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The document defines the technical requirements for electrical utilities to achieve certification, focusing on a transition pathway to net-zero emissions by 2040. It sets specific greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity thresholds (gCO2/kWh) for existing and new capacity, mandates the phase-out of unabated fossil fuel plants, and provides guidelines for low-carbon technologies such as CCS/CCUS, hydrogen co-firing, and bioenergy. It also includes requirements for climate adaptation and resilience risk assessments.

The document argues that next-generation geothermal technologies, particularly superhot rock (SHR) energy, could provide cost-competitive 24/7 renewable electricity but are currently hindered by permitting bottlenecks, high capital costs, and research silos. It recommends expanding permitting capacity at the Department of the Interior, providing targeted financial incentives, establishing a public-private research agenda for 400°C+ conditions, and creating a new superhot field testing site to complement the existing FORGE site in Utah. Additionally, it calls for a dedicated program area within the Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) to focus on high-temperature innovation and the improvement of shared data resources like the Geothermal Data Repository.

The document argues that superhot rock (SHR) energy—a subset of Engineered Geothermal Systems that accesses rock temperatures exceeding 400°C—could provide a zero-carbon, firm, and energy-dense power source available globally. It notes a significant gap in current EU planning, where only one country (Italy) mentions SHR in its draft NECP, despite 20 countries planning for geothermal energy. The guide recommends that Member States fund pilot demonstrations, map national SHR resources, contribute to a centralised EU geothermal data repository, develop national geothermal strategies, and create stakeholder collaboration platforms. It highlights that SHR systems can potentially produce up to ten times the energy of conventional geothermal wells and could support the production of clean hydrogen.

Trend Asia criticizes the 2024 vice-presidential candidates for offering technical 'gimmicks' rather than substantive solutions for grassroots issues. The organization argues that the candidates' visions for energy transition and sustainable development remain rooted in extractivism, ignore the legal and social vulnerabilities of local communities, and rely on 'false solutions' like CCUS and geothermal energy while failing to address the structural causes of the climate crisis and the harms of the coal industry.

The report evaluates the technical feasibility of drilling superhot rock (SHR) geothermal wells—defined as depths >5 km and temperatures >374°C. It concludes that while the necessary technologies exist or are emerging, significant gaps remain in rate of penetration (ROP) for hard rock, high-temperature electronic tool durability, and temperature management. The analysis categorizes rock-destroying equipment into conventional rotary, hybrid, and direct energy methods, assigning Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) to each. It emphasizes that the primary barrier to progress is a lack of access to SHR conditions in both laboratory and field settings, which prevents the iterative testing needed to reduce costs and risks.

The report examines the concept of 'Just Resilience' in Kenya, emphasizing the need for climate adaptation to prioritize equity and the voices of marginalized groups. It analyzes Kenya's existing legal and institutional frameworks, identifies vulnerabilities across different sectors and populations, and reviews several community-led adaptation projects. The document highlights significant barriers to achieving just resilience, including financial constraints, governance issues, and top-down decision-making, and provides recommendations for more inclusive, self-reliant, and transparent climate action.

The report reveals a decline in international public finance for energy access, with electricity commitments peaking in 2018 and clean cooking funding showing extreme volatility. Significant regional and developmental disparities exist, with a heavy concentration of funds in a few countries like India, China, and Bangladesh, and a predominance of debt-based financing over grants. Case studies of Bangladesh and Kenya highlight that while both achieved significant access gains through concerted policy and financial efforts, they face ongoing challenges with system inefficiency and affordability.

In 2024, WRI supported over 150 U.S. cities and counties in accelerating clean energy deployment and helped over 60 cities claim more than $12 million in tax credits via the Inflation Reduction Act's elective pay mechanism. The organization advanced next-generation geothermal technologies, launched a database of 50 community benefits frameworks for transmission projects, and supported the deployment of electric school buses (ESBs) through initiatives like the RVXDS project in California. WRI also focused on reforming power markets and grids, providing technical assistance to the PJM Cities and Communities Coalition and researching interregional transmission procurement.

The document outlines four strategic priorities for Kenya to engage its youth population, where over 70% are under 35 but unemployment exceeds 40%. It recommends modernising agriculture through climate-smart technology, aligning technical and vocational training with market needs (including green and digital jobs), bridging the rural-urban digital divide to foster AI innovation, and expanding social safety nets for vulnerable groups. These recommendations stem from a participatory research project using foresight methodologies to identify future skills and social justice pathways.

The Electrical Utilities Criteria provide a framework for certifying entities and debt instruments based on their emissions intensity and transition pathways toward net-zero by 2040. The criteria distinguish between existing and new capacity, setting specific GHG thresholds for low-carbon technologies and phase-out dates for unabated fossil fuel plants. It also defines requirements for mitigation measures like CCS/CCUS and cofiring, as well as a comprehensive adaptation and resilience checklist to ensure infrastructure is robust against physical climate hazards.

Indonesia requires approximately USD 285 billion in climate-aligned investment to meet its Enhanced NDC, but current funding is insufficient. The government budget covers 34% of this need, while the financial sector (public and private) contributes 15%. Between 2015 and 2021, public and private financial institutions provided roughly equal amounts of climate-aligned investment, totaling USD 41.7 billion. Private investment is notably low, with only 3% of total private investment being climate-aligned, and much of this concentrated in land use. In the power sector, 58% of the USD 35.6 billion invested went to renewables, with a significant drop in coal finance since 2016. Future investment trends are expected to be driven by government policy signals such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) and the Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM).

The policy brief advocates for a transition to 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) in Europe, asserting that variable renewable energy alone cannot maintain grid reliability. It proposes a three-pronged approach: commercialising 'clean firm' technologies (such as next-generation nuclear, CCS, and geothermal), reforming electricity market designs to move beyond short-term marginal cost pricing toward hybrid markets that reward capacity, and updating the GHG Protocol's Scope 2 accounting from annual to hourly tracking to incentivise the procurement of dispatchable carbon-free power.

Reclaim Finance critiques the IEA's "clean energy" scope, asserting that several included technologies—such as CCUS, nuclear power, and solid biomass—are unsustainable due to high costs, environmental damage, or continued reliance on fossil fuels. The organization advocates for a narrower definition of sustainable power focused on solar, wind, ocean, and geothermal energy, as well as modernized grid infrastructure, and calls for banks to disclose detailed inventories of their energy transition financing.

The report finds that while wind, solar, and battery prices have recently leveled off or risen due to supply chain disruptions, trade issues, and high interest rates, they remain competitive with fossil fuels. It argues that the long-term trend of cost reduction will continue and recommends that regulators use competitive procurement, leverage Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentives, and reform interconnection and transmission planning to lower costs.

The report identifies non-financial barriers—specifically project development and market uncertainty risks—as the primary constraints on U.S. clean energy deployment. It recommends a portfolio of policies to reduce these risks, including reforming interconnection queues, pre-zoning land for renewables, streamlining permitting processes, and establishing longer-term cost-recovery schedules for power sales.

Octavia Carbon is a Kenya-based startup developing Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere for permanent storage or industrial use. The company aims to disrupt the high cost of DACC by utilizing Kenya's natural endowments, specifically the high-porosity basaltic rock of the Rift Valley for storage and waste heat from geothermal power for energy. By the end of 2024, Octavia Carbon intends to produce at least one machine per day, reaching a capacity of approximately 40,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The company projects a cost per tonne of CO2 between $300 and $500, significantly lower than current global ranges of $775 to $1,200, positioning it as a potential global cost leader by mid-decade.

The report identifies a gap between Indonesia's international climate pledges and its domestic energy policies, which continue to favor coal. It highlights a governance model characterized by sectoral silos, informal decision-making influenced by politically exposed persons (PEPs) from the coal sector, and significant financing shortfalls for renewable energy.

Between 2015 and 2021, Indonesia's power sector tracked USD 35.6 billion in finance, with 58% allocated to renewable energy. While RE finance trended upward after 2016, it faced a setback in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the Omnibus Law. To reach the 2060 NZE target, Indonesia requires USD 16.1 billion in annual financing, leaving a current annual gap of USD 13.1 billion, most notably in solar and wind power.

The 2022 French nuclear outages were caused by a confluence of pipe corrosion, workforce shortages, and heat-related river curtailments, rather than inherent flaws in nuclear technology. The author argues that these issues can be mitigated through standardized reactor designs, consistent government policy to maintain a skilled workforce, and technical cooling upgrades. Despite the 2022 dip in availability, the document asserts that nuclear energy provides essential 'clean firm' power necessary for the cost-effective decarbonization of the European electricity grid.

The document advocates for a diverse energy mix that includes 'clean firm power'—non-weather-dependent zero-carbon sources—to complement wind, solar, and battery storage. It argues that relying solely on variable renewables would lead to excessive costs, land use, and infrastructure requirements, while a diversified approach could significantly reduce the time and cost of the energy transition.