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This case study describes how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) enables a new third-party financing model for solar energy, specifically benefiting low-income households and nonprofits. It highlights the installation of a 12kW solar array at the Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ in Compton, California, as a primary example of this model in action.

This research paper by Energy Innovation evaluates the potential impacts of two divergent U.S. policy pathways on greenhouse gas emissions, the economy, and public health through 2050. It compares a 'Continued Climate Leadership' scenario, aimed at meeting the U.S. Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), against a 'Project 2025' scenario, which involves repealing major climate laws and expanding fossil fuel production. The analysis finds that the Continued Climate Leadership pathway would significantly reduce emissions, create millions of jobs, and lower household energy costs, while the Project 2025 pathway would increase emissions, lead to substantial job losses, and raise energy costs for households.

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 guide by RMI outlines the business case for commercial real estate developers to reduce embodied carbon—the emissions from material production and construction—which accounts for an estimated 11% of global emissions. It presents nine specific investment strategies divided into building-level and corporate-level actions to mitigate transition risks, reduce development costs, and create competitive advantages.

This research paper by the Center for International Environmental Law examines how climate-induced extreme weather is driving an insurance crisis in the United States, which in turn threatens housing affordability and financial stability. The authors argue that insurance companies are exacerbating the crisis by raising premiums to recoup losses while simultaneously reinvesting profits into fossil fuel companies.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the causal link between fossil fuel emissions and the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. It details the role of 'Carbon Majors' in global emissions, the financial disparity between industry profits and climate damages, and the growing use of litigation to hold these companies accountable. The document argues that a managed phase-out of fossil fuels, through both supply and demand reductions, is essential to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

This research note by Energy Innovation argues that the U.S. Treasury Department must maintain the "three pillars" (incremental, deliverable, and hourly-matched clean electricity) in the final rules for the Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit. The author contends that weakening these rules would undermine climate goals, increase electricity costs for consumers, and stifle the development of a flexible, domestic electrolyzer industry.

A letter from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and other health professionals to the Premier of New Brunswick, warning against the pursuit of shale gas production due to documented adverse health impacts associated with hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

The report 'The Big Picture' by Ember analyzes the global electricity transition in 2024, arguing that 2023 likely marked the peak of fossil fuel generation and power sector emissions. It highlights the dominant role of solar energy, the emerging drivers of electricity demand such as data centers and electrification, and provides case studies on the rapid transition strategies of China, Brazil, and the Netherlands.

RMI analysis indicates that Illinois could achieve significant household cost savings, pollution reduction, and public health improvements by adopting three clean transportation strategies: vehicle electrification standards, climate-driven agency planning, and renewed investments in state transit systems.

RMI reports that expanding regional electricity transmission in the Western US is a 'win-win' economic opportunity. It finds that energy export states (Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming) could increase their market access from $3 billion to $40 billion per year by 2050 with better transmission, while states with clean energy standards could reduce costs by over 30% through expansive regional planning.

A statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues that twelve major insurers, termed the 'Dirty Dozen', are restricting homeowners insurance in California due to climate risks while simultaneously profiting from fossil fuel investments and underwriting.

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 fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) provides data on the growth and distribution of climate-related jobs in the United States as of 2022, highlighting sectors such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean vehicles, and adaptation and resilience.

The EESI 2023 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker lists the hearings conducted by various U.S. House and Senate committees throughout 2023. The tracker highlights a high volume of activity in the House Committee on Natural Resources (28 hearings), the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (24 hearings), and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (22 hearings). Key themes across these committees include the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, energy security, critical mineral supply chains, water resource management, and the economic risks of climate change.

This policy brief by RMI outlines how U.S. states can utilize Low-Carbon Fuel Standards (LCFS) to incentivize the adoption of clean hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors like aviation, maritime shipping, and long-haul trucking. It analyzes existing programs in California, Oregon, and Washington to provide four key lessons for future state policies to ensure clean hydrogen is directed toward high-priority uses rather than sectors where electrification is more efficient.

This report analyzes how a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) allowing the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) to be applied to interconnection costs could improve the financial viability of onshore wind and solar projects in the United States. By examining data from five regional grids, the authors find that a 30 percent ITC could have bridged the cost gap for approximately 22 GW of withdrawn projects and 15 GW of active projects, potentially enabling a volume of deployment exceeding the 2023 record of 31 GW.

The Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) developed a beta version of a climate finance landscape for California, analyzing public and private investments from 2019 to 2022 and estimating future investment needs to meet the state's 2045 climate goals.

This guide by RMI outlines how local and state decision makers can utilize the Inflation Reduction Act's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) to fund clean transportation. It specifically recommends incorporating e-bike subsidies and targeted electric vehicle (EV) incentives for 'superusers' into Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs) to maximize competitiveness for EPA funding based on equity and emissions reduction metrics.

This case study profiles OK Produce, a family-owned produce delivery business in California's San Joaquin Valley, and its transition toward a zero-emissions fleet. The company has integrated solar energy production with the adoption of electric vehicles and participated in the Run on Less – Electric Depot event to share electrification knowledge with the broader trucking industry.