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This report by Ember examines how the growth of solar power in South Asia is reducing the power sector's exposure to global fossil fuel price shocks, while highlighting that broader fossil fuel dependence persists in transport and industry. The authors argue that further reductions in fuel imports require the electrification of non-power sectors and enhanced regional grid integration, with India serving as a central hub for electricity trade.

This briefing by Ember analyzes the impact of a March 2026 energy shock caused by conflict in the Middle East, which led to spikes in European gas prices and increased fossil import costs. The document highlights how varying levels of reliance on gas for electricity generation across EU member states create disparate levels of exposure to price volatility, arguing that reducing gas dependency is the only effective way to build resilience against such shocks.

This report by Ember analyzes the impact of a March 2026 escalation of conflict in the Middle East on European energy prices. It highlights how the resulting spike in gas prices increased the EU's fossil import bill and electricity costs, while demonstrating that countries with lower reliance on gas-fired power, such as Spain, are more resilient to such shocks.

In 2025, renewable energy reduced annual household electricity bills in Türkiye by an average of 9%, equivalent to one month of electricity. While renewables significantly lowered wholesale prices, the impact on end-users is limited by regulated tariff structures and the lack of hourly demand-side management for residential consumers.

This report by Ember examines the risks associated with integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the power sector, specifically within the ASEAN region. It details technical, operational, and governance challenges—including data limitations, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and regulatory gaps—while providing policy recommendations to ensure a safe and efficient energy transition.

This report by Ember examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can accelerate the integration of variable renewable energy (VRE) in ASEAN power systems. It identifies five commercially proven AI applications—forecasting, predictive maintenance, dispatch optimisation, real-time control, and dynamic line rating—that address the technical challenges of wind and solar variability to improve grid stability, reduce operational costs, and defer expensive transmission investments.

This report by Ember examines how artificial intelligence (AI) can facilitate the integration of variable renewable energy (VRE) in ASEAN power systems. It identifies five key AI applications—forecasting, predictive maintenance, dispatch optimisation, real-time control, and dynamic line rating—that can reduce operational costs and emissions. While the region shows strong AI readiness, adoption is currently fragmented and limited to pilot projects. The report estimates that widespread AI adoption could save up to $67 billion and reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 400 million tonnes by 2035.

Ember's submission to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero argues that the proposed common biomass sustainability framework fails to address the high emissions, import reliance, and costs associated with biomass power. Ember recommends limiting large-scale biomass generation, shifting to domestic sourcing, and scaling up low-carbon alternatives like wind, solar, and batteries to align with UK carbon budgets and energy independence goals.

This research paper by Ember proposes a consumer-centric framework for analyzing the energy system, contrasting it with the 'orthodox' supplier-side approach. The authors argue that focusing on 'useful energy' (the energy that actually performs a task) rather than 'primary energy' reveals the massive inefficiencies of combustion-based systems and highlights the rapid growth of 'electrotech' (electric technologies). The paper simplifies the energy system into two core functions—work and heat—and identifies four 'battles' for the future of energy, asserting that electric technologies are winning or set to win three of them due to superior thermodynamic efficiency.

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Ember provides a response to India's draft National Electricity Policy 2026, arguing for a shift from sequential to co-optimised generation and transmission planning to address bottlenecks and stranded assets. The brief recommends integrating grid-enhancing technologies to manage stability as renewable energy penetration increases, unbundling state transmission utilities to allow private sector participation, and reforming DISCOM procurement to avoid over-reliance on long-term coal contracts. It also emphasizes the need for a robust data-sharing and cybersecurity framework to manage the increasing volume of electricity data from private aggregators and smart infrastructure.

A report by Ember using satellite data reveals that Polish coal mines were the most frequent fossil fuel methane super-emitters in the EU in 2025. Despite the EU Methane Regulation's ban on routine venting from drainage systems starting in January 2025, satellite evidence indicates continued venting at several Polish sites, highlighting a gap in enforcement and the absence of a national penalty framework in Poland.

China is strategically transitioning its coal power fleet from a baseload generation role to providing system flexibility to support the rapid expansion of wind and solar energy. The country is on track to fully retrofit its existing coal fleet for flexibility by 2027, though the report emphasizes that clean flexibility solutions, particularly battery energy storage, must scale up to avoid locking in emissions beyond 2030.

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 policy brief by Ember examines the financing landscape for ASEAN's energy transition, highlighting a significant investment gap and the varying roles of bilateral partners like China, Japan, and the United States. It argues that the Philippines' 2026 ASEAN Chairmanship provides a strategic opportunity to coordinate regional industrial strategies—such as Indonesia's nickel downstreaming and Viet Nam's solar manufacturing—to move the region up the clean energy value chain.

In 2025, India curtailed 2.3 TWh of solar energy to manage grid flexibility, resulting in an estimated USD 63-76 million in compensation payments and 2.11 million tonnes of missed CO2 emission reductions. While India reached 50% non-fossil fuel capacity in 2025 with 135.8 GW of installed solar, the report warns that curtailment could become routine unless grid flexibility improves to keep pace with solar growth, which is currently outpacing demand.

This report examines the structural and operational drivers of renewable energy curtailment in India in 2025, highlighting the roles of demand forecasting errors, limited system flexibility, and transmission bottlenecks. It distinguishes between emergency curtailment via Tertiary Reserve Ancillary Services (TRAS) and structural curtailment caused by inadequate transmission infrastructure, particularly affecting projects under the temporary general network access (T-GNA) framework.

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.