Beyond Renewable Energy: New Strategies for Low-Carbon Impact

The briefing highlights the momentum of corporate and municipal climate commitments and advocates for a 'next generation' of low-carbon solutions. It suggests that moving beyond simple wind and solar additions to include technologies like energy storage, nuclear energy, and demand response—implemented through utility-customer partnerships—can more effectively 'green' the grid and reduce overall system emissions at a lower cost.

• There is significant momentum toward decarbonization, with over 330 companies planning carbon emission reductions aligned with climate science and more than 130 global brands committing to match 100 percent of their operational energy consumption with renewables or Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).
• Renewable energy growth has become highly concentrated in specific regions, leading to some electricity markets becoming "saturated" with solar and wind projects, while 100% renewable commitments still rely on integrated grid services and existing fossil capacity.
• To achieve stretch goals for greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, the document proposes a portfolio approach beyond wind and solar, including electric vehicles, large batteries, hydro-electric systems, nuclear energy, and demand response strategies.
• Large energy buyers can scale their impact by adopting integrated solutions, such as combining new wind and solar with existing nuclear energy and using on-site energy storage to balance the grid by utilizing off-peak wind and peak solar generation.
• Utilities face challenges in justifying early-action renewable energy additions to regulators and consumer advocates without a mandate, necessitating a holistic, cost-sensitive approach that integrates diverse low-carbon resources to ensure reliable power for all.

APA

World Resources Institute (2018). Beyond Renewable Energy: New Strategies for Low-Carbon Impact. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/beyond-renewable-energy-new-strategies-for-low-carbon-impact.pdf

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Beyond Renewable Energy: New Strategies for Low-Carbon Impact. 2018. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/beyond-renewable-energy-new-strategies-for-low-carbon-impact.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Beyond Renewable Energy: New Strategies for Low-Carbon Impact |date=25 July 2018 |url=https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/beyond-renewable-energy-new-strategies-for-low-carbon-impact.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2018beyond, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Beyond Renewable Energy: New Strategies for Low-Carbon Impact}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2018}, month = jul, url = {https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/beyond-renewable-energy-new-strategies-for-low-carbon-impact.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }