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This briefing by RMI outlines how local governments in Texas can accelerate the deployment of distributed energy resources (DERs) and virtual power plants (VPPs) to enhance grid reliability, reduce costs, and increase resilience against extreme weather.

This briefing from Energy Innovation examines the challenges and opportunities for maintaining electric grid reliability during the transition to clean energy in the United States. It defines the components of reliability—resource adequacy, operational reliability, and resilience—and argues that while the shift to inverter-based resources (IBRs) and the retirement of fossil fuel plants create risks, these can be managed through interconnection reform, demand-side solutions, and a diverse portfolio of clean energy resources.

This briefing by RMI argues that battery energy storage systems (BESS) are a cleaner, more flexible, and often more cost-effective alternative to fossil fuel resources for maintaining electric grid reliability. It details how batteries can manage variable renewable energy, provide critical stability services, and support grid restoration, while urging utilities to adopt all-source procurement processes to identify the most cost-optimal reliability solutions.

This briefing by RMI argues that achieving economy-wide decarbonization through the electrification of everything requires a proactive, holistic approach to grid modernization. The author advocates for a combination of "big wires" (high-voltage transmission), "small wires" (distribution system upgrades), and "non-wires" solutions (virtual power plants and demand response) to accommodate growing electricity demand from data centers, manufacturing, and electric vehicle fleets.

This briefing from the World Resources Institute argues that carbon mineralization requires increased and customized federal policy support to reach its potential for large-scale carbon removal. While some funding exists through broad carbon removal initiatives, the document highlights a gap in dedicated support compared to technologies like direct air capture and outlines necessary advancements in research, deployment incentives, and safety regulations to scale the technology responsibly.

This briefing by RMI outlines strategies and policy levers to reduce methane emissions from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in the United States. It proposes a two-pronged approach: improving the monitoring and control of existing waste and preventing new methane generation by diverting organic waste from landfills. The document advocates for stronger federal standards from the EPA to scale these reductions and protect adjacent communities.

This briefing by RMI and the Coalition on Materials Emissions Transparency (COMET) proposes three changes to carbon accounting principles to better drive emissions reductions in supply chains. The authors argue that current corporate-level reporting is insufficient for procurement decisions and advocate for a shift toward product-level disclosure based on primary data, fixed boundaries for comparison, and market-driven measurement incentives.

This briefing by RMI discusses the role of Energy Management Information Systems (EMIS) in decarbonizing large buildings in New York City. It highlights the gap between basic building management systems and advanced analytics needed to reduce emissions, particularly within tenant spaces, and emphasizes the importance of granular data for complying with mandates like Local Law 97.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute describes a non-parametric statistical downscaling methodology using the k-nearest neighbors (k-NN) method to generate synthetic regional climate series for temperature and precipitation between 2020 and 2100. These series are designed to inform the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system to help water service providers and environmental agencies develop robust adaptation alternatives and vulnerability analyses for water systems.

This briefing transcript features experts from NOAA, the North Carolina Coastal Federation, Wetlands Watch, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection discussing coastal resilience strategies in the Southeast United States. The discussion focuses on the implementation of natural infrastructure, such as living shorelines and coral reef protection, the challenges of sea level rise and nuisance flooding in Virginia, and the regulatory and financial barriers to adopting nature-based solutions over traditional hard infrastructure like bulkheads.

This 2019 industry brief by GreenCape examines the challenges and options for managing brine—highly concentrated saline wastewater—produced when companies in Cape Town treat saline groundwater using technologies like reverse osmosis (RO). The document outlines direct discharge and treatment methods, noting that high costs and strict regulatory requirements often make these solutions financially unviable.

This briefing discusses the challenges of meeting 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and greenhouse gas (GHG) standards, proposing high-octane, low-carbon fuels as a cost-effective compliance pathway for the automotive industry and consumers.

This briefing explores how blockchain technology can enhance the cybersecurity of the electrical grid, particularly as the proliferation of Internet-connected devices increases vulnerabilities. It details the inherent security features of blockchains, their application in mitigating IoT and data communication risks, and the emerging challenge of cryptographic key mismanagement.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development outlines strategies to enhance the climate resilience of water supply and sanitation systems in Alberta's urban centres, specifically Calgary and Edmonton. It advocates for a transition from highly centralized infrastructure toward a 'multi-barrier' approach incorporating redundancy, decentralization, and low-impact development (LID) to mitigate risks from extreme weather, such as droughts and floods.

This briefing by RMI discusses the economic potential of demand flexibility, where household and industrial devices interact with the electric grid based on real-time price signals to reduce costs and peak demand.

This briefing by RMI describes a shift from traditional air temperature-centric building design to a targeted approach based on six variables of thermal comfort. Using the Rocky Mountain Institute's Innovation Center as a case study, the document explains how integrating these variables through the Predictive Mean Vote (PMV) metric and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) can reduce energy use and support net-zero goals, while detailing the technical and contractual strategies needed to manage the associated risks of passive design.

This briefing by Energy Innovation describes two distinct applications of demand-response (DR) programs: as a capacity resource to mitigate peak demand and as a balancing tool to integrate variable renewable energy. The document argues that DR is a cost-effective alternative to building new power generation or investing in expensive grid-scale battery storage.

This briefing from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provides guidance on improving home lighting energy efficiency. It advocates for a 'whole-system' approach—combining efficient bulbs like Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) and LEDs with dedicated fixtures, lighting controls, and daylighting strategies—to reduce electricity costs and improve lighting quality.

This briefing document outlines technical and regulatory issues arising from a May 15, 2013, workshop between the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) and industry stakeholders regarding the Section 21 emission standards. It focuses on refining activity descriptions, adjusting emission limits for specific industrial processes, and addressing the legal and practical implications of including 'use of' and 'storage' in the listed activities.

This briefing by the Prairie Climate Centre examines strategies to enhance the climate resilience of urban electricity and information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, with a particular focus on Alberta, Canada. It advocates for the adoption of robustness, redundancy, and resourcefulness to mitigate risks from extreme weather and long-term climate trends.