The benefits of switching to clean, renewable power are clear - not just cleaner air, a safer climate and more energy independence but protection from problems like globally high gas prices as a result of the war in Ukraine.

But moving from dirty fossil fuel energy systems to renewable ones presents a range of hurdles, from significant upfront costs to the challenges of getting the right-sized clean energy workforce in place.

India's Skill Council for Green Jobs, for instance, has trained 78,000 people to install solar panels, connect them to grids and maintain battery storage systems.

But less than a third have found jobs in the solar industry. Pandemic-related slowdowns and a geographical mismatch between training sites and solar projects looking to hire are part of the problem, correspondent Anuradha Nagaraj found.

In Zimbabwe, rooftop water heaters that tap the sun's heat are now required on new homes, as the country tries to reduce reliance on its overburdened electric grid.

The heater on his new home means Bulawayo resident Cosmas Ndlovu's family is saving every month on power bills - and can enjoy hot water even during blackouts.

"Warm water never runs out. I can have a hot bath even in the middle of the night," said Ndlovu, who has installed three solar panels as well to power his lights, television, stove and refrigerator.

But while the $400 solar water heaters pay for themselves in just a couple of years, homeowners say, the upfront cost can be a burden for many families - one reason the government is now considering backing bank loans for their installation and subsidies for builders.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, is facing a choice confronting many countries around the world: If imported gas is unaffordable, is a push to renewables the better alternative, or a boost in domestic coal or gas production?

The hugely climate-vulnerable country has cancelled coal plants in recent years - but with power cuts hitting the poorest hard, some Bangladeshi analysts are calling for new fossil fuel use, even with its huge risks for the climate.

Boosting wind and solar power are a smarter option, however, said Simon Nicholas, of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis - not least because once installed "they have no fuel costs".

Ever bought an NFT (non-fungible token) from a company promising to use the money to protect the Amazon rainforest and its people?

It might be time to take a closer look at such projects, with Brazilian prosecutors now asking one provider to prove they actually own the land, after indigenous groups claimed it was theirs.

See you next week!

Laurie

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