Search Climate Insights Directory
9 results
Meeting Summer Peaks: The Need for Virtual Power Plants
This policy brief from RMI argues that Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) are a viable solution for utilities and regulators to manage electricity grid stress caused by growing loads and extreme weather during summer peaks.
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Document type: Policy brief
Weathering the winter
The report 'Weathering the winter' by Ember analyzes the EU power system's performance from October 2022 to March 2023. It finds that a combination of record renewable generation and significant reductions in electricity demand prevented a predicted return to coal and gas, resulting in the lowest winter power sector emissions on record.
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Document type: Report
Greening the Pot Industry
This RMI briefing discusses the significant electricity demand generated by the legal marijuana industry in the United States and proposes strategies for utilities and regulators to manage this load. It suggests that energy efficiency investments, on-site renewables, and time-varying rates to shift consumption to periods of low net load can help integrate renewable energy and reduce operating costs for growers.
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Document type: Briefing
City of Boulder Climate Action Plan Analysis Report
The City of Boulder Climate Action Plan Analysis Report, prepared by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in May 2012, evaluates the cost-effectiveness and emissions impact of 19 demand-side management programs funded by the Climate Action Plan (CAP) tax. The analysis finds that while Boulder has achieved significant energy savings, it will not meet its 2012 Kyoto Protocol-based emissions reduction targets through current programs alone. RMI recommends transitioning toward more comprehensive, integrated, and long-term energy efficiency strategies and suggests that municipalization of the energy supply could significantly enhance the city's ability to reach its goals.
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Document type: Report
IF CUSTOMERS SAVE ElECTRICITY, MUST RATES RISE?
This briefing argues that energy efficiency programs are unlikely to necessitate rate increases for utilities and that, even if rates were to rise, customer bills would still decrease. The author contends that focusing on rates rather than total bills is an economic error that ignores the joint production of electricity and efficiency.
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Document type: Briefing
Demand Costs
This guide describes how to use the Demand Costs data tab in the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) to specify non-fuel costs—including capital, O&M, and administrative expenses—for demand scenarios to support cost-benefit calculations.
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Document type: Guide
How to Implement Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Options
This guide from the Stockholm Environment Institute provides a framework for implementing energy-efficient lighting in cities, focusing on the transition from incandescent bulbs to Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs), LEDs, and efficient fluorescent tubes. It details the technical and financial benefits of these technologies, identifies implementation barriers, and provides case studies from South Africa and international examples to illustrate potential energy and carbon savings.
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Document type: Guide
A Guidebook on Super-Efficient Equipment Program (SEEP)
This guidebook, published by the Stockholm Environment Institute and authored by Prayas Energy Group, provides a framework for policymakers to design and implement Super-Efficient Equipment Programs (SEEP). Using the experience of India's program for ceiling fans, it outlines a strategy to accelerate market transformation by providing financial incentives to manufacturers to produce appliances significantly more efficient than current local market offerings at comparable prices.
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Document type: Guide
Using Renewables for Electric Vehicle Demand: A Review of Utility Program Designs and Implementation Strategies
This research paper reviews utility program designs in the United States aimed at matching electric vehicle (EV) demand with renewable energy, comparing traditional annual procurement with time- and location-based strategies to optimize grid benefits.
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Document type: Research paper