economic development. The guide outlines four key characteristics of IEPs—focus on sustainable development, technological inclusivity, high-level political coordination, and market-enabling support—and provides a five-step planning process involving coordination bodies, expert engagement, geospatial data modeling, regulatory reform, and financial mobilization.

The study examines cooking behaviours in urban Lusaka, Zambia, finding that dominant cooking cultures are reinforced by social interactions, national policy, and market accessibility. It identifies a mismatch between household perceptions, which view change as a complex result of 'softer' intertwined factors, and expert views, which prioritise 'harder' determinants like fuel price and availability.

The report analyzes the legal landscape for RES prosumers and renewable energy communities (REComs) in the EU and nine Member States: Belgium/Flanders, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It finds a significant gap between recent EU-level efforts to promote active citizen participation—such as the RED II and the draft recast Electricity Directive—and the diverse, often restrictive, national laws. While some countries like Germany and France have more advanced frameworks, others like Portugal and Belgium/Flanders face substantial regulatory barriers, including the lack of legal definitions for energy communities and restrictions on peer-to-peer energy sharing. The report concludes that EU legislation is likely to drive national policy changes toward more progressive, citizen-centered energy models.

The document examines various energy storage solutions, including pumped-storage hydropower, batteries, and compressed air, highlighting their capacity to mitigate the intermittency of solar and wind power. It details the dominance of pumped-storage hydropower in the U.S. utility-scale market and the rapid growth of lithium-ion batteries. The text also outlines specific state-level storage targets in the U.S. and global projections for storage capacity needed to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius.

The document details the transition of South African municipal electricity distribution from a monopoly to a distributed generation model, focusing on the adoption of rooftop solar PV. It highlights the role of the City of Cape Town as a pioneer in developing SSEG policies and tariffs, supported by GreenCape and the Western Cape Government. The study identifies six levers to drive this transition, including technical support, regulatory certainty, and new finance models, to prevent the 'utility death spiral' where municipalities lose revenue as customers switch to renewable energy. By October 2018, 22 of 25 electricity-distributing municipalities in the Western Cape allowed SSEG, with 18 having NERSA-approved feed-in tariffs.

The report finds that Madagascar faces significant energy deficits, with grid expansion stagnating at 11.4% since 2010. To reach universal access by 2030, the document argues that a shift toward decentralized solar and mini-grids is essential, requiring a total investment of 2.3 billion dollars for off-grid electricity and improved cooking solutions. Key barriers include the low purchasing power of rural households, a lack of quality standards for solar products, and a heavy reliance on traditional biomass for cooking.

The report analyzes the distribution of Mexico's electricity subsidies and evaluates reform options based on socioeconomic impacts. In 2016, total subsidies reached MXN 130 billion, with the vast majority benefiting households.