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In 2025, the EU reached a milestone where wind and solar generated more electricity (30.1%) than all fossil fuel sources (29.0%) for the first time on record. Solar generation grew by 20.1% to reach a record 369 TWh, while coal fell to a historic low of 9.2% of the mix. Despite this, gas generation rose by 8% due to low hydro output, increasing the EU power sector's gas import bill by 16% to €32 billion. The report highlights the role of a growing battery pipeline—exceeding 10 GW of large batteries in 2025—in reducing reliance on expensive gas and mitigating the curtailment of clean power, particularly in Germany.

In 2025, global coal capacity grew by 3.5% while generation fell by 0.6%, a divergence driven primarily by China and India. While new commissioning reached near-record levels of 97.4 GW, coal is increasingly used as 'system insurance' rather than a primary energy source. The global pipeline is narrowing geographically, with only 32 countries proposing or building new plants in 2025, and 95% of all construction concentrated in China and India. Meanwhile, the U.S. and EU saw significant delays in planned retirements, though for different reasons: federal emergency orders in the U.S. and energy security concerns in the EU. Latin America reached 'No New Coal' status in 2025, while South Korea committed to a phaseout by 2040.

The report argues that high electricity prices, often inflated by policy-related levies, make heat pumps less cost-competitive than gas boilers despite their superior efficiency. It analyzes various policy levers—such as removing levies, reducing VAT, or implementing innovative tariffs—to lower the electricity-to-gas price ratio, which the European Heat Pump Association suggests should be no higher than 2 for competitiveness. The analysis highlights that the Netherlands, with the lowest price ratio (1.4), has significantly higher heat pump sales than countries like Germany, Poland, or Hungary, where ratios exceed 3.

The document analyzes polling data from Project Tempo's EuroPulse Dashboard, revealing that while 62% of voters in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) acknowledge human-driven climate change, they prioritize the economy and security over climate action, which ranks 16th out of 18 issues. CEE voters show strong support for wind (62%), solar (65%), and carbon dioxide removal (62%), with higher-than-average support for nuclear power (44%) as a means to ensure self-sufficiency and industrial competitiveness. The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) recommends a diversified approach incorporating 'clean firm power'—including nuclear (SMRs), advanced geothermal, and gas with carbon capture—to maintain 24/7 reliability and reduce dependence on external suppliers, particularly in light of Russia's war in Ukraine. Key barriers identified include a lack of funding consensus, as only 55% of voters support any specific payment option for the transition, and insufficient regional coordination on cross-border infrastructure.

Executive Order 14300 directs a fundamental shift in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) mission, moving from exclusive risk minimization to weighing nuclear energy's benefits to national and economic security. The order mandates a wholesale regulatory revision within 18 months, establishes binding licensing deadlines (18 months for new reactors, 12 months for renewals), and aims to expand U.S. nuclear capacity from 100 GW to 400 GW by 2050. To achieve this, the document suggests streamlining exemptions for advanced reactors, adopting science-based radiation limits, and reducing the scope of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS).

The document outlines the potential for geothermal energy to decarbonize district heating in Central and Eastern Europe, identifying financing and risk as the primary bottlenecks. It highlights national strategies in Hungary, Croatia, Poland, and Slovakia, while advocating for the adoption of next-generation technologies and a unified regional voice to influence EU policy.

A coalition of industry and research organizations urges the European Commission to ensure the upcoming EU Action Plan on Geothermal Energy goes beyond heating and cooling to include next-generation technologies capable of providing firm electricity and industrial heat. The signatories advocate for research support, the strengthening of the EU geothermal value chain, and the creation of public-private risk-sharing mechanisms to enable commercial financing by the early 2030s.

The document argues that a 'window of opportunity' has opened for Africa due to the convergence of China's domestic push for renewable energy leadership and US-China geopolitical tensions. While the US has retreated from climate leadership and scaled back African assistance, China is pivoting toward 'small is beautiful' project financing and green industrialization as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and FOCAC commitments. To maximize these opportunities, the brief recommends that African nations implement rigorous strategic planning, professionalize project pipelines, adopt innovative mixed-financing models to reduce sovereign debt, and pursue regional energy integration through frameworks like the Southern African Power Pool.

Colombia is projected to face a gas supply deficit starting in 2030, with domestic production and import capacity unable to meet demand. The report argues that this vulnerability can be mitigated by implementing energy efficiency measures in the industrial sector and electrifying cooking and water heating in the residential sector. Together, these actions could reduce 2030 gas demand by 21,545 GBtu, which is 1.5 times the projected deficit for that year. The authors recommend a planned exit from gas, including a national appliance replacement programme, the reorientation of subsidies toward electrification, and the limitation of new fossil fuel infrastructure to avoid carbon lock-in.

Colombia faces a projected gas supply deficit from 2030 onwards as domestic production declines. The report argues that the country can mitigate this risk and avoid costly imports by implementing energy efficiency in industry and electrifying cooking and water heating in the residential sector. It recommends a planned, just transition that includes a national appliance replacement programme, the reorientation of subsidies, and the limitation of new fossil fuel infrastructure to avoid carbon lock-in.

Colombia faces a projected gas supply deficit starting in 2030, as national production declines and import capacity becomes insufficient. The report argues that this vulnerability can be mitigated by reducing demand through a 14% increase in industrial energy efficiency and the electrification of residential cooking and water heating. Specifically, replacing 10% of gas stoves and 30% of water heaters with electric alternatives could significantly lower demand. The authors recommend a planned, just transition that includes reorienting subsidies toward electrification, implementing a national equipment replacement program, and avoiding long-term fossil fuel lock-ins like fracking.

The report examines the diverse strategies employed by three major ASEAN economies—Viet Nam, the Philippines, and Indonesia—to unlock clean energy investments. Viet Nam is focusing on gradual liberalisation and corporate power purchase agreements (DPPA) to potentially double its renewable energy share. The Philippines is leveraging a long-standing liberalised market, utilizing Green Energy Auctions (GEA) and 100% foreign ownership to attract capital. Indonesia is implementing PPA reforms to manage currency risk and integrating carbon market mechanisms to incentivise developers, with solar identified as the most viable near-term expansion option.

The report finds that the EU is not on track to meet its 2030 interconnection targets, with 80% of the power system expected to miss the goal. To reach an optimal grid by 2040, Europe needs to nearly double its interconnection capacity, adding 151 GW. This expansion requires an estimated €150 billion in investment, leaving a €30 billion public funding gap in the proposed 2028-2034 Connecting Europe Facility for Energy (CEF-E) budget.

Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions, Russia has pivoted its fossil fuel exports toward Asia. While this has partially offset revenue losses from the European market, the report argues that Russia remains locked in a hydrocarbon-centric model that is increasingly misaligned with the decarbonisation trajectories of its primary Asian customers. China and India have leveraged discounted Russian oil and coal to support economic growth while simultaneously diversifying their energy portfolios and expanding renewable capacity. Vietnam has seen modest growth in Russian coal and nascent LNG trade, balancing energy security with sustainability goals. The report highlights structural bottlenecks, such as limited rail capacity for coal and the risks of a 'shadow fleet' for oil, as significant constraints on Russia's long-term export viability.

The report argues that induction stoves are the most viable clean cooking solution for on-grid Indonesian households, offering cost savings and alignment with decarbonization goals compared to dimethyl ether (DME) or piped natural gas. It highlights that current universal LPG subsidies discourage adoption and recommends a targeted subsidy reform where savings from well-off households are reallocated to fund induction infrastructure. The document also emphasizes the need for electricity tariff reform and the integration of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) to support women, who are the primary cooks.

Indonesia faces significant fiscal strain and energy security risks due to its heavy reliance on imported, subsidized LPG, which is used by 84% of households. The report evaluates three alternatives: induction stoves, dimethyl ether (DME), and city gas. It concludes that induction is the only viable non-fossil option, offering health benefits and long-term fiscal savings if paired with electricity tariff reform and a decarbonized grid. DME and city gas are deemed economically unviable or incompatible with climate goals. The report provides a policy roadmap focusing on making electricity upgrades affordable, implementing means-tested induction subsidies, and reforming LPG subsidies to target only the poorest households.

The report identifies a significant pipeline of planned coal capacity in South and Southeast Asia, primarily driven by a small group of parent companies and funded by a concentrated network of Asian and international banks. It argues that existing bank policies are largely superficial, focusing on project-level restrictions while allowing corporate finance to continue flowing to coal developers.

The research investigates the 'soft securitization' of offshore wind energy in Sweden, finding a disconnect between the European Union's framing of wind energy as a security imperative and Sweden's technical planning approach, while noting that national defence actors exert significant non-transparent influence over outcomes.

The research paper analyzes clean cooking policies across 43 G20 countries, finding that 50%–70% of public spending is directed toward direct fiscal support, primarily LPG subsidies. It argues that these subsidies often fail to reach the poorest populations, create fiscal burdens, and undermine energy security and climate goals. The author recommends that G20 nations phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and implement national roadmaps prioritizing electricity, biogas, and solar energy to meet SDG 7 targets by 2030.

The document defines fossil fuel subsidies as mechanisms that price fuels below real costs, noting that explicit subsidies reached USD 1.1 trillion in 2023, while total estimates including climate and health costs exceed USD 7 trillion. It argues that these subsidies distort markets, encourage overconsumption, and undermine energy security by increasing vulnerability to global price shocks. The guide highlights that reform can reduce CO2 emissions by 1%–10% by 2030 and generate fiscal savings for reinvestment in clean energy. It notes that broad subsidies often disproportionately benefit high-income households, with the top 20% receiving up to six times more benefits than the poorest 20%. Examples of successful reforms are cited from Indonesia, India, and Italy. The document also details the role of COFFIS in improving transparency through national subsidy inventories and phase-out plans.