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The We Mean Business Coalition outlines ten policy principles to help governments accelerate clean electrification by providing clear strategic direction, financial incentives, infrastructure investment, and regulatory standards. The framework emphasizes that while pathways vary by national context, governments must address system-wide barriers—such as grid connection delays and fossil fuel subsidies—to unlock large-scale business investment and enhance energy security.

The author contends that treating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the implementation of heat adaptation measures as a zero-sum game is a dangerous fallacy. While some argue that adaptation (such as air conditioning) should be prioritized over mitigation, and others express concern that cooling technologies exacerbate heat, the document asserts that both are essential. It highlights that failing to reduce emissions increases the future burden of adaptation, while failing to adapt leads to immediate loss of life, citing the 2021 heat dome in British Columbia. The proposed solution is the rapid expansion of a clean, affordable, and flexible electrical grid to power modern cooling technologies like heat pumps, combined with long-term urban planning such as improved insulation and increased tree canopy.

The author contends that treating the need for immediate heat adaptation and the long-term goal of reducing emissions as a trade-off is a 'dangerous false choice.' While some argue that focusing on emissions neglects immediate safety, and others suggest air conditioning worsens heatwaves, the document asserts that both are necessary. It argues that the solution lies in decarbonizing the electricity grid to provide clean, affordable power for cooling, while simultaneously improving home insulation and urban shading to reduce energy demand.

The European Climate Neutrality Observatory (ECNO) reports that while the EU's transition to climate neutrality is accelerating overall, none of its 13 key building blocks are progressing at the required pace. Positive trends are noted in zero-emission vehicle registrations, heat pump sales, and poverty reduction in vulnerable regions. However, the report highlights critical failures in cleantech investment, financial flows, and nature-based carbon removal, while noting that some key policies, such as the 2035 zero emissions target for new cars and vans, have been weakened.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) proposes several amendments to Poland's draft Heating Transformation Strategy to 2040. Key recommendations include a more nuanced approach to nuclear heating—distinguishing between large plants, SMRs for cogeneration, and heat-only SMRs—and the removal of renewable hydrogen as a general heating solution due to inefficiency. CATF also advocates for enhanced risk-sharing mechanisms for geothermal energy, specifically 'Super Hot Rock Energy', and the legal and financial inclusion of energy communities and social ownership models to increase local acceptance and efficiency.

A group of health professionals and advocates is appealing to the Minister of Industry to reopen a Competition Bureau investigation into the Canadian Gas Association's (CGA) 'Fuelling Canada' campaign. The applicants argue that the Bureau's decision to drop the inquiry simply because the CGA removed the claims does not remedy public health harms, deter greenwashing, or provide market clarity. They highlight a systemic pattern of the Bureau closing environmental and health-related deceptive marketing cases without formal determinations, citing similar outcomes for the Pathways Alliance and Shell Canada.

The report argues that clean flexibility solutions are ready to scale across the EU to replace fossil-based grid balancing. It projects a fourfold increase in battery capacity by 2030, which would allow batteries to deliver over 80% of the power that all EU gas plants combined can generate in a single hour. Additionally, the report highlights the role of smart EV charging and heat pumps in absorbing surplus renewable generation and reducing peak demand, provided that regulatory barriers are removed and smart meter rollout is accelerated.

The EU battery fleet is projected to grow fourfold from 37 GW in 2025 to 178 GW by 2030, significantly reducing the need for gas-based backup. By 2030, utility-scale batteries could provide short-term flexibility at 20% lower cost than new gas peakers. Additionally, the report highlights the role of demand flexibility: by 2030, 50% of electric vehicles (EVs) could use smart charging to absorb 7% of peak wind and solar generation, and 15% of heat pump demand could be shifted to high-renewable periods, reducing peak demand by 3%. The report recommends that policymakers avoid overbuilding gas capacity, set ambitious non-fossil flexibility targets by January 2027, and accelerate smart meter rollout to enable these technologies.

Geelen Counterflow developed an electric industrial dryer using heat pump technology to replace fossil gas burners in the production of pet kibble and fish feed. The technology utilizes a self-cleaning heat exchanger to recover waste heat and moisture. A 2022 installation at a Cargill-Ewos plant in Norway created the world's first zero-emissions fish feed factory, reducing energy use and running costs by 75% and eliminating 3,000 tons of annual CO2 emissions. The company has since expanded installations to China, South Korea, and Thailand, targeting markets where the 'spark ratio' between electricity and gas prices makes electrification financially viable.

SKF Group has fully electrified the heating and cooling systems at its Massa factory in Italy, replacing gas-fired boilers with reversible heat pumps. This transition, integrated with a digital monitoring system, has reduced operational energy demand and lowered costs, despite high electricity prices in Italy. The factory sources 100% of its electricity from renewable sources, utilizing a virtual power purchase agreement for a solar plant in Spain and Guarantees of Origin. This project is part of a broader SKF Group strategy that has seen similar electrification and decarbonization efforts across eleven other global factories.

The document analyzes four case studies of 'electrification-friendly' electric rates in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Maine, and Maryland. It finds that rates specifically designed for heat pump users or those with significant seasonal differentiation provide the greatest bill savings. The analysis emphasizes that automatic enrollment strategies are more effective at reaching customers than optional opt-in rates.

The briefing advocates for a "soft energy path" based on efficiency and design rather than increasing energy supply. It argues that current anxieties over AI electricity demand and critical mineral shortages can be addressed through demand flexibility, efficiency, and system optimization rather than building more power plants and mines.

The We Mean Business Coalition (WMBC) advocates for a coordinated EU framework to overcome barriers to electrification, such as high upfront costs and grid constraints. The coalition proposes a 50% electrification target by 2040 and suggests realigning financial incentives, modernising electricity grids, and mobilising public finance to de-risk private investment in clean energy technologies.

The 2026 Hormuz crisis, triggered by a US-Israel war with Iran, is projected to increase Türkiye's energy import bill by $14 billion by the end of 2026. This increase is driven by a 50% surge in Brent crude oil prices and a 45% rise in European gas prices. Türkiye's high import dependence—95% for natural gas, 83% for crude oil, and 60% for coal—makes its economy structurally vulnerable to global price shocks. Road transport is the largest contributor to the energy bill, accounting for nearly one-third of the total in 2025. The report suggests that transitioning to electric vehicles and heat pumps could permanently lower import costs, noting that 1 million electric cars could save $900 million annually and a 10% transition to heat pumps in homes could save $1 billion annually.

The report examines Europe's transition from fossil fuel dependency to clean technology, highlighting that domestic manufacturing can already meet the demand for wind turbines, electric vehicles (EVs), and heat pumps. It contrasts the volatility of fossil fuel imports with the stability of clean tech infrastructure, which provides long-term energy generation from a single import. While Europe remains reliant on certain raw materials and sub-components, the report suggests that electrification reduces overall trade disruption risks and offers significant job growth potential by 2030.

The policy brief proposes ten strategic principles for governments to unlock business investment in clean electrification. These include setting clear targets, reforming financial incentives to remove fossil fuel subsidies, modernizing electricity grids, and streamlining permitting processes. The document emphasizes that coordinated international signals and integrated industrial strategies are necessary to reduce policy uncertainty and overcome barriers such as high upfront costs and skilled labor shortages, aiming for electricity to account for approximately 35% of global final energy use by 2035.

The report presents a business case for transitioning to an electrified economy, asserting that electricity is becoming the foundation for global economic growth. It highlights that electrification is the most efficient route to decarbonization, capable of displacing approximately 60% of global fossil fuel use. The document outlines the benefits of electrification in terms of cost predictability, energy security, and public health, while identifying significant barriers such as distorted market incentives and a global skills gap. It proposes ten policy principles for governments to unlock business investment and introduces the 'Electric Advantage' program to coordinate business leadership in modernizing policy and scaling deployment.

Germany possesses a strong pipeline of grid-scale and residential battery projects, but current policy frameworks and the preferential treatment of gas in upcoming capacity auctions risk slowing deployment. The report highlights that operationalizing the existing battery pipeline could have significantly reduced wind and solar curtailment and associated costs in 2025. It calls for a regulatory shift to treat batteries as a first-order solution for grid stability and flexibility.

The US-Israel invasion of Iran in February 2026 has accelerated the global transition to clean energy as 23 countries announced new measures to reduce fossil fuel vulnerability. Clean energy ETFs have outperformed oil and gas ETFs in early May 2026, with renewable energy funds attracting over USD 3 billion in April 2026. Investor sentiment is shifting, with a rise in those ranking renewables top for one-year returns (14% vs 9% in 2025) and a decline in the perceived necessity of natural gas for the transition, particularly in Asia. While the cost of capital remains significantly higher in emerging markets (12.95%) compared to Europe (5.02%), geopolitical instability is prompting a reassessment of risk premiums in favor of domestic renewables.

The briefing identifies household energy consumption as a source of nearly 20% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions and proposes a transition from fossil fuels to electricity via electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps, and efficient appliances. Modeling suggests that by 2050, electricity should cover 73% to 91% of residential heating needs and over 96% of passenger vehicle kilometers. While electrification is generally cost-effective, regional differences exist; for example, natural gas remains cheaper than electric heating in the Prairies under current policies. The document emphasizes that energy efficiency—such as better building insulation—will reduce overall household energy consumption by 26% by 2050 despite population growth. To accelerate this, the author recommends government policies to lower initial costs for low-income households, mandate EV-readiness in multi-unit buildings, and double or triple clean electricity production to meet rising demand.