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Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Update on financial links with fossil fuels and arms corporations
The report by Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) finds that the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) maintains significant financial ties to the arms and fossil fuel sectors through investments, corporate partnerships, and sponsorships. Despite adopting an ESG policy in 2019 and setting a net-zero target for its own operations, the IET has not excluded any asset types from its investments. SGR highlights that the IET invests in funds containing thermal coal, oil sands, and various controversial and nuclear weapons. Furthermore, the IET maintains corporate partnerships with numerous arms companies and fossil fuel giants like BP and Shell. SGR argues these links contradict the IET's stated values of integrity and its goal of 'working to engineer a better world', especially as peers in other scientific and medical fields have moved toward full divestment.
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Document type: Report
CASE STUDY Designing a Neighborhood Microgrid
The Union of Concerned Scientists used the HOMER Grid model to analyze microgrid configurations for Parker Village, a planned eight-acre development in Highland Park, Michigan. The analysis focused on a grid-separated (islanded) system powered by solar photovoltaic panels and battery storage to maximize community independence. Findings indicate that while a grid-separated microgrid is feasible, it requires significant solar and battery capacity and necessitates fossil fuel backup (natural gas or diesel) to meet winter peak demand. Alternatively, a grid-connected backup option reduces initial investment costs and battery requirements but maintains a dependency on the utility for approximately 2% of annual power demand. The study emphasizes that increasing building energy efficiency could reduce the necessary scale of energy resources and minimize reliance on fossil fuel backups.
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Document type: Case study
Microsoft Word - ASEE Letter.docx
Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) has called on the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) to address concerns regarding its lack of transparency and potential financial ties to the fossil fuel and arms industries. SGR requests that ASEE disclose investments over $5,000, phase out ties to companies not aligned with the 2°C Paris Agreement goal, and adopt a formal environmental policy. The letter highlights a broader trend of divestment among other professional bodies and universities in the US and UK, such as the American Geophysical Union and Harvard University, as evidence of shifting expectations for climate governance.
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Document type: Statement
ENERGY SERVICES MARKET INTELLIGENCE REPORT
The South African energy services market is expanding due to rising electricity costs, energy insecurity, and falling technology prices. The market is segmented into small-scale embedded generation (SSEG), energy storage, and energy efficiency, with a total available market estimated at R131 billion by 2035. Key opportunities include rooftop solar PV for commercial and industrial (C&I) and agricultural sectors, behind-the-meter battery storage, and innovative energy efficiency models like Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS). The Western Cape is highlighted as a leading regional hub due to its supportive municipal policies and high uptake of SSEG.
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Document type: Report
A BRIEF GUIDE TO BATTERIES
The document explains the fundamentals of battery cells, focusing on the critical role of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy storage. It details the mineral requirements for cathodes and anodes, highlighting the high geographic concentration of production for graphite, cobalt, and lithium. The guide also analyzes the battery value chain, noting China's dominance in midstream processing and cell manufacturing, and discusses future technologies like sodium-ion and solid-state batteries.
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Document type: Guide
Energy Transition Geopolitics in the Eastern Mediterranean and Prospects for a Green Energy Dialogue in Divided Cyprus
The report examines the shift from a fossil-fuel-based geopolitical paradigm to one led by renewables in the Eastern Mediterranean. It argues that while hydrocarbon discoveries have historically escalated tensions over maritime boundaries, the transition to clean energy offers new opportunities for regional and inter-communal cooperation. Specifically, it proposes several technical and policy-driven 'green dialogue' initiatives for divided Cyprus, such as shared energy storage in the buffer zone and renewable energy trade, to build trust and align the island with EU climate goals.
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Document type: Report
CrossBoundary Energy – Installing a hybrid-renewable energy grid to a mine (Madagascar)
CrossBoundary Energy is implementing a hybrid-renewable energy grid for a mine in Fort Dauphin, Madagascar, to replace unreliable heavy fuel oil (HFO) power. The project includes 8 MW of solar PV, 12 MW of wind turbines, and an 8 MW battery storage system (BESS), financed by EUR 24,152,505 in equity.
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Document type: Case study
Switch to renewables to come in from the cold
The We Mean Business Coalition asserts that the global energy system is vulnerable due to fossil fuel subsidies and unpredictable weather, as evidenced by Storm Arwen and European supply issues. It advocates for the immediate end of public coal financing, the removal of fossil fuel subsidies by 2025, and increased public investment in green infrastructure. The text highlights the role of corporate initiatives like RE100 and the First Movers Coalition in driving demand for renewables, while noting that countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea remain difficult geographies for sourcing renewable energy.
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Document type: Statement
Le réseau électrique de demain
The document analyzes the NEW 4.0 project in northern Germany, which demonstrated that a highly industrialized economy can operate on 100% renewable energy using digital management tools and industrial flexibility. It argues that Canada faces similar non-technical barriers—specifically rigid regulatory and financial frameworks—that hinder the integration of clean energy and innovation.
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Document type: Case study
The economic, health, and jobs impacts of CEPs compared with every proposed US gas plant in 2021
The report assesses the viability of proposed gas power plants in the US against 'clean energy portfolios'—combinations of solar, wind, storage, demand flexibility, and energy efficiency—noting that over 88 gigawatts of gas capacity were proposed in 2021 despite economic and policy shifts favoring clean alternatives.
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Document type: Report
Electricity System Innovation
The document analyzes the NEW 4.0 project in Northern Germany, which demonstrated that large-scale industrial economies can technically operate on 100% renewable energy through digital load management, sector coupling, and innovative storage. It argues that while the technology for a net-zero grid exists, the primary barriers in both Germany and Canada are outdated regulatory, legal, and financial frameworks that discourage innovation and flexibility.
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Document type: Case study
Geological Hydrogen Storage Finland
Researchers used the LEAP-NEMO modelling toolkit to evaluate geological hydrogen storage in Finland as a solution for the intermittent nature of wind power and summer over-generation from solar power. The analysis indicates that implementing hydrogen storage could significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the reliance on fossil fuel-based power, and the necessity for electricity imports.
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Document type: Research paper
Eesti vesiniku teekaardi 2021 – 2050 ettepanek: lisad
The document details a three-phase transition to a hydrogen economy in Estonia: immediate actions (2021-2025), scaling (2025-2030), and wide-scale adoption (2030-2050). Key goals include deploying over 300 MW of local electrolysis capacity by 2030 and achieving a hydrogen price of approximately 1.9 EUR/kg by 2030. The strategy focuses on decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy-duty transport, shipping, aviation, and chemical industries (specifically ammonia and methanol production). It identifies significant barriers, including the lack of a dedicated hydrogen strategy, insufficient renewable energy capacity, and missing regulatory frameworks for storage and distribution.
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Document type: Report
Eesti Vesiniku Teekaart
The report outlines a three-stage transition for Estonia to establish a green hydrogen economy by 2050. The first phase (2021-2025) focuses on pilot projects in transport and establishing a regulatory framework. The second phase (2025-2030) aims for scaling production to 300 MW+ and expanding FCEV use in public transport and heavy-duty vehicles. The final phase (2030-2050) envisions large-scale deployment with 5 GW+ of electrolyser capacity, full decarbonisation of the domestic truck fleet, and the establishment of a green chemical industry (ammonia and methanol), potentially reducing national greenhouse gas emissions by 12% by 2050.
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Document type: Report
Paris Alignment of Gas
The report argues that current financial investments in the gas value chain underestimate climate risks and are incompatible with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C target. It highlights that while many development finance institutions (DFIs) and private asset managers have moved away from coal, they continue to fund new gas projects despite the availability of cheaper renewable alternatives and the risk of high-emission lock-in. The document asserts that gas should not be considered a bridge or transition fuel and calls for clear strategies to phase out fossil fuel support.
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Document type: Report
Indigenous partnerships—the key to meeting Canada’s climate commitments?
The author, Tabatha Bull, asserts that the clean energy transition in Canada will stall unless policymakers and proponents prioritize Indigenous partnerships and ownership. Drawing on her experience with Ontario's Feed-In-Tariff and Large Renewable Procurement programs, she highlights how targeted policy measures—such as lower security payments, equity-based pricing, and capacity-building funds—successfully increased Indigenous participation in the energy sector. The document details specific projects like the Peter Sutherland Sr. Generating Station and the Oneida Energy Storage LP as models of successful collaboration. Bull concludes with three recommendations for future partnerships: allowing more time for relationship building and community engagement, investing in community capacity to prepare for project proposals, and maintaining open, honest communication to overcome cultural and systemic barriers.
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Document type: Research paper
Asia’s Gas Lock-In
The report analyzes the planned expansion of gas infrastructure in Asia, including power plants, pipelines, and LNG terminals, totaling $379 billion. It argues that this expansion risks locking in high greenhouse gas emissions, potentially consuming a quarter of the global carbon budget for a 1.5°C limit. The document highlights that falling costs of renewable energy and high price volatility of LNG make these gas investments economically risky and likely to become stranded assets. It further criticizes the continued support of public financial institutions for gas projects and advocates for a transition to clean energy portfolios.
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Document type: Report
아시아 지역의 가스 개발 확대에 따른 락인 효과
The report analyzes the expansion of gas power plants, pipelines, and LNG terminals across East, South, and Southeast Asia, totaling $379 billion in planned investments. It argues that this expansion is incompatible with the 1.5°C climate goal, as the resulting emissions could consume 25% of the global carbon budget. The document highlights the economic risk of these projects becoming stranded assets due to the falling cost of renewable energy and the volatility of LNG prices. It concludes that clean energy portfolios, combining renewables with storage and demand management, are more cost-effective and secure alternatives to gas.
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Document type: Report
South African Renewable Energy Masterplan Policy Brief
The Institute for Economic Justice argues that current South African renewable energy procurement, primarily through the REIPPP, has led to privatisation and temporary employment. It critiques the initial SAREM research for lacking analysis on trade dynamics and public ownership. The brief recommends a 'Green New Deal' approach featuring import tariffs, state-backed cheap debt, a formal technology transfer system, and the establishment of a municipal-based solar PV recycling industry to ensure a 'Just Transition'.
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Document type: Policy brief
Climate Jobs
The document reports that there were over 4.1 million climate jobs in the United States in 2020, despite an 8% overall decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It breaks down employment by sector, noting that energy efficiency supported the most jobs (2.1 million), followed by energy transmission, distribution, and storage (763,000), and renewable energy (504,600). The report highlights growth in specific areas like electric vehicles and wind energy, and emphasizes the emerging field of climate adaptation and resilience. It concludes that significant further job creation is possible through federal investment and policies targeting renewable energy targets and the plugging of orphaned oil and gas wells.
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Document type: Fact sheet