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The report proposes a comprehensive policy pathway for the United States to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, aligning with IPCC 1.5 C targets. Central to this strategy is a Clean Electricity Standard (CES) requiring 100% clean electricity by 2035 and the total elimination of coal power by 2030. The pathway includes transitioning to 100% zero-emission vehicle sales for light-duty vehicles by 2035 and all-electric building equipment by 2030. The analysis indicates that this transition would increase U.S. GDP by $997 billion per year by 2050, create 5.5 million new job-years, and avoid over 65,000 premature deaths by 2050.

The report finds that Minnesota's business-as-usual scenario would only reduce emissions by 8% by 2050, failing to meet state goals or 1.5°C targets. While a proposed 100% clean electricity standard by 2040 could reduce emissions by 19% below the reference scenario, a more comprehensive '1.5°C Scenario'—incorporating aggressive electrification of buildings and transport, industrial fuel switching, and land management—could cut statewide emissions by over 75% by 2050. This deep decarbonization pathway is projected to add $11 billion annually to the state's economy and create 39,000 additional job-years by 2050, while avoiding 700 premature deaths and 20,000 asthma incidents annually.

The author contends that the United States faces a critical housing shortage that exacerbates economic inequality, public health risks, and climate change. By removing exclusionary zoning regulations and promoting infill, multi-family, and mixed-use development, the U.S. can reduce transportation emissions—the country's largest carbon source—and create a more equitable urban environment. The text calls for the federal government to incentivize local zoning reform through programs like the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to enable '15-minute neighborhoods' and low-carbon construction.

The Gas Index finds that methane leakage across the U.S. natural gas supply chain is significantly more extensive than EPA estimates, particularly within city distribution systems and buildings. The report argues that replacing gas heating with electric heat pumps would reduce emissions in every city evaluated, with the greatest benefits occurring where electricity grids are decarbonized.

RMI urges the California Energy Commission (CEC) to implement a statewide all-electric new building code in the 2022 cycle. The document asserts that delaying this requirement until the 2025 cycle would result in 3 million additional metric tons of carbon emissions by 2030 and over $1 billion in unnecessary spending on gas infrastructure. It highlights that buildings are the primary source of premature deaths from air pollution in California, causing over 6,000 deaths annually, and that an all-electric code would support public health, especially in disadvantaged communities.

The report refutes the claim that fossil gas alternatives (FGAs) can decarbonize buildings, asserting that their limited supply and high costs make them an inefficient choice compared to electrification. It highlights that FGAs can only replace a small fraction of gas demand and may exacerbate pollution and health risks. The document further alleges that the gas industry uses FGAs as a rhetorical tool and employs 'front groups' to stall the transition to all-electric buildings to protect its financial interests.

Energy Innovation modeled a subset of the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis's recommendations, finding that these policies could reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030 and 89% by 2050. The analysis projects that net carbon dioxide emissions would reach zero by 2048, avoiding 62,000 premature deaths annually by 2050 and generating approximately $8 trillion in monetized health and climate benefits (at a 3% discount rate). The modeling covers sectors including electricity, transportation, buildings, industry, oil and gas, agriculture, and natural climate solutions, assuming a transition to 100% clean electricity by 2040 and 100% zero-emission vehicle sales for light-duty vehicles by 2035.

The report proposes a policy framework to reach U.S. net zero emissions by 2050, projecting an annual abatement of over 6 Gt of emissions and 120,000 lives saved from reduced pollution. It details sector-specific strategies: industrial decarbonization through electrification and hydrogen; transportation via electric and hydrogen vehicle mandates; a 100 percent carbon-free electricity standard by 2050; and an all-electric building sales mandate by 2035.

The report finds that the incremental cost of building ZER homes is modest, averaging 1.8%, while ZE homes average a 7.3% premium. These costs often fall below consumer willingness-to-pay and mortgage-savings thresholds. The analysis identifies heat pumps, LED lighting, and ENERGY STAR appliances as cost-optimal measures and projects that ZE incremental costs will drop to 3.1%–5.5% by 2030 due to declining solar PV costs and efficiency gains. It emphasizes the need for skilled labor training and supportive policy frameworks to accelerate adoption across various US climate zones.

California has established a target of 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2045 and increased its renewable energy requirement to 60 percent by 2030. To reach these goals, the Union of Concerned Scientists proposes ten strategies: improving energy efficiency (especially during evening hours), diversifying renewable sources (wind, solar, geothermal, and low-carbon bioenergy), phasing out natural gas equitably, using renewables for grid reliability services, investing in multi-timescale energy storage, integrating western electricity markets, leveraging distributed energy resources, electrifying buildings and transport, shifting demand to match production, and developing a skilled workforce.

The report finds that building electrification is generally cost-effective for new construction and for customers switching from propane or heating oil, but often more expensive for existing natural gas customers at current prices. It argues that electrification reduces carbon emissions in most US regions, except those heavily dependent on coal, though this is expected to change as coal plants retire. The authors emphasize that demand flexibility—shifting energy use to low-cost or high-renewable periods—can further improve economics and grid integration. Key recommendations include prioritizing the electrification of oil and propane homes, stopping the expansion of natural gas infrastructure, and updating energy efficiency standards to account for total energy reduction across fuels.

The document proposes replacing the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and the Efficiency Savings and Performance Incentive (ESPI) with a system-wide carbon intensity standard and per capita energy sales standards. It argues that these reforms will align utility incentives with state climate goals, encourage low-carbon grid flexibility, and remove the conservative goal-setting and contentious evaluation processes currently hindering energy efficiency in existing buildings.

The document proposes replacing California's current electricity sector policies with a system-wide carbon standard and per capita energy intensity standards for electricity and natural gas. It argues that the existing Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and Efficiency Savings and Performance Incentive (ESPI) are insufficient for long-term goals due to siloed procurement and overly conservative efficiency targets. Key recommendations include a 2030 carbon standard of 393lb. CO2e/MWh, a 50 percent renewable energy procurement "backbone," and a performance-based energy standard targeting a 1.2 percent annual reduction in kWh/capita. The report also suggests expanding the Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) to a West-wide scale and expediting the implementation of AB 758 for existing buildings.

The report argues that achieving a cost-optimal net-zero building sector in Canada requires a significant shift toward electrification and a reduction in gas use. It warns that current regulatory inertia and the continued expansion of gas networks risk increasing costs for taxpayers and jeopardizing climate goals. The document recommends that provincial governments legislate net-zero targets, move away from gas as the default heating option for new buildings, and provide regulators with the tools to manage a phased contraction of gas infrastructure while ensuring affordability and equity.

The report argues that Canada's cost-optimal path to net zero requires a significant shift from gas to electricity for building heat. It warns that continued expansion of gas networks and a 'business-as-usual' approach to utility regulation create financial risks for ratepayers and threaten climate goals. The authors recommend that provincial governments legislate net zero targets, end the default expansion of gas infrastructure, and provide clear energy roadmaps to guide regulators and utilities.

The fact sheet proposes that a California green bank could overcome financing barriers for underserved homeowners, small businesses, and public entities. It suggests the bank act as a credit enhancer, direct lender, or project aggregator to lower costs and risks. Additionally, it argues that a green bank could support the state's energy storage mandate and bridge the gap between technology demonstration and commercial scale-up for clean energy innovations.

A coalition of 73 organizations argues that California's 2022 Draft Scoping Plan fails to accelerate climate targets or increase the pace of action beyond existing commitments. The group proposes a comprehensive set of revisions, including phasing out oil extraction by 2035 and refining by 2045, banning new gas-fired power generation immediately, and achieving a zero-carbon electric sector by 2035. They also call for a 30% reduction in vehicle miles traveled by 2035, a phase-out of new gas appliance sales by 2030, and the limitation of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to only the most essential, hard-to-decarbonize sectors.

Energy Innovation uses the California Energy Policy Simulator (EPS) to propose a 'Deeper Decarbonization Scenario' for California. This pathway prioritizes mature technologies—such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, and electric appliances—to achieve emissions reductions of 47 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, compared to the state's current Draft Scoping Plan which relies on uncertain carbon dioxide removal. The proposed scenario includes a 100 percent zero-emission vehicle sales standard for cars and light-duty trucks by 2030, 100 percent electrification of new appliances by 2030, and a carbon neutral electricity system by 2035. These actions are estimated to add $28 billion to the state's economy and create nearly 170,000 new jobs by 2030, while preventing over 1,300 deaths and 26,600 asthma attacks annually by 2030.

The document serves as a regulatory guide, offering a structured set of inquiries to help Public Utility Commissions (PUCs) assess utility resource planning in the context of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). It organizes questions into five exhibits covering common IRA considerations, assumptions, forecasts, objectives/scenarios, and solution identification. Key areas of focus include the application of Investment Tax Credits (ITC) and Production Tax Credits (PTC), bonus adders for energy communities and domestic content, the integration of hydrogen and carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies, and the utilization of Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) financing. The toolkit also emphasizes the need for utilities to account for IRA-driven changes in load forecasts related to building and transportation electrification, energy efficiency, and distributed energy resources (DERs).

The document outlines a data-intensive process for local governments to match electricity demand with carbon-free energy resources on an hourly basis. It identifies three essential datasets: hourly load data, hourly grid mix and emissions data, and hourly generation data from additional energy procurements. The guide details four methods for obtaining load data—ranging from actual meter readings to machine learning models—and directs users to resources like the EIA and NREL for grid and emissions information.