As Senior Policy Advisor and Lead, Renewable Energy, Richard Bridle supports IISD’s Geneva-based Global Subsidies Initiative. His research interests include efficient design of renewable energy support policies, biofuels, green industrial policy and energy subsidies. Richard has a background in the renewable energy industry with experience in policy analysis, project management, development and procurement. He has played key roles in the successful realization of a number of large scale renewable energy projects and has participated in national and international fora on renewable energy policy.
All Publications
- The Sustainable Agriculture Transition: Technology options for low- and middle-income countries
Report - July 30, 2020
This report reviews how technology is transforming food systems and how policy-makers and investors can best harness the use of modern technologies to bring transformative change. - Rethinking Eskom: Lessons from electricity sector reform in India and Mexico
Report - May 25, 2020
As South Africa debates how to reform its struggling electricity sector, this publication reviews how international experience from India and Mexico could inform the debate. - Mapping India's Energy Subsidies 2020: Fossil fuels, renewables and electric vehicles
Report - April 7, 2020
How have India’s energy subsidy policies changed? What have been the most significant developments in India’s dynamic energy policy environment? And is public support aligned with India’s desired energy future? - Beyond Fossil Fuels: Fiscal transition in BRICS
Report - November 12, 2019
This report makes the case for preparing government budgets for the clean energy transition in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa). - Beyond Fossil Fuels: Fiscal Transition BRICS | Case Study: South Africa
Briefing Note - November 12, 2019
The South Africa case study is part of the report Beyond Fossil Fuels: Fiscal transition in BRICS. It presents the aggregated data on both revenues and subsidies related to fossil fuels in South Africa. - Getting to 23 Per Cent: Strategies to scale up renewables in Indonesia
Report - September 19, 2019
This report addresses seven concrete ways in which the Indonesian government can overcome the existing obstacles and make significant progress to grow renewable energy before 2025. - Fossil Fuel to Clean Energy Subsidy Swaps: How to pay for an energy revolution
Report - June 7, 2019
A “subsidy swap”—reallocating some of the savings from fossil fuel subsidy reform to fund the clean energy transition—can bring in economic, social and environmental benefits. - Indonesia's Coal Price Cap: A barrier to renewable energy deployment
Policy Brief - May 6, 2019
Indonesia's coal price cap encourages the consumption of coal while slowing the integration of renewable energy into the country's power grid. - South Africa: Is a transition away from coal just around the corner?
Blog - March 26, 2019
In South Africa, coal has long been king, but emerging factors suggest the fossil fuel may soon be pushed off its throne. - Subsidy Swap: Reducing fossil fuel subsidies through energy efficiency and renewable energy in Zambia
Report - November 28, 2018
This report examines the potential of subsidy reform to improve cost recovery in the electricity sector and promote clean energy and energy efficiency in Zambia. - Stories from G20 Countries: Shifting public money out of fossil fuels
Report - November 21, 2018
This analysis has brought together examples illustrating how G20 countries can learn from each other and align the flows of public money with climate targets and the Sustainable Development Goals. - Not a Case of Either/Or: How government and mines in Zambia can save money through energy efficiency
Blog - November 16, 2018
For years, Zambia’s large hydroelectric dams were able to meet the power needs of its mines, but facing rising electricity demands the country opted to increase generation using coal, diesel and heavy fuel oil. - Kerosene to Solar PV Subsidy Swap: The business case for redirecting subsidy expenditure from kerosene to off-grid solar
Report - July 18, 2018
If kerosene subsidies are being gradually removed, can a share of the subsidy savings not be reinvested in helping the most vulnerable households access electric lighting through off-grid solar technologies? This paper explores the idea of a “kerosene to solar subsidy swap” or a “subsidy swap.” - Missing the 23 Per Cent Target: Roadblocks to the development of renewable energy in Indonesia
Report - February 22, 2018
This report seeks to answer the question of why renewable energy deployment, particularly wind and solar, has not taken off in Indonesia. To understand the forces shaping the sector, and what can be done to remedy the situation, IISD conducted interviews with politicians, civil servants, industry representatives, renewable energy developers, civil society organizations, international donors and other stakeholders. A total of 26 interviews took place, revealing the roots of the problem, the broader political economy of the energy sector and some possible ways forward. - Kerosene to Solar Swap Policy Brief 3: Sustainable Lighting Solutions for Rural Homes in India
Policy Brief - August 24, 2017
This policy brief analyzes the current policy environment governing kerosene and off-grid solar use. It sets out a suite of detailed policy interventions that can be implemented to achieve a systemic transition from kerosene to solar for lighting in rural India. - Kerosene to Solar Swap Policy Brief 1: Kerosene Subsidies in India: The status quo, challenges and the emerging path to reform
Policy Brief - May 25, 2017
This policy brief examines the current system of kerosene subsidies in India, looking at key issues and the impact subsidies have on the distribution of clean, off-grid solar lighting solutions. - At the Crossroads: Balancing the financial and social costs of coal transition in China
Report - July 5, 2017
The global decline of the coal industry has led to job losses and mine closures. As Shanxi in China considers how to create new employment in a coal dependent region we review international experience of the tranistion away from coal. - The True Cost of Coal and Renewables in Indonesia
Blog - June 12, 2017
Indonesia is facing an energy crunch as demand for electricity rises across the country. The country is one of the world’s largest coal producers, and is developing plans for an additional 35 gigawatts (GW) of new coal-fired power stations. Proponents of the development claim that coal is the cheapest source of energy available. Is this really true? - Financial Supports for Coal and Renewables in Indonesia
Report - May 31, 2017
This report shows that the “true cost” of coal, including subsidies and externalities such as GHG emissions and air pollution, is considerably greater than the cost of renewable energy in Indonesia. - Making the Switch: From fossil fuel subsidies to sustainable energy
Report - May 11, 2017
This report estimates fossil fuel subsidies to be around USD 425 billion. Such subsidies represent large lost opportunities for governments to invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable development. - Subsidies to Coal Power Generation in China
Report - November 14, 2016
This comprehensive inventory of subsidies to coal generators in China shows that the coal industry receives considerable levels of government support. - How to Pay the Bills? A survey of public attitudes to electricity tariff reform in Rajasthan
Report - November 7, 2016
This report presents the findings of a household survey that sheds light on the attitudes of electricity consumers toward tariff reform in the State of Rajasthan, India. - Indonesia's Financially Sustainable Electricity Sector
Report - October 7, 2016
This paper reviews the ability of Indonesia’s electricity sector to meet the country’s need for electricity in a financially sustainable way. - Wind Power in China: A cautionary tale
Report - September 2, 2016
This reports looks at some of the challenges that China has faced in expanding wind power. It identifies the ways that the government has sought to address these challenges and offers recommendations to support expanded wind power in China and elsewhere. - An Assessment of the Financial Sustainability of the Electricity Sector in Rajasthan
Report - August 9, 2016
This report examines the performance of the electricity sector in Rajasthan, assessing its ability to recover operating costs, reliably meet demand, make investments and operate according to environmental and social norms. - Subsidies to a Proposed Nuclear Power Plant Should Feature Large in UK Government’s Review
Blog - August 2, 2016
As the UK Government considers whether to proceed with Hinkley Point C—a proposed nuclear power plant—it should weigh the full cost of the project to the public purse. By our calculation the subsidies are likely to be at least £40 billion. - Building on Momentum: Recommendations from the GSI for Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform at the G20
Policy Brief - June 27, 2016
This policy brief examines the progress made to phase-out inefficient and wasteful fossil fuel subsidies, the increasing momentum behind subsidy reform in international processes and the steps needed to ensure that the commitment is met. - Supporting Energy Pricing Reform and Carbon Pricing Policies Through Crediting
Report - May 17, 2016
This study examines the role that policy crediting might play in increasing the mitigation impact of energy pricing reform and carbon pricing policies. - It’s Official: The United Kingdom is to subsidize nuclear power, but at what cost?
Report - March 7, 2016
A review of planned subsidies to the proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in the United Kingdom. - Subsidies to Coal Production in China
Paper - December 31, 2015
This report presents the first detailed estimate of subsidies to coal production in China, identifying an estimated USD 5.8 billion in in government support in 2013. - Coal and Renewables in China
Paper - October 31, 2015
This report explores the cost of coal in terms of subsidies and externalities and discusses the extent to which coal subsidies act as a barrier to the development of renewable energy. - Tackling Fossil Fuel Subsidies and Climate Change: Levelling the energy playing field
Paper - October 21, 2015
Subsidies for the consuption of fossil fuels were estimated at US$550 billion in 2013, according to the International Energy Agency. - CEM and ECPA Side Event: Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform and Investments in Clean and Affordable Energy
Video - May 26, 2015
Recent developments in fossil fuel subsidy reform and discussion of how to sustain the progress made, should oil prices rise again.Discussion of... - Energy Pricing, Energy Supply and FDI Competitiveness in Viet Nam: An assessment of foreign investor sentiment
Paper - April 1, 2015
Foreign direct investment (FDI) has made a major contribution to Viet Nam’s impressive structural transformation and economic growth since the... - Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of Renewable Energy Deployment Subsidies: Solar PV in Germany and Spain
Paper - December 31, 2014
This study reviews deployment subsidies for solar PV in two European countries, Germany and Spain. It forms one of a series of three looking at the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy deployment subsidies, each one focusing on different technologies and countries. - RE-ARCTIC: Promoting renewable energy, eliminating fossil fuel subsidies and benefitting communities in the North
Speech - December 30, 2014
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) presented its vision of renewable energy development to the Sustainable Development... - Impact of fossil fuel subsidies on renewable electricity generation (webinar)
Video - December 15, 2014
This presentation from the Global Subsidies Initiative will explore in more detail the impact that fossil fuel subsidies have on renewable... - The Impact of Fossil-Fuel Subsidies on Renewable Electricity Generation
Paper - December 11, 2014
Fossil-fuel subsidies are prevalent in many countries.The International Energy Agency (IEA) has estimated that consumer subsidies to fossil fuels... - Public Finance for Renewable Energy in China: Building on international experience
Paper - October 3, 2014
The Chinese government has responded to the challenge of increasing energy consumption and environmental pollution with ambitious targets for... - The Context of Fossil-Fuel Subsidies in the GCC Region and Their Impact on Renewable Energy Development
Paper - September 3, 2014
This discussion paper looks at fossil-fuel pricing and subsidies in the political, social and economic context of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)... - A Financially Sustainable Power Sector: Developing assessment methodologies
Paper - May 3, 2014
This paper explores the concept of financial sustainability and proposes a framework to analyze electricity sectors based on this model.The concept... - Green Revenues for Green Energy: Environmental fiscal reform for renewable energy technology deployment in China
Paper - October 22, 2013
China's economy continues to grow rapidly with corresponding increases in both energy consumption and environmental pollution.Renewable energy is a... - Biofuels - At What Cost? A review of costs and benefits of U.K. biofuel policies
Paper - September 10, 2013
This report evaluates some of the principal issues associated with the U.K.'s biofuel industry, including support policies, employment creation,... - Biofuels—At What Cost? A review of costs and benefits of EU biofuel policies
Paper - April 16, 2013
Biofuels—At What Cost? A review of costs and benefits of EU biofuel policies analyzes a range of costs and benefits associated with European Union ... - Cultivating Governance: Cautionary tales for biofuel policy reformers
Paper - December 4, 2012
The policy brief analyzes the current developments around the emerging U-turns on government support to biofuels internationally.Based on desk... - State of Play on Biofuel Subsidies: Are policies ready to shift?
Video - June 23, 2012
June 19, 2012 - RIO DE JANEIRO - The GSI report State of Play on Biofuel Subsidies: Are policies ready to shift? was launched at a special...