Key Insights from Social Licensing to Operate in Renewable Energy Projects

As renewable hydrogen becomes central to decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, such as steel manufacturing or heavy transport, deployment in Emerging Markets and Developing Countries depends on obtaining timely environmental and social permits on the social acceptance of hydrogen production plants, often referred to as social license to operate. These are not peripheral tasks as they directly shape project bankability, investment readiness, and long-term project sustainability.

The World Bank’s report, Key Insights from Social Licensing to Operate in Renewable Energy Projects: Applying Lessons to Clean Hydrogen Development, underscores three interlinked challenges. First, unfamiliarity with hydrogen leads many national and local governments to …

Location, Location, Location

This report compares the costs and benefits of one utility-scale, front-of-the-meter (FTM) battery system versus five commercial-scale, behind-the-meter (BTM) batteries of the same aggregate cost in Massachusetts. The report, commissioned by Clean Energy Group for the Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative (CVEC), provides useful information to help CVEC decide between two possible ownership models for future energy storage procurement, while also providing a more general cost/benefit comparison between FTM utility-scale and BTM commercial-scale batteries. In this analysis, the larger FTM battery is considered a community storage project, owned and operated by CVEC on behalf of its constituent municipalities. The municipalities …

Global Methane Footprints Growth and Drivers 1990-2023

Methane has been identified as the second-largest contributor to climate change, accounting for approximately 30% of global warming. Countries have established targets and are implementing various measures to curb methane emissions. However, our understanding of the trends in methane emissions and their drivers remains limited, particularly from a consumption perspective (i.e. accounting for all emissions along the entire global supply chain). This study investigates the most recent dynamics of methane emissions across 120 sectors from both production and consumption viewpoints in 164 countries. It also discusses the status of decoupling of production- and consumption-based methane emissions from economic growth. Our …

US Energy Storage Monitor: Q3 2025

The US Energy Storage Monitor is a quarterly publication of Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables and the American Clean Power Association (ACP). Each quarter, new industry data is compiled into this report to provide the most comprehensive, timely analysis of energy storage in the US.…

Multimodal Dataset for Wind Turbine Blade Monitoring During Lightning Strikes

Lightning strikes pose a significant threat to the structural integrity and operational performance of wind turbine blades. Due to the high probability of lightning strikes but the difficulty in capturing their dynamic data, obtaining comprehensive data on blades subjected to lightning strikes is challenging. This study presents a rare multimodal dataset for wind turbine blade monitoring during lightning strikes (MDWTBM-LS). It includes vibration, load, and strain measurements from fiber optic load sensors and fiber optic accelerometer sensors. It provides real-time records of blade operational status and damage assessments after strikes. The dataset is intended to promote the development of predictive …

Understanding the Scaling of Transport Energy Use with Operational Density

Given the substantial contribution of transport operations to global energy demand, enhancing their energy efficiency is crucial for sustainable urban mobility. This study investigates whether intensifying the use of fixed transport networks, termed operational densification, reduces energy consumption. Grounded in economic theory, we develop a novel causal model to estimate the energy impacts of densification across two major commuting modes: urban rail transit (metro) and private car travel. Using a unique panel dataset of 27 metro operations worldwide, we find that a 10% increase in passenger-kilometres travelled on a fixed network reduces energy use per passenger-kilometre by 3.45%. These gains …

Assessment of Carbon-Abatement Pricing to Maximize the Value of Electrolytic Hydrogen in Emissions-Intensive Power Sectors

Electrolytic hydrogen can support the decarbonization of the power sector. Achieving cost-effective power-to-gas-to-power (PGP) integration through targeted emissions pricing can accelerate the adoption of electrolytic hydrogen in greenhouse gas-intensive power sectors. This study develops a framework for assessing the economic viability of electrolytic hydrogen-based PGP systems in fossil fuel-dependent grids, while considering the competing objectives of the electricity system operator, a risk-averse investor, and the government. Here we show that, given the risk-averse investor’s inherent pursuit of profit maximization, a break-even carbon abatement cost of at least 57 Canadian Dollars per tonne of CO₂ by 2030 from the government, with …

Electric Transmission Value and its Drivers in United States Power Markets

Electric transmission infrastructure plays a vital role during extreme weather and supply disruptions and can enable low-cost electricity systems. This paper contributes to a more complete understanding of the value and cost-effectiveness of transmission, as well as barriers to its development. By studying wholesale energy market prices in the United States between 2012 and 2022, we find that additional transfer capacity between regions would have been especially valuable, with a median value of $116 million per GW per year. This capacity would often have provided balanced benefits to each region. The market value of transmission was highly influenced by a …

Opportunities for Decentralised Solar Power to Improve Reliability, Reduce Emissions and Avoid Stranded Assets

Despite recent improvements to electricity access in lower-income countries, reliability remains low for many. Local renewable electricity infrastructure supplementing the national grid offers a promising route to improved reliability for rural communities. However, improvements in the reliability of national grids create risks for investors including the possibility of “stranded” renewable assets. We use energy-system modelling to explore ways in which solar photovoltaic (PV)-based mini-grids could be interconnected with national grids. We explore the impact of reduced electricity demand to quantify the investment risks of losing customers. Our results indicate that national grid–connected mini-grids can reduce the unit electricity costs for …

Electric Transmission Value and Its Drivers in United States Power Markets

Electric transmission infrastructure plays a vital role during extreme weather and supply disruptions and can enable low-cost electricity systems. This paper contributes to a more complete understanding of the value and cost-effectiveness of transmission, as well as barriers to its development. By studying wholesale energy market prices in the United States between 2012 and 2022, we find that additional transfer capacity between regions would have been especially valuable, with a median value of $116 million per GW per year. This capacity would often have provided balanced benefits to each region. The market value of transmission was highly influenced by a …