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The report emphasizes that grid capacity is now a primary driver for data centre investment in Europe. To avoid downgraded forecasts and remain competitive in the global AI race, the author recommends that governments treat grids as strategic infrastructure. Key proposals include the creation of priority AI zones outside congested capital cities, joint spatial planning to locate demand nodes near clean energy sources, and the implementation of non-firm grid connection options to reduce queues. Additionally, the document calls for increased research into data centre flexibility and improved data availability regarding demand profiles and grid capacity maps to inform planning and policy.

Ember expresses two primary concerns regarding India's draft VPPA framework: its potential to undermine power system flexibility and its role as a potentially misleading accounting mechanism for corporate clean energy claims. The organization argues that VPPAs may encourage continued investment in 'plain vanilla' solar without storage, exacerbating midday surpluses and grid balancing challenges. Ember also contends that VPPAs allow industrial consumers to claim 100% renewable energy usage through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) without physically consuming clean power or contributing to grid stability, potentially diverting investment away from genuine 24/7 clean energy solutions.

The report argues that ASEAN's transmission grid expansion must roughly double to align with IEA pathways, as current national plans for Indonesia, Viet Nam, the Philippines, and Thailand cover only about 45% of the required expansion. It highlights that 30 GW of solar and wind potential is located along planned interconnection routes in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Brunei. To support this transition, the report proposes a six-pillar framework for future-ready grid planning—including smart modernisation, strategic expansion, and market reforms—and suggests learning from the integrated power systems of Europe and Southern Africa to move from bilateral to multilateral power trade.

The policy brief examines the introduction of solar-hour time of day (ToD) tariffs for Indian households starting April 1, 2025. It assesses how these tariffs, which offer rebates during solar generation hours and surcharges during peak hours, affect non-rooftop solar (non-RTS) and rooftop solar (RTS) consumers across several states. The analysis finds that while non-RTS consumers may see bill reductions of 1-4%, RTS consumers may face longer payback periods due to peak surcharges. The author emphasizes that successful implementation requires accelerated smart meter deployment and state-specific, seasonal tariff designs.

In 2024, China approved 66.7 GW of new coal power and saw 94.5 GW begin construction, the highest level since 2015, despite adding a record 356 GW of wind and solar capacity. This 'energy addition' strategy is driven by long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) that guarantee coal generation and the influence of coal mining companies, who financed over 75% of new approvals. These factors lead to the curtailment of renewables and a shift away from using coal plants as flexible regulating capacity. The report concludes that China's coal expansion contrasts sharply with global trends, as China accounted for 93% of global coal construction starts in 2024.

The document identifies smart grids as a 'safe bet' for Canada's energy transition, noting that while technologies like smart meters and virtual power plants are proven, their widespread adoption is hindered by regulatory barriers and consumer hesitation. It highlights existing provincial initiatives in Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia as models for scaling digital grid infrastructure to manage increasing electricity demand and integrate variable renewable energy.

The report analyzes the environmental impact of the global data-center boom, identifying systemic challenges such as energy infrastructure lags and temporal-spatial mismatches between green power and demand. It proposes a comprehensive transformation pathway involving optimized site selection, enhanced energy efficiency through new metrics beyond PUE, and the adoption of diverse green power procurement options. The document emphasizes the potential for data centers to act as flexible grid resources and calls for mandatory carbon disclosure and standardized accounting to drive the transition.

China has significantly reduced coal power plant approvals in early 2024 as massive additions of wind and solar power meet incremental electricity demand. While construction of previously permitted projects remains high, the shift toward clean energy is driving a decline in coal power generation and signaling a potential peak in CO2 emissions before 2030.

Malaysia possesses significant untapped solar resources that could reduce its reliance on volatile fossil fuel prices and improve energy security. While the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) targets 70% renewable capacity by 2050, the report suggests that more ambitious targets, such as those proposed by IRENA, could further benefit the country. In Peninsular Malaysia, solar generation costs dropped 64% between 2016 and 2021, becoming 53% cheaper than fossil fuel options by 2023. To manage the 'twin peaks' of daily demand (4 pm and 8 pm), the report advocates for a combination of solar for daytime peaks and hydropower and battery energy storage systems (BESS) for evening peaks. Key barriers include the need for grid interconnections between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak, as well as the requirement for clearer policies on wheeling charges and BESS bankability.

The report analyzes the U.S. Treasury's proposed regulations for the Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit, specifically focusing on the 'incrementality' requirement. It argues that a proposed 'general carve-out'—exempting a percentage of existing clean energy from incrementality rules—would lead to significant 'dirty' hydrogen production and increase CO2 emissions by inducing fossil fuel power plants to run more often. The authors suggest that such a carve-out would also discourage investment in flexible electrolyzers and hydrogen storage. Instead, the report recommends targeted exemptions for curtailed power, retirement prevention, and binding emissions caps, provided they include rigorous guardrails to prevent emissions leakage and market manipulation.

The document analyzes the current state of electricity markets in India, noting that while power exchanges (PX) are growing, they only account for 7% of total demand. It identifies key barriers to market adoption, including the dominance of inflexible long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), unpredictable market clearing prices, and inaccurate supply-demand forecasting. The paper highlights that states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu could achieve significant fuel cost savings by shifting from PPAs to day-ahead markets (DAMs). It recommends redesigning PPA structures, introducing contracts for differences (CFDs), strengthening institutional market monitoring, and developing state-level resource adequacy frameworks to better integrate variable renewable energy.

India's solar energy is entering an "accelerating growth" phase, with solar and wind projected to meet 66% of power generation growth by FY 2032. While daytime peak demand is increasingly aligned with solar generation, significant challenges remain in managing non-solar hour demand. The report emphasizes that achieving NEP14 targets requires a 36% annual increase in solar capacity additions and a substantial build-out of battery and pumped hydro storage to ensure grid stability and avoid reliance on new coal capacity.

The document examines how hydropower in Sweden is shifting from a baseload power source to a flexibility provider to balance intermittent renewables like wind and solar. This transition, coupled with industrial expansion in northern Sweden, increases the risk of ecological damage through hydropeaking and river regulation. The authors argue for a comprehensive, evidence-based planning approach that balances energy demands with biodiversity and community needs.

Industrial thermal batteries can convert electricity into high-temperature heat (1,500-1,700°C), potentially displacing 75% of U.S. industrial non-feedstock energy demand. The report analyzes two primary deployment modes: 'generation-following' (off-grid renewables) and 'price-hunting' (grid-connected, price-responsive). It finds that these batteries can provide heat at $35 to $62 per MWh, making them competitive with natural gas. The authors recommend financial incentives via the Inflation Reduction Act and reforms to electricity tariffs to reward the grid flexibility these batteries provide.

The document argues that high-quality, open power sector data is essential for the coal-to-clean electricity transition in Asia, a region containing 80% of global coal generation. It details a research methodology used to evaluate data transparency in 39 economies across East, Southeast, South, Central, and West Asia, as well as Oceania, by assessing 74 data sources against criteria such as time and geographical granularity, publishing lag, and ease of access.

The Asia Data Transparency Report 2023 finds that over half of the surveyed Asian economies have poor or insufficient power sector data transparency, affecting the electricity needs of 684 million people. While high-income economies generally score better, some lower-middle income nations like India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are demonstrating good practice. The report emphasizes that granular, real-time, and open-access data is essential for grid optimization and evidence-based policymaking to meet decarbonisation targets. It highlights a successful public-private partnership in India between NITI Aayog and the Vasudha Foundation and provides nine practical recommendations for improving data governance, including the use of machine-readable formats and unique identifiers.

The document argues that Indonesia can technically achieve a net zero power sector by 2040, which would accelerate the broader national net zero target to 2050. This transition requires phasing out unabated coal, significantly increasing annual electricity investment to USD 40 billion this decade and USD 80 billion in the next, and addressing grid flexibility and inter-regional connectivity. While the transition would result in a net gain of 265,000 jobs, it would cause 230,000 losses in coal mining, necessitating just energy transition policies. The author notes that Presidential Regulation No. 112/2022 is a positive step toward attracting renewable investment and retiring coal plants.

The document reports that despite China's climate goals, investment in high-carbon coal power and blast furnace steel capacity remains high. While renewable energy and electric arc furnace (EAF) investments are growing, the continued approval of coal plants and high-emission steel projects creates significant stranded asset risks. The report argues that power shortages in provinces like Sichuan are caused by rigid grid management and fuel costs rather than a lack of capacity, suggesting that further coal expansion is unnecessary if grid reforms are implemented.

The document finds that while China has seen record clean energy installations and a decline in coal-fired power generation, government permitting for new coal plants and investments in blast furnace capacity accelerated in early 2022. This trend creates a risk of significant stranded assets—estimated at $8.5 billion for power and $15-22 billion for steel—and complicates the economic and political transition to low-carbon energy. The report highlights that power shortages in provinces like Sichuan were driven by rigid grid management and high fuel prices rather than a lack of capacity, and recommends reforming grid operations and including the steel sector in the emissions trading system.

The report argues that Canada must transition to larger, cleaner, and smarter electrical systems to achieve net-zero emissions. It highlights the need for a massive increase in production capacity, the elimination of fossil fuel power, and enhanced grid flexibility. To overcome institutional and financial barriers, the authors recommend 'electro-federalism,' where the federal government provides strategic funding and standards while provinces manage regional implementation and integration.