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The report uses 2013 EIA Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) data to compare the cost per ton of CO2 abated for technologies including wind, solar, advanced nuclear, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). It finds that displacing coal plants offers the strongest economic case for abatement. While on-shore wind is the cheapest overall, greenfield gas with CCS is a competitive baseload option at $65 per ton. The analysis notes that variable resources like wind and solar may be more expensive than shown due to omitted grid integration costs, which can double or triple marginal costs at penetration levels above 20%.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) analysis finds that optimistic forecasts of clean hydrogen costs falling below $1/kg are unrealistic because they overemphasize electrolyzer capital cost reductions while ignoring the dominant impact of electricity prices. Electricity costs account for 50%–75% of the total production cost. Even with projected 2030 improvements in PEM electrolyzer efficiency and capital costs, the authors conclude that average production costs will likely remain above $3/kg (Real 2022 USD) due to the lack of realistic access to clean firm electricity below $40/MWh. The paper recommends that policymakers prioritize clean hydrogen for sectors lacking other viable decarbonization alternatives, such as steel manufacturing and chemical refining, and focus on decarbonizing the power grid to enable scale-up.

The study evaluates four primary technology pathways for Germany's power sector decarbonisation by 2050: 'All Tech.' (inclusive of nuclear and CCS), 'No CCS', 'No Nucl.', and 'No Nucl. No CCS'. The 'All Tech.' scenario is identified as the most competitive, offering the lowest total system costs and electricity prices. The 'No Nucl. No CCS' scenario, which most closely represents current German policy, results in the highest costs, highest electricity price volatility, and greatest reliance on transmission and hydrogen infrastructure. The analysis emphasizes that nuclear power and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) significantly enhance economic competitiveness and system resilience. It also explores the role of long-duration energy storage (LDES), finding that 24-hour systems can facilitate solar expansion and reduce reliance on costly hydrogen-fuelled power plants.

The document outlines the role of small-scale Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in Indonesia's energy transition, highlighting their ability to reduce state budget pressure and increase renewable energy capacity. It identifies significant barriers to growth, including financing difficulties, complex permitting processes, and grid instability in remote areas, and recommends a policy package of technical and financial support to enable the sector to expand.

The document assesses the integration of renewable energy (RE) targets in Asian countries, highlighting national goals in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and China. It emphasizes that while RE technologies are feasible and market-oriented, their deployment in Asia is hindered by a lack of financing mechanisms and inadequate management capacity. The author argues for the use of legal instruments, South-South collaboration for 'appropriate' (small-scale) technologies, and innovative financing like revolving funds to overcome high upfront costs.

The document examines the effectiveness of Local Community Trusts (LCTs) in South Africa's renewable energy sector, specifically under the REIPPPP. It highlights the pivotal role of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) as a financier and oversight body. While some trusts like Sibona, Letsatsi, and Amandla are cited as successful due to robust governance and incubation by Globeleq, many others struggle with 'elite capture', mismanagement, and long periods of inactivity caused by debt repayment to DFIs. The report argues that LCTs are often established for compliance rather than genuine development and recommends a shift toward better trustee selection, improved loan terms, and mandatory transparency reporting to ensure a Just Energy Transition.

The toolkit critiques the draft IRP 2023, arguing that it deviates from 'least cost' energy pathways by favoring fossil fuels over renewables and failing to adequately address air quality, health impacts, and climate commitments. It provides a framework for the public to challenge the DMRE's modelling assumptions, the premature timing of the plan relative to the Integrated Energy Plan and Sectoral Emission Targets, and the lack of transparency in public participation.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) argues that South African local governments must be empowered to procure renewable energy to meet constitutional obligations under Section 24 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to a healthy environment. The CER contends that the current reliance on Eskom's coal-fired power stations causes significant health crises, including thousands of premature deaths and high greenhouse gas emissions. It asserts that renewable energy is now the most cost-effective option and that interpreting the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA) to allow municipal procurement is essential for a just energy transition and the realization of sustainable development.

The document advocates for the use of energy efficiency and domestic renewable retrofits as a 'super-multiplier' for economic recovery in Europe. It highlights the significant potential for job creation in the construction sector, the mitigation of energy poverty, and the necessity of public-private partnerships to overcome high capital costs and low renovation rates. The authors provide historical and international case studies from the US, South Korea, China, and Europe to demonstrate the effectiveness of green stimulus packages in driving long-term economic and environmental benefits.

The report argues that traditional economic tools, such as cost-benefit analysis and equilibrium models, are inadequate for the structural changes required by the energy transition. It proposes a shift toward 'Risk-Opportunity Analysis' and dynamic modelling that accounts for induced innovation and learning-by-doing. Based on successes in solar PV, LED lighting, and wind power, the authors outline ten principles for policymaking, emphasizing targeted investment, risk management, and adaptive policy packages. National case studies in Brazil, China, and India suggest that while decarbonisation has a negligible impact on overall system costs and GDP, the transition requires significant up-front investment and careful management of distributional impacts, particularly in coal-dependent regions.

The document analyzes Brazil's unique energy landscape, where a predominantly renewable electricity mix coexists with a significant reliance on petroleum for transport and a growing oil production sector. It highlights the tension between the government's climate commitments and its plans to expand oil production, particularly in the Equatorial Margin. The briefing suggests that Brazil can leverage its G20 and COP30 leadership to promote the reduction of fossil fuel subsidies and use oil revenues to fund green innovation and forest conservation, while recommending the introduction of an upstream carbon tax to manage environmental externalities.

Trinidad and Tobago is transitioning from an economy where energy products account for approximately 37% of gross domestic output toward a low-carbon model. The country currently relies on 100% natural gas for power generation but has set a target of 30% renewable energy production by 2030 and a conditional 15% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 from a 2013 baseline. The briefing argues that integrating renewables would allow the state to divert natural gas to downstream petrochemical production, increasing revenue and lowering the carbon footprint compared to combustion. Key obstacles include low electricity tariffs (0.055 USD/kWh) that deter renewable investment and the risk of punitive measures from the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on petrochemical exports. The authors recommend a comprehensive decarbonisation roadmap incorporating distributional, procedural, and recognitional energy justice to protect vulnerable populations and ensure equitable participation.

The Climate Policy Initiative finds that while sufficient capital exists to meet Germany's renewable energy expansion goals, the specific mix of investors and the design of regulations are critical for cost-efficiency. Key regulatory areas include auction design, support mechanisms, and long-term targets. The report highlights that instability or poor design—such as delays in auction rounds or shorter support periods—can significantly increase bid prices and overall costs. It also emphasizes the need for energy market flexibility to avoid negative electricity prices and investor risk.

Ghana faces a significant climate finance gap, with an annual average of USD 830 million tracked in 2019 and 2020, representing only 5-9% of its estimated needs of USD 9.3-15.5 billion. Public finance dominates at 87% of total flows, while private finance accounts for only 13%, heavily concentrated in energy systems. Funding is split nearly equally between adaptation (49%) and mitigation (47%), with the agriculture, forestry, and land use (AFOLU) and energy sectors receiving the most investment. The brief recommends implementing a national climate finance taxonomy, deploying innovative instruments like green bonds and blended finance, and improving the granularity of tracking to attract more private capital.

The report finds that global financial commitments for energy access are insufficient, with electricity funding reaching only about half of the required USD 52 billion annually and clean cooking funding remaining abysmal. While electricity finance increased to USD 30.2 billion per year in 20 high-impact countries, it is heavily concentrated in Asia, particularly India, while Sub-Saharan Africa has seen declines. Investment is skewed toward grid-connected technologies, including a doubling of coal plant financing, while off-grid solutions receive only 1.3% of total funds. Clean cooking finance dropped 5% to USD 30 million per year, far below the USD 4.4 billion needed. Case studies highlight India's success in mobilizing private finance for renewables and Indonesia's use of government subsidies to scale LPG adoption.

The report analyzes the shift from stalled global climate negotiations toward national and subnational policy actions. It examines sectoral emissions drivers and the effectiveness of various policy instruments—including carbon pricing, renewable energy mandates, and energy efficiency programs—across Brazil, China, the EU, India, and the US, while emphasizing the role of innovation and finance in achieving low-carbon growth.

The document describes distributed solar as small arrays that power the buildings they are attached to, noting that while PV costs have dropped by over 60 percent in the last decade, high upfront costs still limit adoption. It argues that on-bill financing (OBF) promotes equity by removing barriers like credit and capital access, allowing families and businesses to install solar with no upfront costs and integrate repayments into their utility bills.

The Green Energy Money $aver (GEM$) program, launched in April 2019 by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA), provides on-bill financing for clean energy upgrades to approximately 95 percent of Hawaii's population via Hawaiian Electric Companies (HECO) customers. The program targets low-to-medium income (LMI) households—specifically those earning less than 140 percent of the area median income—to democratize access to solar PV and energy efficiency measures. By tying repayment to the utility meter rather than the individual, GEM$ allows for repayment terms up to 20 years and enables the transfer of obligations between tenants or owners, overcoming the rental split incentive. In its first nine months, the program funded $6.6 million in solar PV projects, with 78 percent benefiting LMI customers, resulting in 1.6 megawatts of installed capacity and 12,000 metric tons of projected avoided greenhouse gases. The program is funded by the Green Energy Market Securitization (GEMS) program and is the first of its kind operated by a green bank.

The document details the essential role of critical minerals in clean energy technologies, the U.S.'s high import reliance, and the regulatory and economic barriers to domestic production. It highlights the environmental and human rights risks of mining, the potential for secondary recovery and recycling, and recent federal legislative and executive actions aimed at securing supply chains.

The document specifies that Ember's China Cleantech Exports Data Explorer utilizes data from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC), categorized into six main clean tech groups: Solar PV, EVs, Batteries, Heating and cooling systems, Grid, and Wind. It provides the specific HS codes used for sub-categories, such as solar cells (85414300) and lithium ion batteries (850760), while noting that the reported export values may be lower than the total value chain as they exclude certain parts and raw materials.