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In June 2026, solar power provided 25% of the EU's electricity, reaching a record 52 TWh and becoming the bloc's largest single power source for the third time ever.

The report analyzes the potential for batteries and demand flexibility from electric vehicles (EVs) and heat pumps to replace fossil-based grid balancing in the EU by 2030. It projects a significant increase in battery capacity and the ability of smart charging and heating to reduce peak demand and grid strain, provided that regulatory barriers are removed and smart meter rollout is accelerated.

The Climate Bonds Initiative's Q1 2026 report details the state of the global aligned GSS+ (Green, Social, Sustainability, and Sustainability-linked) debt market. As of March 2026, the cumulative aligned volume reached USD 6,986.0 billion, with green-labelled debt remaining the dominant theme. While the overall market saw a 9% decline in supply compared to Q1 2025 on a like-for-like basis, specific regions like France and Germany showed strong activity in social and green bonds, respectively.

The report 'Boom & Bust Coal 2026' by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the global state of coal-fired power plants in 2025. It highlights a growing divergence where global coal capacity increased by 3.5% while actual production fell by 0.6%, as coal plants are increasingly used as backup capacity rather than primary energy sources. While China and India continue aggressive expansions, the number of countries pursuing new coal developments is declining, and the European Union is seeing a terminal decline in coal usage.

An Ember report finds that global coal mine methane (CMM) emissions remained broadly steady between 2021 and 2023, despite an 8% increase in global coal production. The report highlights significant discrepancies between official UNFCCC-reported data and independent estimates, noting that six of the nine largest emitters failed to submit official 2023 CMM data.

The Global Coal Mine Methane Review 2026 reports that coal mine methane (CMM) emissions have remained steady at approximately 35 million tonnes despite rising coal production since the 2021 Global Methane Pledge. The report highlights a critical lack of transparency, estimating that 89% of emissions were unreported to the UNFCCC in 2023, and that 87% of global coal production relies on generic emission factors rather than direct measurements. While satellite monitoring is increasing, it currently captures emissions from only 10% of global hard coal production. The report concludes that existing technologies could reduce CMM emissions by 54-63% by 2030, with some measures available at no net cost, and that such reductions are affordable relative to industry profits.

This report by Ember analyses electricity generation data to demonstrate that fossil fuel power has reached a structural peak and is in permanent decline across all 38 OECD member countries as of 2025. It highlights how the rapid scaling of solar and wind is displacing thermal generation, a trend that is now extending into major emerging economies like China and India.

This report by Ember analyzes global electricity demand and supply trends in 2025 and over the preceding two decades. It details the growth of low-carbon sources, specifically solar and wind, and the relative decline of fossil fuels, while noting the impact of weather and policy on national energy mixes.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) submitted recommendations to Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade regarding the renegotiation of older-generation bilateral investment treaties (BITs). The IISD advocates for terminating outdated treaties and replacing them with a new generation of frameworks that prioritize sustainable development, climate action, and national regulatory autonomy over blanket investor protections.

The report 'Crossed wires: Grid capacity could block EU energy security' by Ember analyzes how limited grid capacity in Europe threatens energy security and economic competitiveness. It identifies significant shortfalls in grid hosting capacity for both new renewable energy projects and industrial demand, while noting that distribution grids are generally better prepared for household electrification, with notable exceptions in Spain and Poland.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) submitted recommendations to the Australian government regarding the renegotiation of older-generation bilateral investment treaties (BITs). The IISD argues that these treaties prioritize investor protection and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) over public policy and urges a shift toward treaties that facilitate sustainable investment and climate action.

This report by Ember analyzes the evolving potential of geothermal electricity in Europe, highlighting how technological advances in drilling and reservoir engineering are making geothermal a cost-competitive, firm, low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels. It emphasizes that while Europe pioneered many of these technologies, it now risks losing its leadership to the US and Canada due to a lack of coordinated EU-level policy and investment frameworks.

A report by Ember detailing the rapid growth of battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales in Türkiye, which became Europe's fourth-largest market for new BEVs in 2025, while noting that the overall vehicle fleet remains dominated by fossil fuels.

This report analyzes the emerging role of grid-scale batteries in the European Union as of 2025, highlighting their ability to compete with expensive gas-fired power during peak demand hours and reduce the curtailment of renewable energy. Using Italy as a primary example and California as a comparative case study, the document details how falling battery costs and widening price spreads are driving a record project pipeline aimed at lowering wholesale electricity prices and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

In 2025, the European Union's power sector reached a tipping point as wind and solar generation surpassed fossil fuels for the first time, accounting for 30.1% of electricity. While solar generation hit record highs and coal reached a historic low, gas power saw a slight increase, though it remained below pre-crisis levels.

The European Electricity Review 2026 by Ember analyzes electricity generation and demand across the EU-27 for 2025. The report highlights a historic tipping point where wind and solar combined to produce more electricity than all fossil fuel sources for the first time, while coal reached a new historic low. Despite this progress, the EU remains dependent on imported gas, which drove up electricity prices and import costs in 2025. The report emphasizes the role of battery storage in reducing gas reliance and curtailment of clean power.

This end-of-year commentary by Ember synthesises key findings from 2025 regarding the global energy transition, highlighting how solar and wind power have begun to outpace global electricity demand growth and reshape energy dynamics through the rise of "electrotech" and battery storage.

This report by Ember analyzes how electricity pricing structures in the European Union act as a barrier to the adoption of heat pumps. It argues that while heat pumps are significantly more efficient than gas boilers, high electricity prices—often inflated by policy-related levies—make them less cost-competitive. The report evaluates various policy interventions, such as removing levies or shifting them to gas, to lower the electricity-to-gas price ratio and accelerate the electrification of household heating to meet REPowerEU 2030 goals.

This report by Ember assesses the current state and future requirements of Europe's electricity interconnection. It finds that the EU is not on track to meet its 2030 interconnection targets, with 80% of the power system expected to miss the goal. To reach an optimal grid by 2040, Europe needs to nearly double its interconnection capacity, adding 151 GW, which requires an estimated €150 billion in investment. The report identifies a €30 billion public funding gap in the proposed Connecting Europe Facility for Energy (CEF-E) budget for 2028-2034, suggesting that this gap must be filled by EU loans and private funding to ensure energy security and cost-effectiveness.

The report 'Shockproof: how electrification can strengthen EU energy security' by Ember argues that accelerating the electrification of the EU economy, powered by homegrown renewables, is the primary mechanism to reduce the bloc's high dependency on imported fossil fuels. It suggests that fossil import dependency could be halved by 2040 through the adoption of mature technologies like electric vehicles and heat pumps.