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This report by RMI and Evergreen analyzes industrial decarbonization strategies within 26 Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs) submitted by US states and Puerto Rico under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program. The analysis finds that while there is a general intention to reduce industrial emissions, state plans often lack the subsector specificity, long-term roadmapping, and cost-effective policy tools necessary for a successful transition. The authors recommend that states move away from a reliance on federal funding, adopt tailored strategies based on local industrial compositions, and better leverage co-benefits such as public health improvements, workforce development, and international competitiveness.

In 2024, wind and solar combined to produce 17% of US electricity, surpassing coal (15%) for the first time. While electricity demand rose by 3%, solar generation grew by 27%, adding more generation than gas to meet this demand. Despite the growth in clean energy, overall power sector CO2 emissions rose slightly by 0.7% because gas generation increased to meet rising demand, though carbon intensity reached a record low.

In 2024, wind and solar combined to produce 17% of US electricity, surpassing coal for the first time nationwide. This shift is driven by market dynamics, cost-effective renewables, and state-level policies, with 24 states now generating more electricity from wind and solar than from coal.

This report by RMI examines the challenges of forecasting large electricity loads—such as data centers and advanced manufacturing—in the United States. It argues that traditional forecasting methods are insufficient for the rapid growth and unique operational characteristics of these loads, which can lead to risks in grid reliability and customer affordability. The document provides a framework for understanding load characteristics, outlines best practices for utilities, and offers specific regulatory actions to ensure forecasts are thorough, up-to-date, and validated.

This case study examines a first-of-its-kind community benefits agreement (CBA) signed in 2024 between Tallgrass and Bold Alliance regarding the Trailblazer CO2 Pipeline. The project involves converting a 392-mile natural gas pipeline into a CO2 pipeline to transport emissions from Nebraska's ethanol industry for sequestration in Wyoming. The CBA establishes legally binding protections for landowners, public safety funding for first responders, and a shared-value endowment program to ensure local communities benefit from the project's operations.

The "Electrify Your Community" guide by RMI provides a five-step framework for local governments and community-based organizations to implement residential heat pump deployment programs. The guide focuses on scaling air-source and ground-source heat pumps and heat pump water heaters to reduce residential greenhouse gas emissions, leveraging federal incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

This executive summary outlines a strategy for Colorado to develop a mass timber industry using small-diameter trees from wildfire mitigation to address rural economic challenges, housing shortages, and construction-sector carbon emissions.

This guide outlines how US states can leverage carbon dioxide removal (CDR) for economic development and climate goals. It recommends that states adopt approach-neutral, performance-based definitions of CDR, set intermediate removal targets based on carbon budgets, and create streamlined regulatory environments. The document emphasizes the necessity of inclusive community engagement, transparency, and the prioritization of co-benefits for disadvantaged communities to ensure safe and equitable deployment.

This briefing by RMI outlines how the US Department of Energy's Loan Program Office (LPO) Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program, combined with Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax incentives, provides a financial mechanism for the US oil and gas sector to transition to clean energy. The EIR program offers low-cost, long-tenor debt financing for projects that repurpose ceased energy infrastructure or reduce the operational emissions of existing facilities.

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 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.

This guide by RMI introduces Performance-Based Regulation (PBR) as a regulatory approach for electric utilities designed to align utility incentives with customer and societal interests. It contrasts PBR with traditional cost-of-service regulation (COSR), which the document argues creates perverse incentives such as 'gold plating' and 'capex bias' that hinder the clean energy transition. The guide details various PBR tools—including revenue decoupling, multi-year rate plans, and performance incentive mechanisms—and provides a framework for moving from incremental to comprehensive PBR reform.

The Rocky Mountain region (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) has the infrastructure and feedstocks to support a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry but currently lacks substantial production. This report provides a roadmap to bridge these supply gaps and align with the US SAF Grand Challenge.

The report examines 'equity PIMs' as a regulatory tool to incentivize utilities to improve energy affordability and service for underserved communities. It highlights that while several US states have adopted these mechanisms to target energy efficiency and reduce disconnections, they are most effective when paired with broader systemic reforms, reporting metrics, and direct assistance programs.

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.

This report by RMI analyzes the US Department of Energy's Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program, specifically how utilities can use its low-cost financing to refinance legacy fossil fuel asset costs and invest in clean energy. Through modeling of two utilities—Alliant in Iowa and Ameren in Missouri—the report demonstrates that EIR financing can significantly reduce costs for ratepayers compared to traditional utility financing or securitization.

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 research paper by RMI analyzes energy burden—the proportion of household income spent on electricity and fuel—across all 50 US states using 2020 Energy Information Administration data. It finds that extremely low-income households face a disproportionately high energy burden, often exceeding the 10% threshold for energy poverty, and evaluates how federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and specific state-level policies can mitigate these burdens while pursuing decarbonization.

This briefing by RMI discusses how state energy offices in the United States can optimize the deployment of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds by enabling 'stacking'—the ability for households to combine multiple federal, state, and utility incentives for whole-home retrofits.