Metric and Method for Comparing Investments to Decarbonize the Electricity System

The guide introduces a method to determine the 'Climate Effectiveness' of electricity system investments by combining emissions and cost data. Using 3Q2019 U.S. market data, the author demonstrates that carbon savings per dollar can vary from manyfold to over 50-fold between different options. The method is designed to be simple, requiring only basic arithmetic, and is applicable to various resources and emission types.

• The guide proposes a 'Climate Effectiveness' metric, defined as carbon saved per dollar spent, arguing that neither emissions nor costs alone are sufficient for making sound climate protection choices.
• Analysis using U.S. market cost data from the third quarter of 2019 reveals significant disparities in effectiveness, with differences between common options ranging from manyfold to over 50-fold.

APA

RMI (2019). Metric and Method for Comparing Investments to Decarbonize the Electricity System. https://rmi.org/resources/decarbonizing-the-electricity-system/

Chicago

RMI. Metric and Method for Comparing Investments to Decarbonize the Electricity System. 2019. https://rmi.org/resources/decarbonizing-the-electricity-system/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Metric and Method for Comparing Investments to Decarbonize the Electricity System |date=24 September 2019 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/decarbonizing-the-electricity-system/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2019metric, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Metric and Method for Comparing Investments to Decarbonize the Electricity System}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2019}, month = sep, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/decarbonizing-the-electricity-system/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }