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RMI organized Solarize cohorts in 2021 and 2022 involving 27 U.S. cities to make rooftop solar more accessible to low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. By combining bulk purchasing discounts with grants and community partnerships, the program helped nearly 1,200 households install over 10 MW of residential solar, with 40% of participants from LMI or BIPOC communities. These installations are projected to save households over $8 million and avoid 106,000 tons of CO2 emissions over 25 years.

The paper examines the transformation of German-African energy relations, moving from a focus on energy poverty and development aid to a complex mix of energy diplomacy, strategic resource interests, and hydrogen technology. It highlights a tension between 'green objectives' (renewables) and 'fossilist objectives' (LNG imports), while warning against 'energy colonialism' in large-scale projects. The author advocates for a transition toward 'energy justice' and a value-chain approach to hydrogen to ensure equitable benefits for African nations.

Virtual power plants (VPPs) aggregate distributed energy resources like batteries and electric vehicles to provide grid benefits. In the United States, VPPs could reduce peak demand by 60 GW by 2030 and 200 GW by 2050, while potentially reducing annual power sector expenditures by $17 billion by 2030. They support decarbonization by reducing reliance on polluting peaker plants and enable economy-wide electrification by providing revenue streams and avoiding grid bottlenecks.

Good Governance Africa evaluates COP27, noting the establishment of a fund for vulnerable developing countries as a major achievement but criticizing the lack of accountability from the Global North. The statement highlights that Africa is disproportionately affected by climate change despite contributing only 4% of global emissions. It identifies critical gaps in adaptation finance, noting that the $100 billion pledge remains unmet and that $300 billion is needed by 2030. The document also critiques African disunity over the role of gas in energy transitions, poor local governance in disaster management, and the failure of oil-wealthy nations like Nigeria and Angola to achieve sustainable development due to corruption.

The document examines how anti-fossil fuel norms—specifically the phase-out of coal, oil, and gas, the end of public financing for fossil fuels, and subsidy reform—can overlook the needs of marginalized communities and the Global South. It argues that while these norms create political momentum, they risk causing unintended inequitable consequences, such as asset stranding in developing nations, unless paired with financial support and a focus on energy access.

The document argues that states must implement policies and allocate funds to ensure equitable access to electric vehicle (EV) charging, particularly for residents of apartments and condo buildings who lack home charging options. It specifically examines a California ballot measure intended to support EV adoption and infrastructure in low- to moderate-income communities.

RMI's analysis of historical data reveals that the US federal government grossly underfunds the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), with funding needing to increase 10 to 20 times above 2021 levels to cover all eligible families. Significant gaps in service exist, particularly in California and Texas, driven by both funding shortages and barriers to access such as lack of awareness and complex application procedures. While recent legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act provides targeted funds for weatherization and efficiency, RMI argues for a comprehensive approach that centers community-based organizations to resolve underlying energy justice issues.

The Canadian Climate Institute argues that the proposed Clean Electricity Regulations (CER) contain ambiguities and exemptions that could undermine Canada's 2035 net zero electricity target. The Institute recommends clarifying the treatment of existing power units, removing financial exemptions for emergency emissions, and phasing out output-based pricing in favor of a full carbon price. To maintain climate credibility and affordability, it suggests the government use financial compliance revenues to procure negative emissions and address equity concerns through targeted public investment and rate design rather than by diluting the CER's stringency.

The report argues that traditional US public utilities commission (PUC) processes are too slow and restrictive to meet urgent decarbonization and equity mandates. It recommends four primary reforms: setting clear proceeding objectives, expanding stakeholder roles in solution development, reducing information asymmetry by unlocking utility data, and initiating new inclusive processes such as regulatory sandboxes and updated benefit-cost analysis frameworks.

RMI outlines five strategic steps for US electric utilities to foster equitable community engagement: identifying underserved populations using measurable criteria, compensating community participants for their expertise, ensuring linguistic and cultural accessibility in outreach, partnering with communities for program design and wealth building, and co-creating metrics to track progress.

The document examines how hybrid clean energy systems—specifically pairing solar generation with geothermal district heating and cooling—can address systemic energy injustices. It highlights that low-income communities and communities of color face higher risks from extreme heat and aging gas infrastructure, such as leaks in Massachusetts. The author advocates for a holistic approach, citing a Massachusetts pilot project that repurposes gas rights-of-way for geothermal networks and research from Croatia showing the efficiency of solar-geothermal hybrids. Such systems can reduce energy costs, eliminate methane emissions, and improve security through microgrid capabilities, provided that new market frameworks and data-processing technologies are implemented to manage the complexity of distributed energy systems.

The executive summary outlines a strategy for Canada to reach carbon neutrality by shifting from fossil fuels to clean electricity. It emphasizes the need for a massive expansion of electricity production capacity, the acceleration of wind and solar deployment, and the implementation of 'electro-federalism'—a coordinated policy approach across all levels of government to manage the transition and ensure equity.

The document examines the dimensions of a just energy transition, moving beyond the focus on fossil fuel workers to address the impacts of clean energy deployment. It identifies five types of energy justice—distributive, procedural, recognition, restorative, and cosmopolitan—and emphasizes the necessity of respecting human rights across the entire clean energy supply chain. The briefing highlights risks associated with critical mineral extraction and land use, providing case studies from Colombia and Scandinavia. It concludes that international cooperation and robust regulatory frameworks are essential to ensure that the benefits and costs of the transition are shared equitably without exacerbating existing inequalities.

The paper examines the dimensions of a just and equitable energy transition, moving beyond the impacts on fossil fuel-dependent workers to analyze the risks associated with clean energy supply chains. It identifies five forms of justice—distributional, procedural, recognition, restorative, and cosmopolitan—and emphasizes the necessity of respecting human rights, particularly for Indigenous peoples, throughout the energy lifecycle. The authors highlight the risks of human rights violations in critical mineral extraction and the potential for 'green' projects to cause displacement. They advocate for community benefit-sharing, quality job creation, and international cooperation to ensure that the economic benefits of the transition do not exacerbate existing inequalities.

The document proposes 'community solar+', a strategic approach to community solar deployment designed to move beyond simple energy access to maximize local value streams. It argues that by planning deliberately, stakeholders can align solar projects with broader goals such as EV charging investment, energy resilience for vulnerable populations, and the mitigation of urban heat island effects.

The document outlines the technical framework for analyzing a transition to 100% renewable energy in U.S. Climate Alliance states. It describes the use of the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) and Distributed Generation Market Demand (dGen) models to simulate various policy scenarios, including a '100% RES scenario' and a 'Clean Electricity Standard scenario'. The methodology includes specific retirement schedules for coal plants in Michigan and Minnesota, as well as a collaboration with Greenlink Analytics to model socioeconomic impacts, including public health benefits, macroeconomic shifts in employment and GDP, and changes to household energy burdens.

The document examines how Sub-Saharan Africa can utilize the energy transition to foster industrialization. It proposes strategies including the creation of green industrial policies, the development of domestic manufacturing capabilities for clean technologies through research and skills transfer, and the strategic use of natural gas and critical minerals to bridge energy access gaps and move up the global value chain.

Montserrat has reached 50 percent renewable energy installed capacity through the installation of a 750 kW solar system and 1 MWh battery storage, which powers 300 households. The project, supported by RMI, focused on hurricane resilience—designing for 180 mph wind speeds—and equity, as the utility-owned facility allows diesel savings to be shared among all customers via reduced fuel surcharges. While the island aims for 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030, further progress is constrained by the size of the economy and requires continued grant funding.

The document provides a comprehensive Q&A on battery energy storage, distinguishing between behind-the-meter and front-of-the-meter systems. It highlights how storage enhances grid flexibility, supports renewable energy integration, and improves community resilience during extreme weather. While noting the environmental and health benefits of displacing fossil fuel plants, it addresses safety risks like thermal runaway and the ethical concerns surrounding the mining of lithium and cobalt. It emphasizes the need for inclusive stakeholder engagement and strong policy design to ensure equitable deployment and sustainable supply chains.

The study analyzes 122 demand-side low-carbon energy innovations within Ontario's energy technology innovation system (ETIS) to evaluate their alignment with energy justice frameworks. While availability, affordability, and information are generally addressed, the study finds a lack of user involvement and a systemic bias toward private businesses over marginalized groups like renters and low-income households. The research highlights that government-delivered or regulated providers are more likely to prioritize energy justice than decentralized actors.