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Electrification Data Methodology 2024 Overview
The 2024 Electrification Data Methodology describes how Ember calculates the energy and emissions impacts of electric vehicles (EVs) and residential heat pumps. The methodology focuses on operational energy use, calculating the 'displaced' primary fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by comparing the energy required for electrification technologies against the fossil fuel alternatives they replace. For transport, the model accounts for vehicle stocks, mileage decay, and charging losses. For residential heating, it utilizes final energy consumption data, boiler efficiency factors, and seasonal coefficients of performance (SCOP). The analysis covers the European Union and the United Kingdom, utilizing data from sources such as Eurostat, the IEA, and the UK Department for Transport.
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Document type: Guide
Global Electricity Review
In 2023, renewables reached a record 30% of global electricity generation, driven by solar and wind. Despite this, global power sector emissions rose by 1% to a record 14,153 million tonnes of CO2, as severe droughts caused a five-year low in hydropower, forcing a reliance on coal in countries like China and India. Solar was the fastest-growing source for the 19th consecutive year, while OECD countries continued to see falling emissions. Ember forecasts that 2023 marked the peak of power sector emissions, with a decline expected in 2024 as clean generation growth is projected to outpace electricity demand.
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Document type: Report
People or Planet: A False Dilemma
The author contends that current climate policies often fail because they do not address carbon inequalities or provide immediate economic relief, making them vulnerable to far-right populist rhetoric. The text proposes a 'post-growth' approach that prioritizes human well-being over profit and advocates for a 'militant' green-red alliance. A central practical solution highlighted is the use of energy communities—not-for-profit entities that allow citizens and municipalities to co-own renewable energy projects—to democratize energy production and reduce costs for vulnerable households. The author calls for the redirection of fossil fuel subsidies toward clean heating and the implementation of structural investments in deep renovations and electric mobility to prevent regressive social effects from policies like the expanded Emissions Trading System.
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Document type: Statement
Prospects for China’s Next-Generation Clean Low-Carbon Technologies
The document introduces the China Low-Carbon and Clean Technologies Outlook series, which analyzes 50 promising technologies to support China's carbon neutrality goal. It specifically highlights the need for significant investment in emerging technologies like energy storage and hydrogen, estimating a requirement of 100 trillion Yuan. This particular report presents the first four insight briefs focusing on power batteries, heat pumps, iron ore electrolysis, and flow battery energy storage.
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Document type: Report
Warming Projections Global Update
The December 2023 update finds that global warming projections have stalled, with current policies leading to 2.7°C of warming by 2100. Even the most optimistic scenario, including all announced targets, results in 1.8°C, exceeding the 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal. The report highlights a growing implementation gap and warns that reliance on carbon capture and storage (CCS), e-fuels, and carbon offsets are 'false solutions' that delay necessary deep emission cuts. It urges governments to submit 1.5°C-aligned 2035 targets by February 2025 and to commit to a complete phase-out of fossil fuels.
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Document type: Report
Gaps and Barriers to Stacking Federal, State, and Local Incentives
The report identifies significant barriers to 'stacking' (combining) multiple financial incentives for US residential energy retrofits, including complex application processes, inconsistent performance standards, and funding gaps for health and safety repairs. It analyzes the interaction between Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits and rebates, noting that while clean energy retrofits can be more affordable than fossil fuel alternatives after incentives, low-income households often lack the 'tax appetite' to benefit from tax credits. RMI recommends that state program administrators prioritize funding for pre-electrification upgrades, consolidate application processes, and increase allocations for underserved communities and multi-family housing.
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Document type: Report
Fossil fuels are driving affordability crisis—smart climate policy is the answer
The statement asserts that carbon pricing is not the cause of affordability challenges, which are instead driven by global geopolitical factors and oil and gas profiteering. It calls for the Canadian government to maintain a consistent price on pollution, provide support for home electrification and energy efficiency for low-income families, and implement a windfall profit tax on the fossil fuel industry to finance climate solutions.
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Document type: Statement
Nouvelle analyse : l'élimination de la tarification
The analysis finds that while exempting heating oil has a negligible effect on emissions, adding a natural gas exemption would increase 2030 emissions by 4.5 megatonnes. Furthermore, such exemptions would reduce the carbon rebate payments available to most households, negatively impacting affordability, particularly for lower-income groups.
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Document type: Research paper
Removing carbon price increase emissions, Canadians worse off
The analysis finds that exempting natural gas and heating oil from the federal carbon price would increase emissions and reduce household affordability, particularly for low-income Canadians, due to a decrease in the value of Climate Action Incentive Payments.
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Document type: Research paper
Accelerating Clean Energy Ambition
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) analysis finds that while the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) accelerate emissions reductions, additional policies are required to meet US climate targets. Achieving net-zero by 2050 requires a rapid phaseout of fossil fuels, a massive scale-up of wind, solar, and energy storage, and expanded electrification and energy efficiency. The report argues that the health and climate benefits of this transition—including avoided premature deaths and reduced climate-caused damage—significantly outweigh the energy system costs.
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Document type: Executive summary
ohio-churches-go-green
The Episcopal Southern Ohio Diocese established the Energy Efficiency Grant and Loan Program in July 2021 to fund energy-saving retrofits in its congregations. The program requires participants to conduct ASHRAE Level 2 energy audits and develop reduction plans to qualify for grants of up to $10,000 or low-interest loans of up to $10,000. By June 2023, the program awarded $533,047 through 56 grants and disbursed $121,207 in loans. Case studies of churches in Athens, Circleville, and Washington Court House demonstrate the adoption of LED lighting, high-efficiency furnaces, and ductless mini-split heat pumps to lower carbon emissions and operational costs. The document also notes that the Inflation Reduction Act's "direct pay" incentives may now encourage these nonprofits to pursue solar installations after first improving building efficiency.
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Document type: Case study
Carbon pricing exemptions and energy affordability
The author contends that carbon pricing exemptions, such as those proposed for rural home-heating fuel in Atlantic Canada, are counterproductive because they eliminate incentives for cleaner energy adoption and create policy uncertainty for investors. While acknowledging energy affordability concerns, the text asserts that the existing rebate system already benefits most low-income households. As an alternative to exemptions, the document suggests implementing temporary, targeted rebates for low-income households to address cost-of-living pressures without weakening the overall carbon pricing framework.
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Document type: Statement
INFLATION REDUCTION ACT HOME ENERGY REBATES: PROGRAM GUIDANCE FOR STATE ENERGY OFFICES
The document outlines a framework for SEOs to manage $8.8 billion in federal funding for residential energy retrofits. It emphasizes data-driven design, strategic outreach to underserved communities, and the creation of 'one-stop-shop' support models. Key recommendations include aligning state policies with Justice40 goals, leveraging complementary federal grants, and implementing workforce training to ensure high-quality electrification installations.
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Document type: Guide
Inflation Reduction Act Home Energy Rebates: Program Guidance for State Energy Offices
The document outlines various real-world examples and tools that State Energy Offices can use to implement IRA Home Energy Rebates. It highlights strategies for equity mapping, workforce analysis, consumer outreach, and contractor certification. Key examples include Greenlink Analytics for equity data, the Love Electric campaign in Colorado for consumer awareness, and NYSERDA's Clean Heat Connect for supply chain alignment. The guide emphasizes the importance of people-centered support, weatherization integration, and comprehensive contractor training to ensure program success and equitable outcomes.
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Document type: Guide
Survey results Energy Futures of Europe
A survey of 58 European climate experts reveals skepticism about Europe's ability to meet its 2030 and 2050 climate goals, citing lagging investments and bureaucratic hurdles. While experts show varying confidence in technologies like CCS and hydrogen, there is a notable call for a more prominent role for nuclear energy and a shift toward 'technology optionality' and simplified, incentive-based policymaking.
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Document type: Report
Unlocking lower-cost heating and cooling in Canada
The report finds that heat pumps are the lowest-cost heating and cooling option for most Canadian households over the system's lifetime, though adoption is hindered by high upfront costs, information gaps, and structural barriers for renters. It recommends streamlining rebates, establishing one-stop shop services, and updating building codes to include cooling requirements.
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Document type: Report
Chauffer et climatiser à faibles coûts au Canada
The report finds that heat pumps are the most economical heating and cooling option for the majority of Canadian households over their system life cycle, particularly in cities like Vancouver, Montreal, and Halifax. Despite this economic advantage, adoption remains low due to behavioral, economic, and structural barriers, including high initial costs, lack of consumer confidence, and complex government rebate programs. The document argues that heat pumps are critical for both decarbonizing residential buildings and increasing resilience against extreme heat, which has caused significant mortality in regions like British Columbia. It recommends that governments maintain financial supports, simplify application processes through 'one-stop shops', implement indoor maximum temperature limits in building codes, and mandate high-efficiency, non-polluting systems in new constructions where electrically-powered heating is most cost-effective.
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Document type: Report
Clean power is the ace up Canada’s sleeve
Canada's current electricity grid is 84 per cent non-emitting, providing a competitive advantage for low-carbon industrial production. To maintain this lead and meet the G7 goal of a net zero grid by 2035, the federal government has introduced the Clean Electricity Regulations and investment tax credits covering 15 to 30 per cent of project costs. While some provinces like Alberta have resisted these measures, the document notes that wind and solar are already cheaper than natural gas in Alberta and Ontario. The transition is expected to reduce household energy costs through technologies like heat pumps and electric vehicles while insulating the economy from fossil fuel price volatility.
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Document type: Statement
Implementing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Investment needs, barriers, and opportunities
The report estimates that the U.S. requires $5.6 trillion in investment through 2035 across GGRF priority categories, with 31% needed in low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDCs). It identifies significant gaps between current climate finance flows and these needs, citing barriers such as lack of lender capacity, low homeownership rates in minority communities, and distrust of external developers. The authors argue that the GGRF must act as a catalyst for private capital and recommend that philanthropic foundations provide early-stage technical assistance and funding for complementary services, such as home remediation, to ensure the fund's success.
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Document type: Report
Ember response to the ENTSO-E / ENTSOG TYNDP 2024 storylines consultation
Ember critiques the TYNDP 2024 storylines for having low electrification levels and unrealistic fossil fuel price projections. The organization argues that the 'Green Ambition' (GA) and 'Distributed Energy' (DE) scenarios are not fully self-consistent and fail to align with 1.5C pathways. Ember recommends introducing a higher-ambition scenario with at least 90% emissions reduction by 2040 and urges the removal of fossil methane from heating and transport by 2050.
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Document type: Report