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The paper identifies key factors and recommendations for achieving 'transformational' change in low-carbon energy, defined by large magnitude impact, non-linear growth, and long-term sustainability. Through the analysis of 20 case studies, the authors categorize experiences into transformational, potentially transformational, and missed opportunities, highlighting the roles of regulatory frameworks, financial incentives, and national ownership.

The Corporate GPM Guide 4 introduces the Green Power Analysis Tool, detailing its business case, data input processes for green power projects and corporate targets, and its utility in analyzing projects and generating outputs. This guide is part of a broader series by the World Resources Institute aimed at helping corporations evaluate renewable energy opportunities, including technologies like biomass, landfill gas, and wind, as well as procurement strategies and policy obstacles.

Dr. Jonathan Pershing of the World Resources Institute argues that energy security and climate goals are often aligned but require an integrated policy framework to avoid conflicts. He proposes effectiveness and political feasibility criteria to evaluate policies, noting that while efficiency and renewables offer 'double wins,' other options like natural gas imports or corn-based biofuels can create security risks or environmental damage. The testimony provides specific policy recommendations for the US regarding cap-and-trade, production tax credits, transportation, and biofuels, while also highlighting the vulnerability of developing nations and the risk of climate-induced conflict and migration.

The report argues that limiting global temperature rise to 2°C requires an estimated $531 billion per year of additional investment in energy supply and demand technologies in developing countries by 2050. To achieve this, the authors propose 'readiness' activities—small-scale, long-term public investments in enabling environments—to leverage private sector capital. Key findings emphasize that international support is most effective when it is demand-driven, integrated into national institutions, and targeted at specific investment barriers. The report provides a framework for these activities and offers recommendations for the Green Climate Fund to support a paradigm shift toward low-emission development.

The report examines how electricity transmission acts as either a roadblock or an enabler for renewable energy (RE) deployment in the EU, China, and the US. It identifies common challenges across these regions, including the tension between national and local interests and the difficulty of allocating costs for new infrastructure. In the EU, fragmented planning and member-state resistance hinder grid integration. China faces technical barriers and a lack of connection standards despite aggressive central government spending on ultra high voltage (UHV) transmission. The US is characterized by highly fragmented local management and significant regulatory uncertainty regarding siting and cost allocation. The report concludes that while the EU may have easier approval processes, the US and China possess greater untapped RE potential if transmission constraints are resolved.

The analysis evaluates the economic rate of return (ERR) for solar photovoltaic, small hydropower, and wind energy across three Indian states, incorporating health, water, land, and climate impacts against a coal baseline. It finds that most assessed technologies justify public investment based on an 8 percent social discount rate, with the highest returns occurring in Maharashtra.

The paper argues that the wind power industry is integrated primarily through foreign direct investment rather than trade, and that promoting global integration can reduce technology costs and foster innovation without sacrificing local job creation.

The report evaluates the potential for renewable energy (RE) integration within 159 China's overseas industrial parks (COIPs). It identifies significant capacity for photovoltaic (PV) and wind power, estimating that full development could contribute up to 5% of the global net-zero emission RE installed capacity target if achieved by 2030.

The document describes a methodology for estimating annual electricity generation of power plants when plant-level data are unavailable. The approach utilizes statistical regression and machine learning, incorporating plant-level characteristics (size and fuel type) and country-level data (average generation per megawatt of installed capacity). The author notes that fuel-specific models increase accuracy for wind, solar, and hydropower plants, while natural gas plant estimations show improvement but maintain high error rates, particularly for smaller facilities.

The document introduces an Economic Returns Framework designed to evaluate the sustainable development impacts of renewable energy (RE) in India. By calculating the Economic Rate of Return (ERR), the framework aims to move beyond simple financial analysis to include societal costs and benefits, thereby better informing policy choices and aligning RE targets with sustainable development goals. The paper demonstrates this approach by estimating the ERR for wind, biomass, small hydro, and both ground-mounted and rooftop solar power in India.

The paper analyzes 124 Chinese overseas investments in wind and solar energy across 33 countries, identifying that these investments are primarily driven by excess domestic manufacturing capacity, state-owned bank financing, and host-country incentives. While concentrated in developed nations like the US and Germany, investments also reach developing countries such as Ethiopia and Pakistan, with a significant portion focused on electricity generation via joint ventures.

The document outlines the growth of the wind power industry in the United States and the various methods corporate buyers can use to integrate wind energy into their portfolios. It identifies significant barriers to adoption, including high upfront capital costs, grid integration challenges, and rising development costs driven by turbine supply shortages and commodity price increases. Despite these hurdles, the brief argues that wind power offers a cost-competitive path to diversifying energy portfolios and addressing climate change impacts.

The document argues that traditional regulated utilities are well-positioned to meet the renewable energy needs of large commercial and industrial (C&I) customers through green tariffs. It highlights that successful programs have added over 900 MW of solar and wind capacity since 2013. Key success factors include executive sponsorship, continuous customer consultation, and the provision of fixed-price, cost-based energy. The guide emphasizes the need for flexibility in product design and the importance of avoiding unfair cost-shifting to other customers within the utility's service territory.

Virginia can achieve nearly 80 percent of the EPA's emission rate target for 2020-2030 through planned coal plant retirements and the use of combined heat and power (CHP) and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants. To meet the remainder of the target, the state can implement energy efficiency measures to achieve 1.3 percent annual energy savings and increase renewable energy generation to 15 percent by 2025, leveraging untapped wind and solar potential.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of the climate and energy landscapes in China and the United States. For China, it highlights a 4.7% increase in CO2 emissions in 2023, the growth of non-fossil fuel power capacity to 53.9% of the total, and the implementation of the 'Carbon Peak' pilot program and the restart of the CCER market. For the United States, it notes a projected 1.9% decrease in emissions for 2023, the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the focus on decarbonizing the power sector by 2035. The briefing also details the 'Sunnylands Statement' as a framework for bilateral cooperation on methane and energy transition, while noting tensions regarding trade policies and the potential impact of the 2024 US election.

The document analyzes the relationship between national policy frameworks and the growth of solar PV and wind industries across five major economies. It contrasts the success of comprehensive, stable policies in Germany and China with the less effective, short-term 'patchwork' approach used in the United States. Data from 2005 and 2011 show that while China has achieved massive manufacturing capacity, Germany's stable legal framework has been a key driver for its industry, and the US lacks long-term national predictability due to incentives requiring frequent re-authorization.

The report outlines strategies for U.S. companies to adopt on-site renewable energy, focusing on solar, wind, geothermal, and solar thermal technologies. It details various ownership and financing models—ranging from direct ownership to third-party power purchase agreements—and analyzes the associated financial incentives, operational risks, and corporate benefits such as cost hedging and brand enhancement.

The document defines Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) as tradable instruments representing one megawatt hour (MWh) of renewable electricity generation. It distinguishes between compliance markets, driven by state policies like Renewable Portfolio Standards, and voluntary markets driven by consumer preference. The text highlights the importance of third-party certification, such as Green-e®, to ensure credibility and outlines how factors like technology type and local demand influence pricing. It further clarifies that RECs differ from carbon offsets and explains the distinction between bundled green electricity and unbundled REC purchases.

Tanzania has expanded its mini-grid capacity since 2008 through the small power producers (SPP) framework, now operating over 100 systems serving approximately 184,000 customers. While hydro is the most common technology, fossil fuel systems provide the majority of customer connections. The government has updated regulatory frameworks to better support solar and wind energy and attract private investment, including pegging tariffs to the U.S. dollar and lowering project size eligibility to 100 kW. However, challenges remain regarding cumbersome non-energy regulatory clearances, limited access to local commercial bank financing for domestic developers, and a lack of systematic data on socioeconomic impacts.

The report assesses G20 countries' efforts to meet their Paris Agreement commitments, noting that while all have taken concrete actions, progress and ambition vary. Key highlights include India's aggressive solar targets, China's integration of environmental stewardship into its 13th Five-Year Plan, and Indonesia's peatland restoration efforts. However, challenges remain, such as Turkey's planned expansion of coal power and Saudi Arabia's lack of a formal 2030 GHG target.