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The 2024 Electrification Data Methodology describes how Ember calculates the energy and emissions impacts of electric vehicles (EVs) and residential heat pumps. The methodology focuses on operational energy use, calculating the 'displaced' primary fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by comparing the energy required for electrification technologies against the fossil fuel alternatives they replace. For transport, the model accounts for vehicle stocks, mileage decay, and charging losses. For residential heating, it utilizes final energy consumption data, boiler efficiency factors, and seasonal coefficients of performance (SCOP). The analysis covers the European Union and the United Kingdom, utilizing data from sources such as Eurostat, the IEA, and the UK Department for Transport.

The 2024 Indian States’ Electricity Transition (SET) report identifies Gujarat and Karnataka as consistent top performers in decarbonising their power sectors and preparing their market ecosystems. While some states like Delhi and Odisha show high readiness or strong market enablers, they struggle with actual decarbonisation. Conversely, states such as Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh exhibit structural challenges and slow progress across all dimensions. The report recommends strengthening state-level regulatory frameworks and developing specific subnational transition plans to address these uneven disparities.

In 2023, renewables reached a record 30% of global electricity generation, driven by solar and wind. Despite this, global power sector emissions rose by 1% to a record 14,153 million tonnes of CO2, as severe droughts caused a five-year low in hydropower, forcing a reliance on coal in countries like China and India. Solar was the fastest-growing source for the 19th consecutive year, while OECD countries continued to see falling emissions. Ember forecasts that 2023 marked the peak of power sector emissions, with a decline expected in 2024 as clean generation growth is projected to outpace electricity demand.

Türkiye has a rooftop solar technical potential of at least 120 GW, which could meet 45% of the country's 2022 electricity consumption. Despite this potential, solar's share of generation lags behind northern European countries. The report highlights that expanding rooftop solar could reduce residential electricity subsidies, which totaled approximately $3.6 billion from September 2022 to August 2023, and help industries avoid EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) penalties. It recommends implementing installation obligations for new buildings and adopting virtual net metering for apartments, drawing on successful global examples from China, Poland, and the Netherlands.

Bavaria currently has 2.6 GW of installed wind capacity, but the report finds that reducing the minimum distance between turbines and residences to 800 metres could increase this capacity nearly sixfold to 15 GW. Such an expansion would generate 22 TWh of electricity, accounting for 22% of Germany's onshore wind power and allowing Bavaria to reduce its annual gas consumption by 27%. The report highlights that the current '10H rule'—requiring a distance ten times the turbine's height—has stalled project permitting, and suggests that adopting more flexible distance rules, similar to those recently implemented in Poland, would enhance energy sovereignty and save billions in gas costs.

The analysis by Ember and Initiative Klimaneutrales Deutschland finds that Bavaria's wind energy capacity could be significantly increased by relaxing the '10H' distance rule. Reducing the minimum distance to 800 meters could increase capacity to 15 GW, allowing the state to replace 14 TWh of gas-based electricity generation and reduce annual gas consumption by 28 TWh, potentially saving between 1.3 billion and 3.4 billion euros annually.

India would need an additional $101 billion in financing to align with the IEA Net-Zero Emissions (NZE) pathway by 2030, bringing total investment needs to $394 billion. To meet this goal, solar generation must reach 819 TWh and wind 259 TWh, requiring total combined capacity of 571 GW. This necessitates a five-fold increase in annual solar and wind additions by 2027. The report highlights that securing competitive financing is critical to avoid coal capacity lock-in and manage systemic investment risks such as payment delays and PPA renegotiations.

Ember's Coal Mine Methane Reporting Data Tracker indicates that Australian coal mines may emit up to double the methane levels reported to the government. The report highlights a significant gap between official UNFCCC figures and independent estimates from the IEA, Global Energy Monitor, and satellite studies, suggesting an annual under-reporting of 680,000 to 1.1 million tonnes of methane. This discrepancy is attributed to the continued use of outdated estimation methods and generic factors under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (Cth). Despite joining the Global Methane Pledge in 2022, Australia lacks a national Methane Action Plan or sectoral targets for energy methane emissions.

The briefing asserts that tripling renewables and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 will provide 85% of the required cuts in unabated fossil fuels for that period. By 2035, these two actions alone are projected to reduce total CO2 emissions by more than half. The document emphasizes that while nuclear energy and carbon capture and storage (CCS) play roles, their contributions are significantly smaller due to slow deployment and technology immaturity, making renewables and efficiency the most effective tools for a rapid fossil fuel phaseout.

The report finds that government-reported methane emissions from coal mines, totaling 30.5 million tonnes, may be significantly underestimated. Independent assessments suggest actual emissions could range from 38 to 67 million tonnes per year, which, when considering short-term warming impacts, could be comparable to the total annual CO2 emissions of the United States.

To align with the 1.5 degrees target, coal mine methane (CMM) emissions must decrease by 75% by 2030. Ember proposes that governments mandate direct measurement and reporting for all mine types, invest in satellite-based verification to ensure data accuracy, and provide financial and technical assistance to low-income countries to implement methane reduction plans.

The report finds that global coal mine methane (CMM) emissions may be up to twice as high as government figures reported to the UNFCCC. It highlights a systemic failure in measurement, noting that 97% of reported emissions rely on generic emission factors rather than direct measurement. The analysis identifies 22 countries that may be underreporting emissions by more than 100%, with severe discrepancies noted in South Africa, Indonesia, and Germany. Ember recommends mandatory direct measurement for all mines, the use of satellite verification, and international financial support for low-income countries to implement these standards.

Ember's analysis reveals that 97% of reported coal mine methane (CMM) emissions are based on emission factors rather than direct measurements, leading to widespread underreporting. The report finds that 22 countries may have more than double the emissions they officially report, with extreme discrepancies noted in South Africa, Indonesia, and Germany. Only 44 countries published CMM data for 2021, and many major producers, including China and India, have not reported recently.

This document describes the data collection methodology and definitions used by Ember to track national ambitions for renewable energy deployment in the power sector across 57 countries and the European Union, focusing on targets for 2030.

The report finds that while current national targets collectively aim for a doubling of renewable capacity by 2030, they often underestimate the actual pace of deployment. A global tripling to 11,000 GW is considered achievable if governments update targets to reflect recent growth and maintain a 17% annual increase in additions. The analysis identifies specific countries with high potential to increase ambition, such as Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the UAE, while noting that others like India and Saudi Arabia already have targets that aim for a tripling of their 2022 capacity.

ASEAN's solar and wind generation grew by 43% annually between 2015 and 2022, largely driven by Viet Nam's Feed-in Tariff policies. However, growth slowed in 2022, and the region currently utilizes less than 1% of its theoretical solar and wind potential. To meet the IEA's 2050 net zero scenario, ASEAN must reach a 23% share of solar and wind in total electricity generation by 2030, requiring the addition of 164 GW of solar and 65 GW of wind capacity. The report argues that achieving this requires removing regulatory barriers like local content requirements, investing in grid modernization and storage, and implementing attractive pricing mechanisms.

Ember's feedback on the JETP CIPP highlights critical gaps in the plan, particularly the exclusion of captive power emissions, which may lead to 2030 emissions exceeding the 290 MT CO2 target. The organization recommends increasing solar targets, reassessing wind deployment locations, and questioning the sustainability and viability of bioenergy. Ember also criticizes the coal retirement timeline, noting that the CIPP's plan to retire only 1.7 GW by 2040 contradicts the Indonesian government's more ambitious goals and the IEA's 1.5 degree scenario. Additionally, the document calls for greater transparency in GFANZ financing, comprehensive risk assessments regarding US political stability, and urgent policy reforms to end coal subsidies and prohibit new coal plants in the industrial sector.

Half of the world's economies are at least five years past a peak in fossil power generation, with 107 economies representing 38% of global electricity demand having seen emissions fall by nearly 20% over the last decade. While the EU, Oceania, and North America are in a period of decline, Asia and the Middle East are the only regions yet to reach a peak, though individual countries like Viet Nam and Japan show progress. The report emphasizes that the expansion of wind and solar is the primary driver of fossil fuel displacement, noting that without these technologies, power sector emissions would be 20% higher.

The report highlights that coal mines are the largest source of energy-sector methane emissions in the EU, primarily driven by Poland. While the original EU Commission proposal aimed for a 70% reduction in cumulative methane emissions from active thermal coal mines by 2040, current agreements have already lowered this to 34%. Ember warns that Poland's latest lobbying efforts could further reduce these cuts to just 12% by 2040, representing a sixfold weakening of the original ambition. The document emphasizes that methane abatement in Poland's coal sector is a 'low-hanging fruit' that could reduce the EU's fossil fuel methane emissions by 15% at a cost of less than one euro per kilogram of methane.

The report argues that delivering existing clean power commitments would allow the UK to produce 98% of its electricity from clean sources by 2030, saving the average household £300 per year and reducing total household costs by £8.7 billion. It contrasts a 'Delivering commitments' scenario with a 'Falling short' scenario, noting that the latter would increase reliance on volatile fossil gas imports and result in the UK remaining a net importer of electricity. While grid investment would increase network costs, these are outweighed by a significant drop in wholesale electricity prices. The report identifies critical barriers to this transition, including slow permitting processes, grid connection delays, and unsuccessful renewable auction rounds, particularly for offshore wind.