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This executive summary by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the Núcleo de Avaliação de Políticas Climáticas da PUC-Rio (NAPC) examines the drivers of distributed photovoltaic (PV) generation in Brazil. Analyzing 5,563 municipalities, the study finds that demand-side factors—such as GDP, population size, and electricity tariffs—are more significant drivers of PV adoption than solar radiation levels. Consequently, regions with lower solar potential, specifically the South and Southeast, currently have higher concentrations of distributed PV units than the Northeast and Midwest.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the 'Green FIDC,' a proposed asset-backed security designed to scale private finance for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in Brazil. The instrument adapts the existing Fundo de Investimento em Direitos Creditórios (FIDC) framework to transition risky greenfield projects into bankable businesses by securitizing project receivables, thereby reducing reliance on the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES).

This report synthesizes over 125 written submissions from stakeholders regarding the Government of Canada's proposed Clean Fuel Standard (CFS). The CFS aims to reduce annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30 megatonnes (Mt) by 2030 by increasing the use of lower-carbon fuels and alternative technologies across the transportation, industry, and building sectors.

This white paper, authored by the Stockholm Environment Institute for the USAID Clean Power Asia programme, assesses the intersection of gender equality and renewable energy in the Lower Mekong countries and other ASEAN member states. It highlights a gap between national gender equality commitments and their application within technical sectors like energy.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), writing on behalf of the Life After Coal Campaign, submitted a letter to the Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) on 11 August 2017. The letter argues that the CSIR's "comprehensive alternative" Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for electricity fails to account for critical health, water, climate, and nuclear-related costs, which leads to an underestimation of the true cost of coal and nuclear energy compared to renewable alternatives.

The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) has developed a design for an investment-grade financing vehicle intended for institutional investors. By focusing on the specific financial fundamentals of wind and solar projects—which differ from conventional fossil fuel generation—the model aims to reduce the cost of renewable energy by 15-17%.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative proposes the Clean Energy Investment Trust (CEIT) to overcome barriers—such as illiquidity and high due diligence costs—that prevent institutional investors from funding renewable energy. By designing the CEIT as a listed, low-fee vehicle focused on liability-hedging rather than high growth, the authors estimate that potential institutional investment could increase from $305 billion to nearly $4 trillion, significantly lowering the cost of capital for the energy transition.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) proposes a new financial vehicle called the Clean Energy Investment Trust (CEIT) to reduce the cost of renewable energy by better aligning project cashflows with the risk profiles of different investors. By unbundling the cashflows of wind and solar projects and targeting long-term, liability-hedging institutional investors, the authors argue that the cost of wind-generated electricity could be reduced by 15-17% compared to traditional utility financing.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) proposes a risk-based framework for selecting ownership models and finance instruments for clean power investments. The authors argue that minimizing the overall cost of the low-carbon energy transition requires allocating specific investment risks—such as construction, price, and curtailment—to the party (private investors, public entities, or consumers) best placed to manage, understand, and bear them.

This document provides the technical annexes for the Renewable Energy Scale-Up Facility (RESF), detailing the financial modeling, assumptions, and expected impacts of a proposed USD 100 million equity fund designed to scale up wind and solar projects in developing regions, particularly Latin America.

The Gender Mainstreaming Strategy for USAID Clean Power Asia provides a framework to integrate gender equality into renewable energy planning, policy, and investment across ASEAN and Lower Mekong countries. It identifies the energy sector as heavily male-dominated and proposes a 'twin-track approach' that combines project-cycle mainstreaming with the development of 'gender champions' to address systemic biases. Key recommendations include adopting gender-lens investing, ensuring at least 33% female participation in activities, and shifting M&E from output-based to outcome-based tracking.

A letter from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) to the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, urging the strengthening of legislation for the phase-out of coal-fired power plants in Canada by 2030 to maximize health and climate benefits.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2017: G20 Edition evaluates the climate efforts of the 20 largest economies, which collectively account for 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The index assesses countries based on emissions, energy use, renewable energy, and climate policy to determine if they are on track to meet the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C.

This report, based on opening remarks by Sam Bickersteth at a July 2017 conference, reviews the activities of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) from 2010 to 2017. It evaluates the progress of 'climate compatible development'—the principle that climate action should not hinder poverty reduction—and identifies systemic gaps in institutional capability, finance, and the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in developing nations.

This briefing by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) argues that the mining industry represents a significant, untapped opportunity for gigaton-scale carbon emissions reductions. It highlights that while mining is inherently energy-intensive, the transition to renewable energy is now economically viable due to falling costs of solar PV and wind, which can replace expensive diesel generation at remote sites and reduce reliance on fossil-fuel-dominated grids.

This case study describes a milestone renewable energy deal where Goldman Sachs became the first U.S. bank to sign a large-scale, off-site renewable energy power purchase agreement (PPA) to enable the development of a 68 megawatt (MW) wind farm in Pennsylvania.

The Allianz Climate and Energy Monitor 2017 ranks G20 member states on their attractiveness for low-carbon electricity infrastructure investments and assesses their investment needs to meet Paris Agreement temperature limits. While OECD countries like Germany, the UK, and France remain the most attractive destinations due to stable policy frameworks, emerging markets such as China, India, and South Africa show significant growth in renewable installations but face high investment needs to create climate-resilient power infrastructure.

This fact sheet from Sustainable Energy for All outlines the global state of electricity access, highlighting the concentration of energy poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, the impact of GDP on electrification rates, and the financial requirements for achieving universal energy access by 2030.

This case study describes the Efficiency Works-Neighborhood Pilot in Fort Collins, Colorado, a program designed by Fort Collins Utilities with support from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) to increase residential adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy. The program shifted from an 'à la carte' service model to a streamlined, bundled approach that removed financial and procedural barriers, resulting in a tripling of customer participation and a 60 percent increase in carbon savings. Due to its success and transferability, the program received the Energy Innovator Award from the American Public Power Association (APPA).

A statement from RMI expressing disappointment over President Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, while asserting that subnational actions and the global energy transition will continue.