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The document advocates for expanding U.S. electricity transmission to meet climate goals while rejecting the idea that speed requires gutting environmental protections. It argues that upfront community engagement and holistic planning actually accelerate project delivery, citing a 2022 MIT study and offshore wind projects in Maryland. The author calls for the Biden administration and FERC to address transmission bottlenecks and for Congress to pass the Environmental Justice for All Act and the CHARGE Act of 2022 to ensure the transition is equitable and efficient.

The document analyzes the synergistic effect of the Energy Act of 2020, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 on the U.S. energy transition.

The report evaluates eight scenarios for Estonia's electricity sector to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. It identifies 'All Technologies' and 'Renewables and Storage (offshore wind)' as the most balanced options in terms of cost, risk, and feasibility. The analysis emphasizes the critical need for large-scale battery storage, grid reinforcement, and simplified planning processes. While nuclear energy could offer the lowest prices in 2050, it is deemed the highest risk due to a lack of domestic history and potential implementation delays. The report concludes that the final choice is a political decision, as most scenarios can meet carbon neutrality goals.

California's current bottom-up approach to clean energy deployment is insufficient to meet its targets of 90 percent zero-carbon electricity sales by 2035 and 100 percent by 2045. To achieve these goals, the state would need to quadruple its in-state electricity generation capacity and triple its transmission capacity by 2050. The document recommends the creation of a formal Clean Energy Deployment Plan with specific quantities and locations, the assignment of a lead agency, and the implementation of a public progress dashboard.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 provides significant tax credits and financing to lower the cost of clean electricity and facilitate the retirement of fossil fuel infrastructure. Independent modeling suggests the IRA could make 73% to 76% clean electricity the lowest-cost pathway for the U.S. by 2030, potentially reducing electricity sector GHG emissions by 67% to 78% from 2005 levels. However, the report argues that realizing these benefits requires proactive state-level policy, including updated procurement assumptions by Public Utility Commissions, increased clean electricity standards from legislators, and strategic coordination by governors to address transmission and supply-chain constraints.

The document argues that current US electricity market designs—including energy-only, capacity, and hybrid models—fail to support the rapid deployment of variable renewable energy (VRE) because they lack a functional 'energy markets cascade' that connects long-term investment to real-time pricing. To resolve this, the author proposes Organized Long-Term Markets (OLTMs), which would standardize long-term energy delivery contracts, increase liquidity and transparency, and allow for the optimization of diversified resource portfolios. The paper details the design of OLTMs, including the roles of producers, consumers, and facilitators, and applies the concept to the specific challenges faced by ERCOT, CAISO, and ISO New England.

The Canadian Climate Institute outlines four recommendations to improve Ontario's electricity policy: clarifying long-term emissions targets, expanding the mandates of the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) and Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to include climate goals, replacing ad hoc directives with a comprehensive long-term plan, and commissioning periodic technical pathway reports.

The policy brief advocates for the development of floating offshore wind on the U.S. West Coast to meet net-zero emissions goals, noting that it can provide reliable power during peak early evening demand and reduce land-use conflicts. It highlights the economic potential for job creation and port revitalization, specifically citing the Port of Humboldt Bay. The authors call for long-term federal tax credits, port infrastructure investment, proactive transmission planning, and accelerated siting to overcome current lacks in ambition compared to the East Coast.

The report finds that gas-fired power plants in MISO and SPP frequently operate at a loss, costing ratepayers an estimated $117 million in 2019. This uneconomic generation is most prevalent in steam turbines and gas turbines, often driven by practices like self-scheduling and self-commitment. The authors argue that these inefficiencies, combined with rising fuel costs and the growth of renewables, make gas-fired power an increasingly risky and expensive investment compared to clean energy portfolios.

The report identifies four critical policy challenges in Canada's transition to a net zero electricity system by 2035: misalignment of federal climate policy, lack of coordination among provincial institutions, potential upward pressure on electricity rates, and weak incentives for interregional grid integration. To address these, the authors propose a framework of 'electric federalism' involving strengthened carbon pricing, the implementation of performance standards, and the use of government tax bases to fund infrastructure investments to protect low-income ratepayers. The report emphasizes the need for provincial regulators to have mandates explicitly aligned with climate goals and suggests that the federal government use negotiated agreements—similar to health transfers—to provide financial support conditional on provincial policy reforms.

The document asserts that the US transmission system must expand by 50% to 300% to achieve a clean electricity goal by 2035, as current shovel-ready projects would only add 11-12% capacity. It highlights systemic failures in regional planning, such as narrow benefit definitions and unrealistic growth assumptions for renewables, which have led to interconnection queues containing approximately 1,000 GW of wind and solar capacity. The author supports a FERC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) that would require long-term, forward-looking regional planning and encourages the inclusion of broad benefits and grid enhancing technologies (GETs) in cost allocation and project selection.

The document analyzes how Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland created a highly integrated electricity market, notably through the Nord Pool exchange, to balance variable renewable energy with hydroelectric storage. It argues that Canada's 'balkanized' grid, characterized by provincial control and political resistance, could benefit from similar bilateral exchanges—specifically linking hydroelectric-rich provinces like Quebec, Manitoba, and British Columbia with those transitioning from fossil fuels—to lower costs and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

The document analyzes the Nordic model of electricity co-operation—characterized by two-way trade, market harmonization via Nord Pool, and regional governance—as a blueprint for Canada. It argues that Canadian provinces could lower decarbonization costs by using hydro-rich provinces as 'batteries' to back up variable renewable energy in other regions, provided they overcome political resistance and regulatory misalignment.

RMI analysis indicates that while Georgia Power's plan significantly reduces coal reliance, it remains heavily dependent on gas and fails to align with a 1.5°C pathway. The utility's demand forecasts appear to underestimate the electricity needs required for the electrification of transportation and industry in Georgia.

The Institute for Policy Integrity argues that FERC's current process for certifying interstate pipelines is flawed and fails the public interest. The report recommends that FERC move beyond relying on shipper contracts to instead incorporate regional need analysis, coordination with electric transmission, climate-related transition risks and stranded asset costs, and monetized climate damage estimates.

The document advocates for the integration of 'clean firm power' like nuclear energy to complement variable renewables, citing land-use constraints and system costs. It identifies project management and lack of standardization as primary drivers of high nuclear costs and proposes a shift toward manufactured, standardized designs. Key policy recommendations include reforming NRC licensing fees, adopting consent-based siting for spent fuel, and repurposing retired fossil fuel sites.

CATF Executive Director Armond Cohen outlines the organization's efforts at COP26 to prioritize methane emissions reductions and the deployment of next-generation carbon-free technologies. Key achievements include the launch of the Global Methane Pledge and the inclusion of methane and coal 'phase down' language in the final COP26 text. The document emphasizes that meeting net-zero targets requires an expanded suite of technologies beyond renewables, including carbon capture, hydrogen, and advanced nuclear energy.

The policy brief advocates for a specific amendment to the Build Back Better Act regarding tax normalization rules for clean energy infrastructure. While praising the bill's inclusion of direct pay and the option for solar developers to use the production tax credit (PTC), RMI argues that the investment tax credit (ITC) for storage and transmission is undermined by normalization requirements. These rules force utilities to retain some financial benefits for shareholders rather than passing them to customers. RMI estimates that allowing an opt-out from normalization would save approximately $150 million for every billion dollars spent on such infrastructure, potentially reducing carbon emissions by 50 million metric tons annually and saving customers over $1 billion per year by 2030.

The document challenges the notion that wind curtailment results from an oversupply of wind, using analysis of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) to show that higher-cost coal plants often remain online while wind is curtailed. It identifies three primary drivers of this waste: inadequate transmission capacity, the practice of coal plants 'self-committing' to avoid being turned off, and a lack of battery storage. The author argues that addressing these infrastructure and operational shortcomings would reduce costs for consumers and lower carbon emissions.

The author, Tabatha Bull, asserts that the clean energy transition in Canada will stall unless policymakers and proponents prioritize Indigenous partnerships and ownership. Drawing on her experience with Ontario's Feed-In-Tariff and Large Renewable Procurement programs, she highlights how targeted policy measures—such as lower security payments, equity-based pricing, and capacity-building funds—successfully increased Indigenous participation in the energy sector. The document details specific projects like the Peter Sutherland Sr. Generating Station and the Oneida Energy Storage LP as models of successful collaboration. Bull concludes with three recommendations for future partnerships: allowing more time for relationship building and community engagement, investing in community capacity to prepare for project proposals, and maintaining open, honest communication to overcome cultural and systemic barriers.