Search Climate Insights Directory
25 results
Not Just Voluntary Credits: Three CDR Demand Trends to Support and Scale
This policy brief by RMI identifies three emerging trends to scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) demand beyond voluntary corporate credits: credit purchasing through government and private sector mechanisms, demand for differentiated low-carbon products, and 'flipping the script' by funding services where CDR is a co-product or by-product.
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Document type: Policy brief
Drilling Down on Methane Loss
A report by RMI analyzing oil and gas data in Texas finds that methane waste is significantly underreported, particularly through venting from low-production oil wells. The study estimates that actual gas waste for a 12-month period ending November 2024 could be up to 4.5 times higher than the 120 billion cubic feet (Bcf) self-reported by operators, resulting in an estimated 7.6 million metric tons of methane emissions.
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Document type: Report
How Virtual Power Plants Can Help the United States Win the AI Race
This policy brief by RMI argues that Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) can mitigate the grid constraints currently delaying the interconnection of data centers and other large loads in the United States. The document proposes three commercial models to accelerate VPP deployment and suggests policy reforms in interconnection, integrated planning, and customer protection to ensure the US remains competitive in the AI race.
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Document type: Policy brief
For the first time, wind and solar produced more electricity than coal nationwide
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.
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Document type: Report
The Fossil Fuel Lobbyist List
A November 2022 report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) based on a 50-state survey reveals that major U.S. companies in the technology, banking, and insurance sectors frequently employ state-level lobbyists who also represent the fossil fuel industry. The report highlights a contradiction between these companies' public net-zero climate goals and their reliance on 'multi-client lobbyists' who promote continued fossil fuel dependence.
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Document type: Report
Financing Tools for an Equitable Transition to a Clean Economy
This briefing by RMI proposes the creation of a Clean Transition Financing Program via the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) to mitigate the financial burdens on ratepayers and frontline energy communities during the United States' transition to a clean economy.
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Document type: Briefing
COAL COST CROSSOVER 2.0
The report 'COAL COST CROSSOVER 2.0' analyzes the economic viability of the United States coal fleet compared to new wind and solar energy. It finds that a vast majority of existing coal capacity is now more expensive to operate than building new nearby renewable projects, a trend that is accelerating faster than previous forecasts.
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Document type: Report
Securitization in Action: How US States Are Shaping an Equitable Coal Transition
This briefing by RMI examines how several US states are using securitization—a financing tool that replaces high-cost utility capital with low-interest ratepayer-backed bonds—to facilitate the equitable retirement of coal-fired power plants. The document details how this mechanism can lower electricity rates for consumers, enable utility investment in clean energy, and provide funding for displaced workers and affected communities.
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Document type: Briefing
Rural Communities Rise to the Challenge of Dual Disasters | Briefing | EESI
A briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) detailing the challenges rural communities face regarding climate change, COVID-19 recovery, and flood resilience, specifically focusing on governance and funding barriers.
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Document type: Briefing
Senate Approval of Mike Pompeo’s Secretary of State Nomination Would Spell Disaster for Planet Earth
A statement from leaders of national organizations urging the U.S. Senate to reject Mike Pompeo's nomination for Secretary of State, citing his climate change denial, hawkish foreign policy views, and record on human rights.
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Document type: Statement
NUCLEAR WASTE CONSENT AND NON-CONSENT: A BRIEF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
This briefing, presented at Stanford University on March 9, 2016, provides a historical analysis of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) attempts to site nuclear waste repositories and storage facilities. The author argues that the DOE has a history of failing to keep promises and ignoring 'non-consent,' leading to a pattern of litigation and failure in establishing long-term high-level waste (HLW) and spent nuclear fuel (SNF) solutions.
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Document type: Briefing
kansas_cpp_letter_3.2.16-2f5fd3821b320f76.pdf
A letter from a coalition of organizations to the Governor of Kansas urging the state to maximize investments in energy efficiency to meet Clean Power Plan goals cost-effectively.
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Document type: Statement
OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS TO ENERGY-RELATED INVESTMENTS WITH AN ON-BILL FINANCING PROGRAM
This guide, prepared by Collaborative Efficiency and Michigan Saves with support from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), introduces on-bill financing (OBF) as a mechanism for municipal utilities and electric cooperatives to overcome financial barriers to energy efficiency and renewable energy investments.
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Document type: Guide
PREEMPTING THE PUBLIC INTEREST
This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) analyzes how the proposed Regulatory Cooperation chapter of the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement could undermine the authority of US states to implement public health and environmental protections. The author argues that the agreement's goals of regulatory convergence and compatibility would effectively create a regulatory ceiling, preventing states from adopting standards more protective than federal minimums, particularly regarding toxic chemicals and pesticides.
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Document type: Report
Should the Renewable Fuel Standard Be Reformed?
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute argues against reforming or repealing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), asserting that the policy has successfully reduced petroleum dependence and stimulated the rural economy. While acknowledging challenges such as land use change and the 'blend wall,' the author contends that these issues should be addressed through the Farm Bill and EPA flexibility rather than statutory changes, which could jeopardize billions in private investment in next-generation biofuels.
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Document type: Statement
Rural Energy Savings Program
This briefing describes the proposed Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), a legislative initiative designed to provide low-interest loans to rural homeowners for energy efficiency improvements via on-bill financing through the USDA's Rural Utilities Service.
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Document type: Briefing
State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Grow
This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes how state climate action plans in the United States incorporate land use, transportation, and green building policies as of July 2009. It finds that while transportation and green building are common, specific 'smart growth' land use practices are the least frequent component of these plans.
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Document type: Report
Cellulosic Biofuels
This July 2008 fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) details the status of cellulosic biofuel production in the United States, highlighting the number of biorefineries in development, the technologies and feedstocks used, and the federal and state investments supporting the industry.
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Document type: Fact sheet
biomass_oil_issue_brief_071312-efd9cdc403700a0b.pdf
This policy brief from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) argues that renewable biomass and the energy programs established by the 2008 Farm Bill are critical for reducing U.S. dependence on petroleum, enhancing energy security, and promoting rural economic development.
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Document type: Policy brief
Kansas’s Path to an Energy-Efficient Future
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute outlines the economic, environmental, and health benefits of implementing energy efficiency policies in Kansas, specifically in the context of meeting federal air regulations.
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Document type: Fact sheet