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The report identifies a significant investment opportunity in U.S. community-scale solar (CSS), estimated by NREL to be between $8.2 and $16.3 billion by 2020. It argues that CSS, typically sized between 0.5 and 5 MW, offers a cost-effective middle ground between residential and utility-scale solar. To unlock this potential, the document suggests adapting existing project finance and securitization models, utilizing innovative tools like New Markets Tax Credits, and implementing risk mitigants such as anchor tenants and subscription cushions to address customer attrition and regulatory uncertainty.

The document reports significant job growth in the U.S. clean energy sector as of early 2016. It highlights that solar and wind industries are expanding rapidly, with solar jobs growing 17 times faster than the overall economy and wind-turbine technicians projected as the fastest-growing occupation. Energy efficiency employs the largest volume of workers at 2.2 million. Geographically, Texas leads in wind jobs, while California leads in solar and energy efficiency jobs.

The legal marijuana industry in the US creates significant electricity demand due to high-intensity lighting and climate control, with Colorado's industry consuming 300 GWh in 2015. To mitigate the impact on carbon goals and grid stability, the document recommends that utilities support LED adoption through rebates and on-bill financing to overcome capital limitations. It further suggests using time-varying rates to shift lighting schedules to periods of low net load—such as midday in California for solar or nighttime in Colorado for wind—to avoid peak demand and reduce reliance on fossil fuel generation.

The report examines the intersection of climate change and fiduciary duty for public pension fund trustees. It identifies four primary financial risks—physical impact, carbon asset, transition, and litigation—and argues that these risks necessitate the exercise of duties to inquire, monitor, diversify, and act impartially. The document suggests that failure to account for these risks may lead to lawsuits for breach of fiduciary duty, particularly regarding the interests of future beneficiaries. Recommended actions include modifying investment principles, divesting from climate-vulnerable assets, active shareholder engagement, and investing in clean energy.

The document advocates for increasing electric vehicle (EV) availability in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, noting that while 55% of regional consumers are interested, availability lags significantly behind California. It calls for the expiration of a regulatory exemption that allows sales in California to count toward compliance in Northeast states and suggests updating ZEV program credits to account for rapid improvements in battery range.

The paper examines the adoption of Biodiversity Offsetting in England, highlighting a significant gap between policy implementation and research on its impacts. Through stakeholder interviews, the authors identify critical failures in both ecological compensation—such as the oversimplification of biodiversity metrics—and social compensation, specifically the marginalization of local communities and the loss of public access to nature. The study argues that the current 'no net loss' framework is a normative construct that often fails to account for the irreplaceable nature of certain habitats and the distributive justice concerns of affected populations.

The document assesses the impact of the US National Program's fuel efficiency and emissions standards on Massachusetts, highlighting reductions in oil consumption, consumer cost savings, and greenhouse gas emissions. It warns that a federal midterm review of the 2022–2025 standards could jeopardize these benefits, which include projected GDP growth and job creation by 2030.

The report analyzes the US electric vehicle (EV) market as of 2016, finding that while cumulative sales were nearing 500,000, progress among automakers is uneven. BMW, General Motors, Nissan, and Tesla are identified as leaders, while Honda, Toyota, and Fiat Chrysler are characterized as laggards. A significant disparity in vehicle availability exists between California and the rest of the US, largely attributed to California's Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program. The authors argue that limited model availability and poor dealership inventory outside California hinder the national transition to electric transportation.

The National Program for fuel efficiency and emissions standards is critical for the Northeast, where passenger vehicles account for over 25% of regional emissions. The program has already reduced oil consumption by 1.3 billion gallons since 2011 and is projected to lower global warming pollution by 75 million metric tons per year by 2030. Economically, it is estimated to save the average Northeast household over $2,400 annually by 2030 and create more than 125,000 regional jobs.

The report evaluates alternative electricity rate designs for mass-market customers, focusing on time-based rates and demand charges. It finds that well-designed time-based rates can significantly reduce peak load (0-50%) and total energy consumption (0-10%) without harming customer acceptance. Key drivers of success include high peak/off-peak price ratios, active enabling technologies, and opt-out enrollment. In contrast, the report notes a significant lack of empirical evidence regarding the impact of mass-market demand charges on peak reduction or customer acceptance, describing current claims as largely speculative. The document provides a framework of design dimensions—such as cost allocation, peak coincidence, and financial mechanisms—to guide utilities and regulators in implementing more sophisticated pricing structures that reflect system costs.

The survey found that approximately 43-44% of households in California and the Northeast are technically suitable for current plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) based on parking, hauling, and passenger needs. Consumer interest in EVs is higher in California, where 54.63% are likely to consider one for their next vehicle, compared to 34.86% in the Northeast. The most cited barrier to ownership is the purchase price, and the most desired policy is a tax credit or rebate. While there is strong agreement that EVs reduce climate emissions, awareness of specific government and utility incentives remains low.

Massachusetts has become heavily reliant on natural gas for electricity, with it accounting for over 60 percent of in-state generation. This dependence exposes consumers to price volatility and hinders carbon reduction goals. The Union of Concerned Scientists proposes a diversified energy plan incorporating offshore and onshore wind, hydropower, and solar. This strategy could reduce natural gas use by 23 percent below business-as-usual by 2030, decrease carbon emissions by 6.6 million tons, and generate over $350 million in health and economic benefits in 2030, with a modest estimated increase in household electricity bills of approximately $3.00 per month.

The paper argues that traditional cost-of-service regulation incentivizes utilities to invest in capital expenditures to meet peak demand. To counter this, it proposes a PIM based on an outcome-oriented metric—specifically the percentage reduction in peak load—rather than a measure-by-measure counterfactual approach, which it claims failed in California's Risk Reward Incentive Mechanism (RRIM). The author recommends setting long-term targets (five to eight years) with annual interim goals and utilizing a sloped, symmetrical incentive structure with upper and lower caps. To manage risk, the proposal suggests a gradual implementation starting with small revenue amounts, eventually scaling the PIM based on independent studies of the net societal benefits of peak reduction.

The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that Massachusetts is over-reliant on natural gas, which exposes consumers to price volatility and hinders climate goals. The report proposes a policy mix including increased hydropower, land-based wind, and 2,000 MW of offshore wind to reduce natural gas's share of New England's electricity generation from a projected 52% to 42% by 2030, while keeping cost increases for residential consumers to approximately $3.00 per month.

The document examines the $6.8 billion merger between Exelon and Pepco, focusing on the contentious approval process in Washington, D.C. It uses this case to highlight five industry trends: increased utility consolidation to hedge against low wholesale power prices, disputes over microgrid ownership, the criticality of rate design equity, the rise of empowered local customer constituencies, and the proliferation of state-level power sector transformation proceedings.

CIEL President Carroll Muffett supports the collaboration of US state Attorneys General in investigating fossil fuel companies for climate deception, noting that five jurisdictions—New York, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, and the US Virgin Islands—have confirmed investigations into Exxon.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of offshore wind energy as of early 2016, contrasting the advanced capacity in Europe with the nascent industry in the United States. It details the technical advantages of offshore wind over onshore wind, such as stronger and more consistent winds and proximity to coastal population centers. The text outlines U.S. government initiatives, including Department of Energy funding and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management leasing, while highlighting the United Kingdom, Germany, and Denmark as global leaders. It also discusses the economic impact of the sector, specifically the 'additional employment effect' in European ports and shipyards.

The document argues that the Arecibo Waste-to-Energy and Resource Recovery Project is unnecessary, economically unviable, and environmentally hazardous. It claims the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) fails to meet National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) standards by ignoring reasonable alternatives, underestimating public health risks—particularly lead exposure in a non-attainment area—and omitting cumulative impacts on human health and biological resources. The authors contend that the project violates the Rural Electrification Act's mandate to serve rural areas and would cause irreversible damage to the Caño Tiburones Natural Reserve.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of 'green jobs' in the US and internationally, highlighting the growth of sectors like solar, wind, and energy efficiency. It notes that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics ceased its Green Careers program in 2013, leading to a reliance on fragmented data from multiple sources. Globally, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) identifies China as the leader in renewable energy employment, with solar PV being the largest global employer in the sector.

Fuel cells generate electricity through a chemical reaction between oxygen and hydrogen, offering a high-efficiency, low-emission alternative to combustion engines and batteries. While they excel in reliability, scalability, and energy density, widespread adoption is hindered by high costs—particularly the need for platinum in PEM cells—and the lack of hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Applications range from portable electronics and stationary power (including combined heat and power systems) to transportation. In the U.S., the Department of Energy and various state-level policies, such as Renewable Portfolio Standards and tax credits, are working to reduce system costs and expand infrastructure to make fuel cells more competitive with gasoline-powered vehicles.