The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Electricity

The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Electricity provides a framework for transitioning regional electricity systems to renewable or zero-emission energy. It outlines five primary actions: implementing ambitious Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), phasing out coal-fired generation through retirement and moratoriums, modernizing rate designs to include dynamic pricing, integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) into grid planning, and expanding community solar projects to increase accessibility.

• The handbook recommends implementing a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that requires electric utilities to obtain a minimum percentage of electricity from renewable sources, suggesting a focus on "reach" targets or 100% renewable energy. This action is advised to be paired with an energy efficiency resource standard.
• To phase out coal-fired electricity generation, the guide suggests a combination of regulatory standards, emissions caps, carbon taxes, and accelerated retirement of existing plants. It also recommends policies that prohibit the financing of or place a moratorium on the construction of new coal-fired power plants, while providing alternatives in regions where coal generation is growing due to rural electrification, demand growth, and population increases.
• The document advocates for a transition from legacy "block" rates to modernized, technology-agnostic rate designs. Examples include real-time dynamic pricing and granular time-of-use pricing, which are intended to better value flexible demand, energy efficiency, and distributed energy resources (DERs).
• The guide recommends integrating distributed energy resources (DERs), such as behind-the-meter storage, flexible demand, energy efficiency, and customer-sited renewables, into modernized grid and resource planning. This is intended to replace legacy processes that rely exclusively on centralized bulk generation to meet demand growth.
• To increase the accessibility and affordability of solar photovoltaics (PV) for those unable to use rooftop PV, the handbook suggests community-scale solar PV projects. These can be implemented through virtual metering for utility bill credits, subscription to solar generation output, or fractional investment and ownership.

APA

RMI (2018). The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Electricity. https://rmi.org/resources/the-carbon-free-regions-handbook-electricity/

Chicago

RMI. The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Electricity. 2018. https://rmi.org/resources/the-carbon-free-regions-handbook-electricity/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Electricity |date=22 August 2018 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/the-carbon-free-regions-handbook-electricity/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2018carbonfree, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Electricity}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2018}, month = aug, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/the-carbon-free-regions-handbook-electricity/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }