Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air

What Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air does

CREA (Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air) is an independent non-profit research organization founded in 2019 and headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, with a staff of 11-50 analysts, data scientists, and policy specialists. The organization produces evidence-based research on air pollution trends, causes, and health impacts, as well as clean energy transition, serving governments, NGOs, companies, and media worldwide. Its analytical platform combines satellite data analysis, real-time energy trade tracking, and scientific research methods, anchored by proprietary data products including the RussiaFossilTracker (covering 87% of global coal generation and 60%+ of global gas-fired power generation) and satellite-based PM2.5 monitoring across 4,041 Indian towns and Chinese provincial capitals.

CREA's core product portfolio consists of recurring monthly and quarterly analytical snapshots covering Russian fossil fuel exports and sanctions, China energy and emissions, China air quality, and India air quality, alongside thematic publications such as 'Financing Putin's War,' 'Ripe for Closure,' Indonesia nickel analysis, Pakistan solar analysis, and South Africa coal phase-out health impact assessment. The business model is freemium: all publications and data products are distributed free of charge via the energyandcleanair.org website, email newsletters, and third-party media partnerships. Operating geographies span China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, South Africa, Russia/EU, Taiwan, the UK, and Brazil, with demonstrated policy influence including informing statutory PM emission limits in Delhi-NCR and contributing to Taiwan Cement Corporation ending Russian coal purchases.

Name

Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air

Legal name

Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air

Website

https://energyandcleanair.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CREA is an independent non-profit research organization producing data-driven analysis on air pollution, energy trends, and fossil fuel trade for governments, NGOs, companies, and media worldwide, using satellite data and real-time energy tracking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Research Publications: CREA produces free publicly available research reports, data products, and analytical snapshots on air pollution, energy trends, and fossil fuel trade. All publications are freely accessible on their website.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CREA is an independent research organization that produces evidence-based research, data products, and analytical snapshots on air pollution, energy trends, and fossil fuel trade. Its core offerings include monthly and weekly reports tracking Russian fossil fuel exports and sanctions, China and India energy and emissions trends, and thematic research publications on coal phase-out health impacts, Indonesia's nickel industry, and China's steel decarbonization. All publications and data products are provided free of charge.

Product overview

Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) is an independent research organization that offers a portfolio of analytical products focused on energy, emissions, and air quality research. The core offerings include monthly and quarterly snapshots covering Russia fossil fuel exports and sanctions, China energy/emissions trends, China air quality trends, and India ambient air quality. Additional products include data services, the 'Financing Putin's War' tracking series, and thematic publications on topics including coal phase-out health impacts, Indonesia's nickel strategy, and China's steel industry decarbonization. These products work together to provide comprehensive monitoring and analysis of global energy transitions, fossil fuel trade flows, and air pollution trends.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Russia Fossil Fuel Tracker: Real-time tracking system monitoring Russian fossil fuel exports, revenues, and sanctions enforcement
• Financing Putin's War
• China Monthly Energy & Emissions Snapshot
• India Monthly Ambient Air Quality Snapshot
• China Air Quality Trends Snapshot

Products and services

• Monthly Analysis of Russian Fossil Fuel Exports and Sanctions Monthly analytical report tracking Russia's fossil fuel export revenues, volumes, and sanctions enforcement, covering crude oil, LNG, pipeline gas, coal, and oil products across major importing countries. Used by governments, media, and NGOs tracking sanctions effectiveness.
• Weekly Snapshot: Russia Weekly tracking reports providing real-time estimates of Russian fossil fuel exports and sanctions monitoring. Used by policymakers and media for current sanctions enforcement tracking.
• China Energy and Emissions Trends Snapshot Monthly snapshot report tracking China's energy generation, emissions trends, coal power data, renewable energy additions, and industrial output with year-on-year comparisons. Used by policymakers, analysts, and media covering China energy.
• China Air Quality Trends Snapshot Monthly report monitoring PM2.5, ozone, and NO2 levels across China's provincial capitals, tracking compliance with national air quality standards. Used by policymakers, researchers, and media covering China air quality.
• India Monthly Ambient Air Quality Snapshot Monthly air quality monitoring report for India covering PM2.5 levels across over 4,000 Indian cities and towns, tracking compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Used by Indian policymakers, including the Commission for Air Quality Management.
• Financing Putin's War Ongoing analysis series tracking how fossil fuel revenues from imports fund Russia's military operations in Ukraine, including country-by-country breakdown of purchases and sanctions enforcement tracking.
• CREA Data Products Access to CREA's underlying datasets including fossil shipment tracker methodology, pricing methodology for Russian crude oils, and real-time energy trade data. Provides researchers and analysts with primary data for independent analysis.
• Unmasked: Health and Economic Cost of Coal Phase-out Delay in South Africa Health impact assessment quantifying premature deaths, preterm births, and childhood asthma cases from delaying coal power plant phase-out in South Africa. Joint report with Greenpeace Africa and GroundWork.
• Ripe for Closure Publication series analyzing the environmental and health impacts of coal-fired power plants and identifying facilities suitable for early closure across multiple countries.

Quantifiable outcome

• CREA tracking shows Russia earned approximately €1 trillion from fossil fuel exports since February 2022, influencing international sanctions policy
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Carbon BriefmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Collaborative analysis with Carbon Brief on China's CO2 emissions trends, with CREA providing detailed energy and emissions data analysis for Carbon Brief's reporting.
• Greenpeace AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Joint health impact assessment on delaying coal phase-out in South Africa, quantifying air quality impacts including 32,000 additional premature deaths and 41,000 additional preterm births.
• GroundWorkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Co-authored health impact assessment on South African coal phase-out delay, working with CREA's evidence-based research to support advocacy efforts.
• Renewables FirstmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Joint study with CREA on Pakistan's solar energy adoption, showing how solar expansion helped avoid over $12 billion in oil and gas imports.
• Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)minorOthers · 1 March 2026CREA's Haryana district-level research on secondary pollutants informed CAQM's statutory order setting uniform PM emission limits for industries across Delhi-NCR.
• Global Energy Monitor (GEM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Joint reports on coal power expansion in China and globally, including the 'Boom and Bust Coal' annual report and 'Built to peak' coal power analysis. Collaboration combines CREA's energy and emissions analysis with GEM's coal plant tracking database.
• Environmental Rights Foundation (ERF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Joint research with CREA and Ecodefense on Taiwan's imports of Russian coal, leading to Taiwan Cement Corporation ending Russian coal purchases after advocacy work.
• EcodefensemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Co-published report on Taiwan's Russian coal imports with CREA and ERF, contributing to successful advocacy resulting in TCC ending Russian coal procurement.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Global Energy Monitor: Tracks global fossil fuel infrastructure (coal plants, pipelines, terminals) with open data. Direct peer on the supply-side data layer that complements CREA's emissions, trade, and policy analytics.
• Ember: Independent energy think tank producing data-driven analysis on the global electricity transition. Highly comparable to CREA in mission, data-first approach, and use of public datasets to influence energy policy and media coverage.
• Climate Analytics: Climate science and policy research organization producing analyses on decarbonization pathways and 1.5°C alignment. Comparable as a science-driven, policy-influencing non-profit working on the energy transition.
• E3G: Independent climate think tank focused on European and international energy diplomacy. Comparable in mission (accelerating clean energy transition) and stakeholder engagement with governments and NGOs.
• Clean Air Task Force: Non-profit focused on clean air and climate solutions, with deep work on air pollution from coal and heavy industry. Comparable in air-quality focus and policy advocacy grounded in technical research.
• RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute): Independent clean energy research and advisory organization. Comparable in energy transition research, engagement with governments and industry, and emphasis on actionable, data-led analysis.
• Stockholm Environment Institute: International research organization working on environment and sustainable development. Comparable as a research-driven non-profit producing policy-relevant environmental analysis with global reach.

Emerging players

• TransitionZero: Data analytics non-profit tracking power-sector emissions globally using satellite and modeled data. Comparable as a data-driven climate analytics organization informing energy transition decisions, but earlier-stage and narrower in scope.

Broad incumbents

• International Energy Agency (IEA): Intergovernmental energy data and policy organization. Comparable as a dominant authority on global energy data, but vastly larger, broader in scope, and intergovernmental rather than independent non-profit.

Others

• Carbon Brief: Climate science and policy journalism outlet that publishes deep data-driven analysis (including on China's CO2 emissions with CREA). Comparable as a partner that similarly translates energy/climate data into influential public outputs, though it is a media organization rather than a research non-profit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CREACleanAir
• Instagraminstagram.com/creacleanenergy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air