The Impacts of Wholesale Market Rules and Policies on Clean Energy Goals: A Primer for Local Governments

This research paper examines how the rules and policies of wholesale electricity markets, specifically within Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) and Independent System Operator (ISO) territories, can act as barriers to the clean energy and decarbonization goals of local governments in the United States.

• The design of transmission processes, market rules, and practices can either hinder or facilitate the deployment of clean energy. Specifically, for large-scale renewable energy projects, interconnection queues and transmission access are critical factors that impact both the cost and the timeline of deployment.
• Local governments can advance their clean energy goals by strategically engaging at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) or RTO level to reform policies that are based on incumbent interests or outdated practices. For those focusing on distributed generation, FERC Order No. 2222 provides a significant near-term opportunity to derive value.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). The Impacts of Wholesale Market Rules and Policies on Clean Energy Goals: A Primer for Local Governments. https://www.wri.org/research/wholesale-market-rules-policies-clean-energy-goals-primer-local-governments

Chicago

World Resources Institute. The Impacts of Wholesale Market Rules and Policies on Clean Energy Goals: A Primer for Local Governments. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/wholesale-market-rules-policies-clean-energy-goals-primer-local-governments.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=The Impacts of Wholesale Market Rules and Policies on Clean Energy Goals: A Primer for Local Governments |url=https://www.wri.org/research/wholesale-market-rules-policies-clean-energy-goals-primer-local-governments |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendimpacts, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{The Impacts of Wholesale Market Rules and Policies on Clean Energy Goals: A Primer for Local Governments}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/wholesale-market-rules-policies-clean-energy-goals-primer-local-governments}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }