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The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), writing on behalf of the Life After Coal Campaign, challenges statements made by Minister Jeff Radebe regarding the viability of "clean coal" technologies. The CER asserts that "clean coal" is a misnomer and a myth, arguing that no technology can neutralize the environmental, health, and climate impacts of the entire coal cycle. The document advocates for a coal phase-out and a just transition to sustainable energy systems, citing declining coal employment and consumption in South Africa as evidence of an inevitable shift. It emphasizes that achieving the IPCC's 1.5 degree Celsius target requires drastic CO2 reductions, which necessitates moving away from coal toward socially-owned renewable energy projects.

The report finds that a significant portion of the U.S. coal fleet is now more expensive to operate than replacing it with new local wind and solar power. In 2018, 74% of the fleet was 'at risk' of being undercut by renewables, a figure projected to rise to 86% by 2025. The analysis emphasizes that these findings are conservative because they only consider resources within 35 miles of existing plants and do not account for broader transmission expansion or combined energy portfolios.

In 2018, global coal-fired power capacity growth continued a three-year decline, with new construction and commissioning falling significantly. While the US led a high rate of retirements, China saw a paradoxical trend: a sharp drop in new approvals but a rise in under-construction capacity as previously halted projects resumed. India also saw a historic low in new approvals as solar and wind power became more cost-competitive. The report emphasizes that current operating coal plants are incompatible with IPCC goals to limit warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius.

The report finds that most indicators of global coal power growth declined in 2018, with significant drops in new construction starts and permits in China and India. While global retirements reached near-record levels, led by the US, China remains a major exception by resuming construction on previously shelved plants and proposing a high coal power cap for 2030. The document argues that current operating coal plants already exceed the limits necessary to meet IPCC global warming targets of 1.5°C or 2°C.

The report finds a three-year decline in global coal power growth indicators as of 2018, driven by record reductions in permits in China and India and accelerated closures in the US. However, it highlights a contradictory trend where financial institutions from China, Japan, and South Korea have become the primary funders for overseas coal projects. While global planned capacity has dropped significantly since 2015, the report warns that current operational plants already exceed the IPCC's carbon limits for 1.5°C and 2°C warming targets. It specifically notes China's potential to add up to 290GW of capacity by 2030 if a proposal by the China Electricity Council is adopted.

The report finds a general global decline in coal power growth, with significant drops in approvals and planning since 2015. While the US leads in record retirements, China shows a contradictory trend: despite a drop in new approvals, it has resumed construction on previously delayed projects and proposed increasing its national coal capacity ceiling to 1,300 GW by 2030. India is also seeing a decline in coal approvals as solar and wind energy become more cost-competitive. The report emphasizes that current coal capacity exceeds IPCC limits for 1.5°C and 2°C warming targets.

The document provides an overview of energy storage solutions, highlighting the transition from traditional pumped-storage hydropower to advanced battery technologies like lithium-ion. It details the technical trade-offs between different storage methods, the economic trends driving adoption, and the regulatory environment in the U.S. aimed at increasing grid flexibility and resilience.

India can integrate 390GW of wind and solar generation by 2030 at a lower total system cost than its current trajectory by increasing the flexibility of electricity supply and demand. The report identifies four primary flexibility needs: operating reserves, ramping, daily balancing, and seasonal balancing, all of which will grow as renewable energy penetration increases. A 'balanced portfolio' combining demand-side management, energy storage, and powerplant flexibility is found to be the most cost-effective approach, reducing energy waste by 82% to 97%, total system costs by 5% to 8%, and carbon emissions by 8% to 12% compared to a thermal-only approach. Regional analysis reveals that states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka will face acute seasonal and ramping challenges, while Uttar Pradesh could act as a flexibility exporter due to its industrial base. The report concludes that urgent action on data, market design, and infrastructure is required to unlock these flexibility resources.

Friends of the Earth U.S. proposes a Green New Deal centered on a total transition to 100 percent renewable energy and ecological agriculture. The platform advocates for the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, the elimination of subsidies for carbon-intensive industries, and the rejection of unproven technologies like carbon capture and geoengineering. It emphasizes a 'just transition' based on energy democracy, food sovereignty, and the protection of worker rights and frontline communities, while calling for the United States to address its ecological debt to the Global South.

The report asserts that "clean coal" is impossible, detailing the severe impacts of coal mining and combustion in South Africa. It examines technologies like HELE plants, CFB combustion, and CCS, concluding they fail to substantially reduce emissions or costs compared to renewables. It further notes that Eskom and Sasol have frequently sought postponements to comply with national air quality standards.

The US corporate renewable energy market has expanded rapidly, with over 6 GW of announcements in 2018 alone, yet risk mitigation tools have not kept pace. The document identifies five key risks unfamiliar to corporate buyers—price, basis, shape, volume, and operational risk—and proposes a "many-sizes-for-all" approach. It outlines eight specific mitigation solutions, including five within the virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) construct (hub-settled VPPAs, floors and collars, proxy generation, volume firming agreements, and fixed volume swaps) and three outside it (long-term REC agreements, project tranches, and contract tranches).

A 2019 survey of 519 registered Iowa voters reveals strong support for government action on climate change, including a 100% renewable portfolio standard by 2050 and increased funding for wind and solar energy. Voters perceive climate change as negatively impacting Iowa's agriculture, extreme weather, and economy, and they generally prefer candidates who support climate-focused policies and resilient infrastructure.

The report finds that while there is a general availability of skilled labour in Atlantis, many qualified residents commute to Cape Town, leaving local businesses to report skills shortages. It argues that the future of the A-SEZ lies in medium-sized, value-adding green businesses rather than mega-factories, as the utility-scale renewable energy market has been hindered by poor government implementation of the REIPPPP. The audit identifies a critical gap in 'soft skills' and STEM competencies, alongside systemic failures in the local education sector, particularly at West Coast College, which serves non-local students more than residents. Recommendations include a 'whole of society' approach to education, the establishment of a community ICT centre, and targeted bursaries for high-tech tooling training.

The world is making progress toward SDG 7 but is not on track to meet 2030 targets at current ambition levels. While electricity access has expanded significantly, particularly in India, Bangladesh, and Kenya, Sub-Saharan Africa still faces a massive deficit. Clean cooking access is lagging due to population growth, and while renewable energy and energy efficiency are improving, they remain below the required rates to meet 2030 goals. Achieving these targets will require a substantial increase in annual investments across all three areas.

The report advocates for a shift in the role of hydropower within global energy grids, moving away from high-impact dams toward a mix of wind, solar, storage, and low-impact hydropower. It demonstrates through modeling in Chile and Uganda that protecting free-flowing rivers and national parks has minimal impact on system costs. The document highlights the Mekong River basin as a critical area where strategic planning could prevent the loss of migratory fish biomass and delta sediment. It concludes that achieving this vision requires system-scale planning, regulatory reform, and redirected financial flows from multilateral development banks and institutional investors.

South Africa's Low-Emission Development Strategy (SA LEDS) 2050 establishes a framework to place the country on a low-carbon trajectory while ensuring socio-economic development. The strategy focuses on a 'peak, plateau and decline' (PPD) emissions trajectory, with a peak projected between 2020 and 2025. Key interventions span the energy sector (diversifying the electricity mix via the Integrated Resource Plan and REIPPP), industry (energy efficiency and carbon taxes), AFOLU (conservation agriculture and afforestation), and waste (waste-to-energy and recycling). The document emphasizes a 'Just Transition' to protect vulnerable workers and communities, supported by research into hydrogen, fuel cells, and carbon capture and storage. Implementation relies on a combination of domestic funding and international climate finance.

The report finds that a majority of US registered voters believe global warming is happening and human-caused, with notable increases in these beliefs among Republicans. There is broad cross-party support for clean energy policies like the Green New Deal and carbon taxes, though voters remain split on fossil fuel expansion. While many express a willingness to take collective action, few have actually contacted elected officials in the past year.

The document argues that replacing high-cost equity with lower-cost corporate debt or securitized bonds can reduce consumer rate increases associated with the early retirement of fossil fuel plants. It examines the trade-offs between shareholder returns and consumer costs, suggesting that refinancing 'regulatory assets' can mitigate stranded asset risks and accelerate the transition to clean energy resources like wind and solar.

The document analyzes the role of depreciation in managing stranded assets during the early retirement of coal-fired power plants. It explains how regulators can use depreciation schedules and 'regulatory asset' accounts to balance the interests of utilities, consumers, and clean energy advocates. Key policy options discussed include accelerating depreciation to match retirement dates or extending schedules to reduce immediate rate shocks for consumers. The brief also highlights the potential for refinancing high-cost equity with lower-cost debt to lower the overall cost of the energy transition.

The briefing examines the financial challenges and opportunities associated with the early retirement of coal-fired power plants in the United States, using Colorado as a case study. It highlights that the marginal cost of energy (MCOE) for many coal plants now exceeds the cost of new wind and solar resources. To manage the resulting 'stranded assets' and undepreciated plant balances, the author proposes a transition strategy involving financial analysis of public data, the use of regulatory assets, and refinancing mechanisms such as debt-for-equity swaps and securitization. These tools are intended to reduce consumer costs, maintain utility investor returns, and fund just transition initiatives for affected workers and communities.