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In the first half of 2024, wind and solar power generated 30% of the European Union's electricity, surpassing fossil fuels (27%) for the first time. This shift occurred despite a 0.7% rebound in electricity demand, driven by structural capacity growth and favorable weather conditions, leading to a 17% decline in fossil fuel generation and a 31% drop in power sector emissions compared to the first half of 2022.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the gap between Africa's vast renewable energy potential and its current capacity. It highlights the continent's critical role in the global energy transition due to its abundance of solar, wind, and hydro resources, as well as essential critical minerals. The document outlines systemic barriers to progress, including insufficient financing, a heavy reliance on imported technology, and a lack of local manufacturing. It proposes strategic interventions for the African Union and G20 to enhance technology transfer, mobilize climate finance, and integrate African nations into green value chains beyond the supply of raw materials.

A statement by Friends of the Earth Africa arguing that fossil fuel extraction in Africa serves global elites and imperial powers rather than local populations, and calling for a just transition based on community-owned renewable energy and the payment of ecological debts.

This policy brief examines China's role in transferring green technology to the Global South, highlighting its leadership in renewable energy and the mechanisms used to disseminate this technology. It analyzes the achievements of initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and the South–South Climate Cooperation Fund, while identifying critical challenges including gaps between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, and geopolitical tensions.

This report by Ember advocates for the implementation of transparent grid hosting capacity maps to accelerate the energy transition in Europe. It outlines how such maps can reduce grid connection queues and optimize network use, discusses new EU legislative requirements for TSOs and DSOs, and proposes a framework for an "ideal" map including substation-level granularity and open-source data access.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the causal link between fossil fuel emissions and the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. It details the role of 'Carbon Majors' in global emissions, the financial disparity between industry profits and climate damages, and the growing use of litigation to hold these companies accountable. The document argues that a managed phase-out of fossil fuels, through both supply and demand reductions, is essential to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

This introductory guide by RMI explains performance-based regulation (PBR) as a tool to modernize utility regulatory frameworks to better accommodate renewable energy, distributed resources, and electrification while addressing affordability and emissions.

The 2024 China Power Market Outlook describes the ongoing transformation of China's power sector, focusing on the shift toward renewable energy and the evolution of market-oriented systems following reforms initiated in 2015.

This report by FSD Africa provides a pan-African forecast of direct green job creation by 2030 across 12 material value chains. It identifies a significant near-term opportunity for 1.5 to 3.3 million new direct jobs, primarily driven by the energy and power sector. The analysis emphasizes that while long-term potential is vast, immediate investment in human capital and skilling is required to realize these gains.

This policy brief examines how the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) and other international tax reforms impact the design and effectiveness of tax incentives within Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in developing countries. It argues that excessive reliance on tax holidays and exemptions is often ineffective for long-term competitiveness and may now lead to revenue loss as the GMT allows other jurisdictions to collect top-up taxes. The document recommends transitioning toward cost-based incentives, improving non-fiscal investment environments, and coordinating national policy to mitigate legal risks associated with investor-state dispute settlements.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the impact of the Pillar Two global anti-base erosion (GloBE) rules on Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in developing countries. It argues that the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) reduces the effectiveness of traditional corporate tax incentives, prompting a need for countries to shift toward non-fiscal incentives and sustainable investment models.

This policy brief examines the impact of the Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE) rules and the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) on Special Economic Zones (SEZs), particularly in developing countries. It argues that traditional income-based tax incentives used in SEZs are becoming less effective and may lead to revenue loss to other jurisdictions. The document recommends transitioning toward non-fiscal incentives, cost-based incentives, and better coordination between investment and tax authorities to maintain competitiveness while complying with international standards.

A fact sheet by Natural Justice detailing the proposed Maputo Floating Thermoelectric Power Plant Project in Mozambique, developed by Karpower and Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM). The project involves a natural gas-powered floating station and associated infrastructure, raising significant environmental, social, and economic concerns.

This report by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the role of South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) in the country's Just Energy Transition (JET). It argues that the DMRE has exhibited significant reluctance to lead the transition, driven by institutional 'stickiness', conflicts of interest between its minerals and energy mandates, and a perception of the JET as a Western imposition. The report highlights a lack of policy articulation, poor stakeholder engagement, and capacity constraints resulting from repeated organisational restructuring and the legacy of state capture. It concludes by welcoming the recent split of the DMRE into two separate departments—Mineral and Petroleum Resources, and Electricity and Energy—as a necessary step to resolve these conflicts and improve policy focus.

This policy brief examines China's role in transferring green technology to the Global South, highlighting its leadership in renewable energy and the mechanisms used to support sustainable development. While China has established numerous bilateral agreements and funds, the document identifies significant challenges including a gap between environmental commitments and actual impacts, limited local operational capacity, and geopolitical tensions.

This policy brief examines the current state and potential of renewable energy technologies in Africa, highlighting the gap between the continent's vast natural resources and its low installed capacity. It analyzes barriers to the energy transition, including financing shortages, reliance on imported technology, and the need for better integration into green value chains, while providing recommendations for the African Union and G20 to support a just transition.

This case study examines a results-based loan incentive used to accelerate the retirement of units 14 and 15 of the Tocopilla coal plant in Chile. In 2021, IDB Invest and Engie Energia Chile (EECL) closed a deal to finance the 151 MW Calama wind farm, utilizing a blended finance package that reduced the interest costs for EECL based on the volume of carbon emissions abated through the early decommissioning of the coal units.

This case study examines the managed phaseout of the South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation (SLTEC) coal plant in the Philippines. In 2022, ACEN Corporation sold its equity in the plant to a special purpose vehicle (SPV), reducing the plant's operating life by 25 years to a retirement date of 2040. The transaction utilized a structure based on the Asian Development Bank's energy transition mechanism to lower the cost of capital and facilitate ACEN's transition toward 100% renewable energy by 2025.

This briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) provides a legislative side-by-side comparison of the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) under current law, the House Agriculture Committee's amended text from May 2024, and the pending Senate version. REAP provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.

This research paper examines the energy infrastructure challenges faced by island states and the potential for decentralized renewable energy systems to improve resilience and sustainability in the face of climate change and geographic isolation.