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The report details a shift in U.S. federal priorities that has narrowed incentives for clean energy, primarily through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and executive agency actions. It highlights significant tax credit repeals or restrictions, DOE funding cancellations, and EPA reporting rollbacks that have created deep uncertainty across the electric power, manufacturing, and energy and industry sectors. While some investments accelerated to meet new deadlines, others—particularly in hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, and carbon management—have declined or relocated abroad.

This report analyzes the role of risk mitigation and transfer instruments in utility-scale renewable energy investments across East Africa, utilizing six case studies from Burundi, Djibouti, Uganda, and Kenya to identify how these tools facilitate the transition from project development to financial close.

In 2025, solar and wind power expanded fast enough to outpace global electricity demand growth for the first time over a sustained period. Solar growth accelerated in Africa and Central Europe, while BRICS nations now generate over half of global solar power. The rise of 'electrotech'—led by China—and falling battery costs are enabling fossil-free baseload power and supporting the energy demands of AI and data centres.

The document analyzes polling data from Project Tempo's EuroPulse Dashboard, revealing that while 62% of voters in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) acknowledge human-driven climate change, they prioritize the economy and security over climate action, which ranks 16th out of 18 issues. CEE voters show strong support for wind (62%), solar (65%), and carbon dioxide removal (62%), with higher-than-average support for nuclear power (44%) as a means to ensure self-sufficiency and industrial competitiveness. The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) recommends a diversified approach incorporating 'clean firm power'—including nuclear (SMRs), advanced geothermal, and gas with carbon capture—to maintain 24/7 reliability and reduce dependence on external suppliers, particularly in light of Russia's war in Ukraine. Key barriers identified include a lack of funding consensus, as only 55% of voters support any specific payment option for the transition, and insufficient regional coordination on cross-border infrastructure.

As of October 2025, the all-in capex for large, long-duration utility-scale BESS projects outside China and the US is approximately $125/kWh, resulting in a Levelised Cost of Storage (LCOS) of $65/MWh. This cost reduction is driven by cheaper Chinese-manufactured equipment, longer battery lifetimes, and improved efficiencies. Consequently, dispatchable solar—storing 50% of daily generation—is estimated to cost $76/MWh, making it a highly competitive option for meeting global energy demand growth.

The document defines renewably powered minigrids (or microgrids) as systems combining renewable energy sources, battery storage, and sometimes backup generators to provide power to communities or specific facilities. It details three configurations: isolated, undergrid, and interconnected. Case studies illustrate their use in the Caribbean for hurricane resilience, in Africa for expanding business and home energy access, and in the United States for reducing diesel reliance in remote areas and enhancing military facility resilience.

Ten years after its 2015 adoption, the Paris Agreement has shifted the projected global warming trajectory from 4.8 degrees C to between 2.3 and 2.9 degrees C, though it remains off track for the 1.5 degrees C goal. While clean technology growth has exceeded expectations—with electric vehicles now comprising a fifth of auto sales and solar and wind electricity generation tripling—current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) would deliver less than 14% of the emissions reductions needed by 2035. The author argues that the next decade requires a total economic transformation, a more aggressive approach to phasing out fossil fuels, and a remodeled multilateral process where COP decisions are not subject to a veto by a few nations. Key priorities include supporting the green transitions of large middle-income countries, which account for 60% of global emissions, and integrating climate commitments into national economic policies.

The document reports that 2025 is virtually certain to be among the top five hottest years globally, driven by rising carbon pollution from fossil fuels. In the U.S., record high temperatures significantly outpaced record lows, and the year saw a record-costly start for billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, including the most expensive wildfire event on record in Los Angeles. Globally, carbon pollution intensified Hurricane Melissa, which devastated Jamaica. The report also highlights a trend of 'hydroclimate whiplash' contributing to both the Los Angeles fires and deadly flash floods in Texas, while noting that the U.S. has rolled back key clean energy policies and is set to withdraw from the Paris Agreement by January 2026.

The report evaluates the viability of firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) in India, finding that its competitiveness against coal depends on the ability to sell surplus power and the inclusion of external costs like pollution. It highlights that FDRE can be deployed significantly faster than coal plants and provides net economic gains, including GDP growth and job creation, while reducing emissions.

The document argues that a 'window of opportunity' has opened for Africa due to the convergence of China's domestic push for renewable energy leadership and US-China geopolitical tensions. While the US has retreated from climate leadership and scaled back African assistance, China is pivoting toward 'small is beautiful' project financing and green industrialization as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and FOCAC commitments. To maximize these opportunities, the brief recommends that African nations implement rigorous strategic planning, professionalize project pipelines, adopt innovative mixed-financing models to reduce sovereign debt, and pursue regional energy integration through frameworks like the Southern African Power Pool.

Colombia is projected to face a gas supply deficit starting in 2030, with domestic production and import capacity unable to meet demand. The report argues that this vulnerability can be mitigated by implementing energy efficiency measures in the industrial sector and electrifying cooking and water heating in the residential sector. Together, these actions could reduce 2030 gas demand by 21,545 GBtu, which is 1.5 times the projected deficit for that year. The authors recommend a planned exit from gas, including a national appliance replacement programme, the reorientation of subsidies toward electrification, and the limitation of new fossil fuel infrastructure to avoid carbon lock-in.

Viet Nam, Indonesia, and the Philippines collectively drive nearly 60% of ASEAN’s power demand and emissions, with a heavy historical reliance on coal. While coal still dominates their energy mixes, all three nations are pivoting toward clean energy, attracting $4.6 billion in investment in 2024. Each country aims for renewables to exceed 50% of their installed capacity mix by 2030–2034. Viet Nam has led the region in new wind and solar generation, the Philippines operates a fully liberalised electricity market to attract FDI, and Indonesia is leveraging its mineral industrialisation to build an electric vehicle ecosystem while planning significant solar expansions.

Viet Nam, the Philippines, and Indonesia are transitioning from coal-reliant economies to renewable energy hotspots, collectively accounting for nearly 60% of ASEAN's power demand and emissions. While all three have set ambitious 2030 targets for renewables to exceed 50% of installed capacity, they face bottlenecks in permitting, grid infrastructure, and financial risk. The report highlights that solar-plus-battery integration significantly improves internal rates of return (IRR), particularly in Indonesia, and emphasizes the role of market reforms—such as Viet Nam's Direct Power Purchase Agreements and the Philippines' removal of foreign ownership restrictions—in attracting private capital.

The document highlights the Amazon solar farm in Rajasthan, India, which has 210MW of capacity and avoids an estimated 280,000 tonnes of CO2e annually by providing zero-carbon electricity to a carbon-intensive grid. It argues that expanding renewable energy in coal-reliant systems is a highly effective way to reduce power-sector emissions and improve air quality.

The report analyzes Russia's strategic use of climate-related disinformation to advance geopolitical goals. It details how the Kremlin exploits climate disasters in the West to stoke polarization, suppresses domestic environmental activism to prevent unrest, and manipulates narratives in the Arctic and Africa to secure economic and political influence. The document highlights the intersection of Russian influence with far-right rhetoric and the emerging threat of AI-driven disinformation, while arguing that subnational and international cooperation is essential to counter these efforts as US federal defenses weaken.

The report examines the 'renewable energy–land nexus', noting that while renewables are essential for climate mitigation, they generally require more land than fossil fuels. It advocates for siting energy systems on degraded land and implementing dual-land-use strategies to create synergistic benefits for soil health, water management, and community resilience.

The Canadian Climate Institute asserts that the Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) are critical for providing the long-term predictability needed by risk-averse utilities and regulators to invest in clean energy. By setting emission limits for fossil fuel-burning generation that reach zero tonnes per gigawatt hour by 2050, the CER complements industrial carbon pricing and Investment Tax Credits to lower the cost of capital for decarbonization. The author emphasizes that while the CER allows for provincial flexibility and equivalency agreements, a stable federal standard is necessary to prevent provincial rollbacks—such as Saskatchewan's decision to extend coal plant life—from undermining Canada's overall emissions targets.

The report argues that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is undermining national energy security and economic competitiveness by canceling billions in congressionally mandated funding for clean energy and industrial innovation. It details the loss of approximately $23 billion in federal funding across 648 projects, affecting sectors such as carbon capture, hydrogen, and grid resiliency. The document highlights that these cuts risk wasting previous federal R&D investments, destroying local jobs, and ceding technological leadership to global competitors like China and Canada.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has cancelled or is considering the cancellation of approximately 650 projects, totaling $23 billion in federal funding. These cuts affect a wide range of sectors, including carbon capture, hydrogen, and industrial manufacturing, and impact nearly every U.S. state. The author contends that these actions negate the goals of bipartisan legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, threatening the energy supplies needed for artificial intelligence and modern manufacturing.

Earthjustice responds to a DOE request for information on accelerating power delivery for AI and industrial growth. The organization argues against reviving retired coal plants due to high costs and unreliability, instead advocating for the rapid deployment of wind, solar, and battery storage. It recommends that the DOE address speculative and inflated data center load forecasts, automate interconnection studies to reduce timelines, and deploy Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs) to increase grid capacity quickly. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for early community engagement in permitting and the long-term expansion of interregional transmission lines.