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23 results
Capturing the $100 Billion Carbon Management Opportunity in Texas
This policy brief by RMI argues that Texas is uniquely positioned to lead the global carbon management economy due to its existing industrial infrastructure, geological assets, and a skilled workforce. The document highlights how recent federal policy changes, specifically the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), have enhanced the financial viability of carbon capture and utilization projects through modifications to the 45Q tax credit.
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Document type: Policy brief
Local Governments Can Achieve Texas-Sized Impacts from Distributed Energy Assets and Virtual Power Plants
This briefing by RMI outlines how local governments in Texas can accelerate the deployment of distributed energy resources (DERs) and virtual power plants (VPPs) to enhance grid reliability, reduce costs, and increase resilience against extreme weather.
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Document type: Briefing
Capturing the Benefits of Industrial Decarbonization for Houston and Beyond
This report analyzes pathways for industrial decarbonization in the Houston region between 2025 and 2050, focusing on electrification, energy efficiency, hydrogen, and carbon capture. It forecasts that a net-zero scenario could create over 21,000 annual jobs through 2050.
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Document type: Report
The Value of Green Hydrogen Trade for Europe
This report by RMI analyzes the strategic importance of green hydrogen imports for the European Union to meet its 2030 decarbonization and energy security targets. It argues that domestic production alone will be insufficient to meet demand, particularly in Northwest Europe, and that the EU must urgently address policy gaps in funding, certification, and port infrastructure to facilitate trade with global suppliers like the United States and Australia.
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Document type: Report
Developing an Impactful Solar for All Proposal
This guide by RMI provides strategic and technical recommendations for entities applying for the EPA's Solar for All program, a $7 billion initiative under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) designed to expand low-income solar access nationwide.
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Document type: Guide
APPENDIX B: FINANCIAL VIABILITY ANALYSIS OF EXPORT-ONLY ELECTROLYZER PROJECTS
This appendix provides a financial viability analysis of 'export-only' electrolyzer projects in the United States, which utilize co-located new clean energy resources and allow for opportunistic electricity sales to the grid. The analysis concludes that such projects, which comply with the three principles of additionality, deliverability, and hourly time-matching, are competitive across large portions of the U.S., suggesting that rigorous 45V tax credit guidance regarding lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions would not hinder industry growth.
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Document type: Research paper
Narrowing the Solar Equity Gap through Solarize
This briefing by RMI describes how local governments in the United States can use inclusive "Solarize" (community bulk-purchasing) campaigns to reduce the solar equity gap for low- and moderate-income (LMI) households. It highlights the role of the Inflation Reduction Act in supporting these efforts and provides evidence from RMI-supported campaigns that utilized community partnerships, targeted funding, and trusted messengers to increase solar adoption in marginalized communities.
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Document type: Briefing
US Homeowners and Lenders Face Rising Risks from Extreme Weather
This briefing by RMI examines the financial risks that extreme weather poses to US homeowners and the mortgage industry, highlighting the disproportionate impact on low-income communities and people of color. It discusses the role of the Inflation Reduction Act in providing funding for climate adaptation and calls for better property-level climate risk data and coordinated financing to future-proof the US housing market.
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Document type: Briefing
Plastic, Climate & Human Health: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet
This testimony by Carroll Muffett, President & CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), delivered to the House Subcommittee on the Environment on July 7, 2020, outlines the systemic risks that the plastic lifecycle poses to human health and the global climate. Muffett argues that plastic production, which is overwhelmingly derived from fossil fuels, creates toxic exposures at every stage—from extraction and refining to consumer use and waste management—and acts as a significant driver of greenhouse gas emissions.
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Document type: Statement
Congressional Action on Resilient Infrastructure: Areas of Progress and Future Needs
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines legislative progress made by the 115th Congress to improve the resilience of U.S. infrastructure against extreme weather and climate change. It details specific provisions in laws affecting disaster recovery, water systems, national defense, and natural infrastructure, while identifying remaining gaps for the 116th Congress, such as energy grid resilience and National Flood Insurance Program reform.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Green Bond Fact Sheet
A Green Bond Fact Sheet for a USD 7 million bond issued by the Rolling Creek Utility District on February 1, 2019, to finance water and wastewater treatment projects and drainage facilities.
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Document type: Fact sheet
THE ECONOMICS OF ZERO-ENERGY HOMES
This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) analyzes the incremental costs of building zero-energy (ZE) and zero-energy ready (ZER) single-family homes in the United States. It argues that the cost premiums for these homes are modest and often fall below consumer willingness-to-pay and long-term savings thresholds, suggesting that outdated perceptions of high costs are a primary barrier to market penetration.
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Document type: Report
The Carbon-Free City Handbook: Electricity
The Carbon-Free City Handbook: Electricity is a guide by RMI that outlines strategies for cities to transition to carbon-free renewable energy. It emphasizes a two-step process: committing to 100 percent renewable energy targets and implementing comprehensive action plans. The document details four specific actions: upgrading to smart LED streetlighting, creating electric districts by removing fossil-fuel infrastructure, installing municipal solar PV, and securing renewable energy supplies through mechanisms like power purchase agreements.
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Document type: Guide
The U.S. Climate Alliance and Related Actions
This fact sheet describes the formation and goals of the United States Climate Alliance and other subnational efforts to uphold the 2016 Paris Agreement following the Trump Administration's decision to withdraw the United States from the accord.
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Document type: Fact sheet
COMMUNITY ENERGY RESOURCE GUIDE
The Community Energy Resource Guide, published by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in December 2015, provides a comprehensive roadmap for U.S. communities to develop energy action plans. It outlines a collaborative planning process, methods for analyzing energy landscapes, and specific tactics across the buildings, electricity, transportation, and industry sectors to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency.
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Document type: Guide
High Octane Fuels: Challenges and Opportunities
This fact sheet examines the potential for deploying mid-level ethanol blends (E25 to E40) in the United States passenger vehicle fleet to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It discusses the role of ethanol as a renewable octane provider, the compatibility of existing vehicle fleets and retail infrastructure, and the lifecycle GHG reductions associated with different ethanol sources.
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Document type: Fact sheet
High Octane Fuels: Challenges & Opportunities
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the potential for deploying mid-level ethanol blends (E25 to E40) as high-octane fuels in the United States. It discusses the technical benefits for engine efficiency, the existing compatibility of the vehicle fleet and retail infrastructure, and the potential for significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions compared to conventional gasoline.
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Document type: Fact sheet
White House Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience
This briefing describes the establishment and outcomes of the State, Local and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, created by President Obama via Executive Order 13653 on November 1, 2013. The Task Force, comprising 26 governors, mayors, tribal leaders, and county officials, provided the federal government with 35 key recommendations to improve community climate resilience, emphasizing the need for inter-agency coordination and the integration of climate vulnerabilities into all federal policies and investments.
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Document type: Briefing
White House Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience Recommended Actions
This briefing summarizes the recommendations of the State, Local and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, established by President Obama via Executive Order 13653. The Task Force provided 35 key recommendations across seven themes to help the federal government support community resilience against climate change. The document also details executive actions taken by the White House in response to these recommendations and specific funding requests in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget.
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Document type: Briefing
What is District Energy?
This 2011 fact sheet explains district energy systems, which use central plants and underground pipes to provide efficient heating and cooling to clusters of buildings. It highlights the role of combined heat and power (CHP) and renewable energy in these systems, noting that while over 700 such systems exist in the U.S., high upfront costs and policy gaps remain barriers to further expansion.
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Document type: Fact sheet