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In 2024, global coal power saw a contradiction: while new completions reached a 20-year low of 44 GW and the EU increased retirements fourfold, China and India saw record-breaking activity. China's new coal starts reached a ten-year high of 94 GW, driven by approval surges in 2022-2023 and supportive policies like capacity electricity tariffs and long-term power purchase agreements. Conversely, OECD nations have significantly reduced planned projects, though their retirement pace remains too slow to meet Paris Agreement goals.

The document outlines a seven-tip framework for companies to engage suppliers in climate action, emphasizing cross-functional collaboration between procurement and sustainability teams. It argues that climate change is a primary driver of supply chain disruption and that engaging suppliers—particularly high-impact ones—through target-setting, capacity building, and financial incentives can reduce financial risks and improve competitive advantage. The guide provides specific recommendations on prioritizing suppliers based on emissions impact and readiness, as well as methods for collecting data and incentivizing decarbonization.

The US Treasury's final 45V guidance establishes a market-based framework for green hydrogen projects to qualify for tax credits based on three pillars: incrementality, temporality, and deliverability. The rule allows annual matching of clean power until 2030, after which hourly matching is required. It provides flexibility by allowing emissions calculations per hour and per electrolyzer, preventing an 'all or nothing' loss of credits. Developers can currently use bilateral contracts and existing registries to demonstrate viability to financiers, while preparing for a more sophisticated hourly Energy Attribute Credit (EAC) market.

The report identifies that India requires USD 300 billion in total investment by 2032 to meet its National Electricity Plan-14 targets. It argues that managing project-specific risks is essential to keep the cost of capital low, as a 400 basis point increase in this cost could result in India falling short of its 2030 renewable energy target by 100 GW. Key risks analyzed include commissioning delays, the complexities of Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) projects, PV module performance and localization, and the financial instability of distribution companies (DISCOMs).

The U.S. clean energy sector saw record solar and battery storage installations in 2024, with renewables accounting for approximately 90% of new capacity. However, progress is hindered by grid interconnection backlogs, rising local opposition, high interest rates, and supply chain shortages. The report also notes a slowdown in EV sales growth and warns that the Trump administration's policies may create further roadblocks to decarbonization.

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 report outlines three primary investment opportunities in the Western Cape's renewable energy sector: embedded solar PV for C&I and agricultural users, large-scale wind and solar projects, and behind-the-meter (BTM) lithium-ion storage. While the market is driven by rising electricity costs, decarbonisation pressures from export markets (such as the EU's CBAM), and a liberalising regulatory framework (Electricity Regulation Amendment Act of 2024), it faces significant barriers. These include severe grid constraints, administrative backlogs in municipalities, a shortage of specialised technical skills, and a high reliance on imported battery components, particularly from China.

The report highlights a growing energy services market in South Africa, shifting from a primary reliance on mitigating loadshedding to goals of cost stability and decarbonisation. Embedded solar PV for the commercial, industrial, and agricultural (CI&A) sectors is projected to grow by 3.8 GW (estimated at R53.2 billion) by 2030. Behind-the-meter (BTM) Li-ion storage is expected to reach 2GWh (estimated at R10 billion) by 2030, driven by value-stacking use cases like peak shaving and tariff arbitrage. Key barriers include ageing municipal distribution infrastructure, administrative capacity constraints in municipalities, and a heavy reliance on imported battery components, particularly from China.

The guide outlines the landscape of renewable energy in South Africa, emphasizing the shift toward private procurement and the dominance of solar PV. It details two primary implementation models—embedded generation and wheeling—and provides a comprehensive breakdown of financing options, including bank-specific instruments and power purchase agreements. The document also highlights the strategic role of backup storage for peak shaving and load shifting, lists available South African tax incentives for energy efficiency and renewable assets, and identifies critical grid and regulatory hurdles businesses may encounter.

The report outlines a shift in South Africa's renewable energy sector from public procurement to private off-taker agreements, driven by electricity market liberalisation and corporate decarbonisation needs. It estimates a total investment potential of R132 billion for private renewable energy development and R16 billion for local component manufacturing by 2030. Key barriers include severe grid capacity constraints in high-resource provinces and policy uncertainty regarding the future of public procurement programmes.

The report argues that multilateral development banks (MDBs) are critical for shifting the infrastructure sector—which accounts for 79% of global greenhouse gas emissions—toward low-carbon practices. While MDBs are increasingly integrating sustainability into procurement policies, they face obstacles such as the limited capacity of borrowing countries and varying market readiness. The document recommends that MDBs expand capacity-building, improve monitoring systems, and facilitate technology transfer to accelerate the decarbonization of global supply chains.

The document outlines the outcomes of a TSO roundtable held during the 2024 PCI Energy Days, focusing on the need for integrated energy hubs, increased connectivity for landlocked countries, the resolution of financing and regulatory hurdles, and the deployment of short-term flexibility tools to support the energy transition in Central and Eastern Europe.

India leverages public spending—nearly 30% of its GDP—to drive environmental sustainability through green public procurement (GPP). While the country lacks a comprehensive national GPP policy, it utilizes administrative guidelines, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), and sector-specific initiatives like the BEE star rating program. However, adoption is hindered by limited regulatory frameworks, a lack of stakeholder skills, perceived higher costs of green products, and incomplete monitoring systems. The report recommends strengthening legal frameworks, establishing a National SPP Competence Centre, scaling up third-party verified tools, and creating a robust monitoring and evaluation system.

The report analyzes how MDBs can leverage their financial influence to drive low-carbon procurement in infrastructure. While MDBs are increasingly integrating sustainability into policies, they face hurdles such as misalignment with borrowers' socio-economic priorities, limited technical capacity in developing nations, and a lack of market readiness for low-carbon technologies. The authors recommend harmonizing procurement standards across banks, expanding capacity-building for borrowers, and developing systematic monitoring frameworks to track greenhouse gas reductions.

The report assesses the deployment of Feed-in Tariff (FIT) and Renewable Energy Auction (REA) policies in Kenya, identifying significant gaps in stakeholder awareness, communication, and financial de-risking. While Kenya has strong technical capacity and a high renewable energy grid mix, the transition from FIT to REA has been hampered by bureaucratic processes and a lack of inclusive policy formulation. The authors recommend establishing a centralized body for REA bidding, enhancing stakeholder engagement with research institutions, and implementing robust financial incentives like tax credits and guarantees to attract private investment and achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030.

The report examines four power procurement archetypes for green hydrogen—Behind-the-Meter (BTM), Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (vPPAs), Offsite Physical PPAs, and Hybrid systems—analyzing how each manages risks related to weather variability, logistic complexity, and grid volatility. It emphasizes that the cost of power is the primary driver of hydrogen production economics and highlights the challenges of maintaining hourly matching for tax credit compliance under the Inflation Reduction Act's 45V credit. To mitigate these risks, the report suggests solutions such as hydrogen-specific insurance, flexible offtake agreements, phased construction, and the development of spot hourly Energy Attribute Credit (EAC) markets.

The document argues that Asia can achieve a more rapid coal phase-out by stopping the construction of new plants, which would allow 90% of the existing fleet to exceed their 20-year investment recovery period by 2040. It critiques co-firing with ammonia or biomass as expensive and marginally effective, while highlighting successful financing models from IEEFA and the Griffith Asia Institute that make early retirement financially viable through renewables bundling and refinancing. The briefing emphasizes that a just transition requires concessional and multilateral financing from developed nations to support coal-dependent communities.

Thermal batteries can abate up to 99% of heat emissions in US chemical and refining plants by storing renewable electricity as heat in materials like graphite or bricks. These systems can provide heat up to 1800°C for reactions and distillation, with a levelized cost of heat between $20 and $87 per MWh. Integration involves assessing heating needs, retrofitting steam systems, and implementing automated charging based on electricity prices. While heat pumps are suitable for processes up to 200°C, thermal batteries address higher temperature needs. The guide advocates for policy reforms, including wholesale electricity rate access and permitting reform for non-adjacent parcels, to enhance the viability of industrial electrification.

The report outlines a roadmap for hydrogen developers to navigate the 45V tax credit requirements in the United States. It focuses on four 'pillars' of compliance: regionality, hourly matching, incrementality, and attribute tradeability. The document argues that while hourly matching of clean electricity is challenging, it can be achieved through a combination of advanced registries, bilateral hourly contracts, optimized electrolyzer sizing, and sophisticated real-time operational strategies. It emphasizes the role of Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) and suggests that the industry can leverage existing grid data and forecasting tools to prove compliance and manage the intermittency of renewable energy.

The article examines the shift in India's renewable energy procurement toward Firm & Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) tenders introduced by SECI in 2023. It argues that these tenders require a move away from cost-centric models toward advanced risk management, as developers must now match hourly demand profiles. To remain competitive, the authors suggest developers must evolve into 'Developers 2.0' by enhancing trading capabilities and addressing challenges such as price cannibalization and volume uncertainty.