Climate Action 100+

Traffic light benchmarks

The Traffic Light Benchmarks are a set of metrics that measure the progress of companies towards the Paris Agreement goals. The metrics are based on the company's current trajectory and are used to assess the company's alignment with the Paris Agreement goals.

Yes, meets all criteria.
Partial, meets some criteria.
No, does not meet any criteria.
Not currently assessed.

These categories quickly indicate corporate progress and identify areas for potential development in alignment with the Paris Agreement's targets.

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Duke Energy

Duke Energy traffic light benchmarks

Indicator Status
Unabated Coal Phase-out Alignment With a 1.5°C Pathway FULL RETIREMENT NOT CONSISTENT WITH NZE (1.5°C)

Scores indicate if the company’s coal unit phase-out plans match the following scenarios:

  • Green: Full retirement of coal-fired generation fleet consistent with CTI’s interpretation of the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario (NZE – 1.5°C) scenario.
  • Amber: Full retirement of coal-fired generation fleet, which is not consistent with CTI’s interpretation of the IEA’s NZE (1.5°C).
  • Red: Partial retirement of coal-fired generation fleet OR unannounced retirement/insufficient data on retirements.
Unabated Gas Phase-out Alignment With a 1.5°C Pathway PARTIAL RETIREMENT

Traffic light colours indicate if the company’s gas unit phase-out plans match the following scenarios:

  • Green: Full retirement of unabated gas-fired generation fleet consistent with CTI’s interpretation of the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario (NZE – 1.5°C).
  • Amber: Full retirement of unabated gas-fired generation fleet, which is not consistent with CTI’s interpretation of the IEA’s NZE (1.5°C).
  • Red: Partial retirement that is not consistent with CTI’s interpretation of the IEA’s NZE (1.5°C) or unannounced retirement/insufficient data on retirements.

A full phase-out of unabated gas units leaves open a role for other abatement technologies such gas-to-hydrogen conversion beyond 2050.
Coal Capacity Alignment With a 1.5°C Pathway 0-75% NZE (1.5°C) CONSISTENT

Traffic light colours indicate if the percentage of planned coal generation capacity is consistent with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C (IEA Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario – NZE):

  • Green: 100% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
  • Amber: 75-99% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
  • Red: 0-75% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
Gas Capacity Alignment With a 1.5°C Pathway 0-75% NZE (1.5°C) CONSISTENT

Traffic light colours indicate if the percentage of planned unabated gas generation capacity is consistent with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C (IEA Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario – NZE):

  • Red: 0-75% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
  • Amber: 75-99% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
  • Green: 100% NZE (1.5°C) consistent

This assumes that all unabated gas generation must be phased out (or abated) by 2050 under NZE. At present, CTI scales down IEA scenarios to regional grid level and therefore does not take local grid constraint issues into consideration.
Source:
  1. CTI
  2. , IEA
  3. , Global Energy Monitor
Updated:
  1. Benchmark data (Sep 2024)

Notes

The Traffic Light Benchmarks are a set of metrics that measure the progress of companies towards the Paris Agreement goals. The metrics are based on the company's current trajectory and are used to assess the company's alignment with the Paris Agreement goals.

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