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Making €100 billion count: Turning Europe’s industrial decarbonisation ambitions into steel in the ground
The policy brief examines the proposed €100 billion Industrial Decarbonisation Bank (IDB) and argues that to avoid the bottlenecks seen in previous schemes like the Innovation Fund, the IDB must coordinate funding for shared infrastructure, use carbon contracts for difference (CCfDs), and strengthen demand signals for low-carbon products.
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Document type: Policy brief
Green Shipping Corridors Can Help Scale India’s Green Hydrogen Ecosystem
India is positioning itself as a green hydrogen hub by designating ports like V. O. Chidambaranar (VOC), Paradip, and Deendayal for hydrogen projects. While domestic coastal corridors provide learning opportunities, they lack the scale to be commercially viable, with e-fuel demand on the VOC–Deendayal route estimated at only 19–20 kilotons annually. In contrast, an international corridor linking Rotterdam, India, and Singapore could unlock over 1 million tons of annual e-fuel bunkering demand by 2030. The document highlights that while green methanol vessels have a total cost of ownership (TCO) nearly 80% higher than conventional vessels, IMO incentives and India's low-cost e-fuel production could make ammonia-powered vessels more competitive, potentially reducing TCO by 16% to 28% on routes to Singapore and Rotterdam respectively.
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Document type: Policy brief
Unlocking India's Green Hydrogen Exports
India is positioned as one of the most cost-competitive suppliers of green hydrogen, with a delivered cost to Rotterdam of US$794/t, comparable to Brazil and Chile. To capture a share of the projected 3.4–6 million tons of annual imports by the EU and East Asia by 2030, India must address demand uncertainty, financing, and infrastructure gaps. The report recommends building trade partnerships with the EU, Japan, and South Korea, harmonizing certifications, developing port infrastructure through international investment, expanding demand aggregation models, establishing green shipping corridors to Singapore, Rotterdam, and Busan, and creating dedicated financing mechanisms to de-risk projects.
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Document type: Report
Air Products Blue Energy LLC’s Proposed Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, MVN-2011-03218-MM / P20240033—Project Divestment
Earthjustice, representing several environmental and community groups, has formally requested the suspension of federal and state permit applications for Air Products Blue Energy LLC’s proposed Louisiana Clean Energy Complex. The request follows announcements by Air Products & Chemical, Inc. that it intends to divest the carbon dioxide sequestration, ammonia plant, and marine terminal components of the project as part of a 'derisking strategy.' The company has stated it will not proceed with the hydrogen plant without 'off take agreements' and has paused new spending commitments. Earthjustice argues that continuing the review would waste public resources on a 'speculative endeavor' and highlights potential environmental damage, including the destruction of 484.77 acres of wetlands and impacts on the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area and Lake Maurepas.
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Document type: Statement
Hydrogen hubs are key to domestic energy production and regional economies across the U.S.
The Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program is designed to demonstrate localized hydrogen production and end-use to create a synergistic national hydrogen economy. The author warns that planned funding cuts by the Trump administration would jeopardize an estimated 334,280 jobs and tens of billions of dollars in private sector investment. The document emphasizes that a network of hubs is necessary to create a viable market for hydrogen-fueled equipment and to maintain U.S. leadership in low-carbon hydrogen production and technology exports.
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Document type: Statement
Demand Aggregation 101
Demand aggregation consolidates fragmented demand from multiple buyers into a single, larger signal to help suppliers overcome the high costs and risks associated with building low-emissions infrastructure. This process helps bridge the "green premium"—the price difference between conventional and low-emissions alternatives—by providing financiers with predictable, long-term cash flows through collective procurement and advance purchasing agreements. The document highlights the use of "book and claim" mechanisms to allow indirect procurement of environmental attributes when direct physical procurement is not possible. RMI and its partners are implementing this strategy through four specific initiatives: the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA), the Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), the Sustainable Steel Buyers Platform (SSBP), and a phased approach for low-emissions cement and concrete.
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Document type: Guide
Social grant recipients left in limbo as fraud management system proves fraught with danger
The Institute for Economic Justice and the Universal Basic Income Coalition critique Sassa's implementation of biometric identity verification and algorithmic risk scoring for the Social Relief of Distress grant. They argue these measures exclude eligible recipients who lack smartphones, internet access, or smart ID cards, while raising concerns about data privacy and the lack of evidence for systematic fraud.
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Document type: Statement
Transportation Hubs and spokes: Extending the reach of hydrogen hubs through clean transportation corridors
The policy brief advocates for linking the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs with clean transportation corridors for heavy-duty trucking and marine shipping. It argues that while hubs provide localized production, corridors act as 'spokes' that expand the market beyond industrial off-takers and improve the economic viability of zero-carbon fuels. The author suggests that coordinating these programs will create a synergistic ecosystem, reduce conventional air pollutants in environmental justice communities, and position the U.S. as an exporter of low-emissions ammonia.
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Document type: Policy brief
Deutschland nähert sich dem Thema Carbon Capture weiter an
The document outlines Germany's shift toward adopting carbon management technologies, highlighting the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action's (BMWK) efforts to develop a national strategy and update the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act (KSpG). It emphasizes that achieving 2045 climate goals is not possible without these technologies and details several proposed CO2 pipeline and export projects intended to transport emissions to offshore storage sites in Norway and the Netherlands.
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Document type: Briefing
Governing the circular economy
The document identifies key governance challenges for cities implementing circular economy (CE) models, such as administrative silos, lack of holistic visions, and insufficient data for monitoring. It proposes four strategic pillars for urban policymakers: creating shared visions with inclusive strategies, establishing supportive regulatory and financial instruments (particularly circular public procurement), facilitating multi-level collaboration, and utilizing Urban Living Labs to scale innovations from local pilots to city-wide implementation.
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Document type: Policy brief
How the EU can certify low-carbon hydrogen
The European Union's projected hydrogen demand is expected to rise from 8.3 Mtpy to over 60 Mtpy by 2050, with the World Energy Council estimating that 50% of this demand must be met through imports from regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, and the U.S. To ensure these imports are climate-beneficial, the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for a certification system that measures greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the entire value chain—including production, storage, transport, and conversion—rather than focusing solely on production facilities. The document highlights a regulatory gap, noting that the Gas Package's delegated act for GHG emissions methodology is not planned until 31 December 2024, which lags behind current market activities and Memoranda of Understanding. CATF recommends that the EU adopt a technology-inclusive approach covering renewable and low-carbon hydrogen (including blue hydrogen), incorporate stringent methane leakage criteria, and align its methodology with the Methane Regulation's monitoring, reporting, and verification requirements by 2027.
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Document type: Policy brief
Wie die EU kohlenstoffarmen Wasserstoff zertifizieren kann
The European Union faces a significant hydrogen supply gap, with demand projected to rise from 8.3 million tonnes per year to over 60 million tonnes by 2050, necessitating imports from regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, and the USA. The Clean Air Task Force argues that current certification efforts are often voluntary or too narrow, focusing only on production plants rather than the full value chain. To avoid market uncertainty and investment risks, the document recommends that the EU's 'Gas Package' and subsequent delegated acts establish a technology-neutral certification methodology. This methodology must employ a full life-cycle analysis (LCA) that includes upstream methane leaks, transport, storage, and distribution to ensure genuine greenhouse gas reductions.
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Document type: Policy brief
Industrial Decarbonization utilizing CCS and Hydrogen in the Netherlands
The Netherlands aims to reduce industrial GHG emissions by 59% by 2030 and reach climate neutrality by 2050. The government employs a 'carrot-and-stick' approach, using a National CO2 Tax as a floor price and the SDE++ subsidy scheme to support low-carbon technologies. CCS is currently prioritized as a cost-effective transition technology, with projects like Porthos nearing final investment decisions. Hydrogen strategy involves a transition from grey to blue and eventually green hydrogen, supported by plans for a national 'hydrogen backbone' utilizing existing gas infrastructure. However, the report notes that current policy is insufficient to enable gigawatt-scale green hydrogen projects, and the SDE++ scheme tends to favor mature technologies over long-term innovation.
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Document type: Report
Why Europe needs a comprehensive carbon capture and storage strategy
The Clean Air Task Force asserts that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is essential for decarbonising foundational industries like cement, iron, steel, and chemicals, which account for approximately one-fifth of total emissions. While some national initiatives exist in the UK, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway, the author argues that a centralized EU strategy is needed to resolve cross-border transport issues, close a projected €10 billion funding gap, and address a storage capacity deficit where available space by 2030 may only meet half of the captured CO2 volume. The proposed strategy would include setting milestone targets, developing strategically placed storage sites, and creating a regulatory platform for CO2 transport infrastructure.
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Document type: Statement
LOW-CARBON AND RENEWABLE HYDROGEN ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT STUDY
The study compares the levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH) for different carriers and transport methods to Rotterdam. It finds that pipeline imports from Norway (2030) and Algeria (2040/2050) offer the lowest LCOH. Among marine carriers, cracked ammonia is the most cost-effective for delivering liberated hydrogen, while uncracked ammonia is the cheapest overall if used directly as fuel. Saudi Arabia is identified as the most economical export location for all marine carriers due to low natural gas prices and favorable construction costs. Carbon emissions are lowest for liquid hydrogen (LH2) among liberated hydrogen chains, but uncracked ammonia is the least carbon-intensive overall. The report also details the technical, safety, and infrastructure challenges associated with each carrier, noting that while ammonia has mature transport infrastructure, large-scale cracking technology is still in development.
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Document type: Report
Pathways to Sustainable Cities
The document analyzes the trajectory of sustainable urban development, noting that while urban populations are projected to reach 68% by 2050, cities contribute significantly to global carbon emissions and biodiversity loss. It highlights a divide between the Global North's focus on infrastructure transformation and the Global South's need to 'jump start' sustainable development. The paper identifies key trends such as nature-based solutions, multimodal transportation, and a growing emphasis on equity and inclusive planning to address environmental racism and green gentrification.
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Document type: Research paper
The gap between funding for carbon capture and storage projects and other emissions reduction options
Analysis by Carbon Limits for Clean Air Task Force indicates that the public funding per tonne of CO2 avoided for recent carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in Norway and the Netherlands is comparable to, or lower than, the average funding spent by EU schemes for onshore wind, offshore wind, and solar power since 2012.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Prepared Testimony of Andrew G. Place Director, U.S. State Energy and Climate Policy Clean Air Task Force before the Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee Hearing on Carbon Capture
The testimony advocates for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) as a vital tool for Pennsylvania to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. It identifies Western Pennsylvania as the most geologically favorable region for CO2 storage, estimating a potential capacity of 75.6 gigatonnes in deep saline formations, though it notes this figure may be overly optimistic. The author suggests that initial CCS projects should target 15 identified steel, cement, and power plants in the west to minimize transport costs, proposing a 'hub' model to achieve economies of scale. The testimony also highlights the potential for Pennsylvania to use its natural gas resources to produce clean hydrogen via reforming with CCS. To enable this transition, the author calls for federal policy support, specifically the enhancement of 45Q tax credits to $85 per metric ton and the passage of the SCALE Act, as well as the adoption of a state-level Clean Energy Standard.
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Document type: Statement
Decarbonization in Singapore: Hydrogen and the Long-Term Low-Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS)
Singapore aims for climate neutrality after 2050, focusing on hydrogen as a key decarbonization enabler due to its limited renewable energy potential. The country's economy is heavily export-oriented, with industrial activities and the power sector contributing 46% and 39% of GHG emissions, respectively. Singapore is exploring low-carbon hydrogen for electricity generation, heavy-duty transport, and industrial fuel, while considering ammonia for maritime bunkering. While blue hydrogen is feasible, the lack of domestic geological formations for CO2 storage necessitates partnerships with neighboring countries. Singapore leverages its position as a global port and refining hub to aim for a future role as a hydrogen hub within a developing global supply chain.
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Document type: Briefing
Transforming industrial clusters to implement the European Green Deal
The document examines five major industrial clusters in Belgium and the Netherlands, highlighting their economic significance and high greenhouse gas emissions. It argues that because each cluster's governance and industrial makeup differ, 'tailor-made policy' is required rather than generic instruments. The brief identifies the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Rhine-Ruhr Area (ARRRA) as a critical meta-cluster connected by extensive pipeline infrastructure. It recommends a multi-level governance approach where cluster authorities handle local planning and implementation, while national and EU bodies provide high-level coordination, regulatory frameworks, and the bulk of the financing for the transition to net-zero by 2050.
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Document type: Policy brief