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This fact sheet describes the hydrology of the lower Winnipeg River basin (LWRB), focusing on river discharge, water levels, and the role of hydroelectric generating stations. It provides historical discharge data, climate projections for the 2050s, and discusses the river's contribution to Lake Winnipeg's water volume and nutrient loading.

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.

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provides a comprehensive regulatory framework for decarbonizing the US building sector, primarily through electrification. It outlines ten key strategies for public utilities commissions (PUCs) and government agencies to transition away from fossil fuel infrastructure, emphasizing equity, market transformation, and the management of stranded asset risks.

This report analyzes electric generation procurement by vertically integrated utilities in the United States, contrasting 'all-source' procurements—which are technology-neutral—with single-source processes. Using case studies from states like Colorado, Georgia, and New Mexico, the authors argue that utilities often exercise monopsony power to favor self-built, gas-fired generation over cheaper renewable alternatives. The report provides five best practices for regulators to ensure fair, competitive, and cost-effective procurement of power plants.

This briefing transcript features a panel of experts discussing coastal resilience in the Great Lakes region, focusing on climate impacts, nature-based solutions, tribal adaptation strategies, and climate-smart agriculture. The discussion emphasizes the economic and environmental importance of the Great Lakes, the role of coastal wetlands in mitigating flooding and improving water quality, and the necessity of integrating traditional ecological knowledge and local leadership into federal and state policy.

This insight brief introduces 'hours of safety' as a metric to quantify how long a building envelope can maintain safe indoor temperatures during power outages in extreme cold. Using simulations of five building types in Duluth, Minnesota, the research demonstrates that high-performance envelopes, such as those meeting Passive House standards, significantly extend the time residents can safely shelter in place compared to older or code-compliant homes.

This briefing discusses the mandate given to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to investigate the transition to a performance-based regulation (PBR) model to align utility operations with state clean energy and decarbonization goals.

The City of Saint Paul issued a USD 7 million green bond on June 19, 2019, to finance capital improvements to its sewer system and associated issuance costs.

The IISD briefing identifies three environmental 'hotspots' in Manitoba—the Southwest Red River Valley (high fertilizer use), Southwestern Manitoba (high conservation tillage), and the Southeast Red River Valley (unincorporated manure)—where targeted investments in natural infrastructure and beneficial management practices can most effectively improve water quality and reduce nutrient runoff into Lake Winnipeg.

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) examines utility regulatory reform efforts across 10 U.S. states to identify effective processes for transforming the power sector. It argues that traditional quasi-judicial regulatory processes are inadequate for the scale and complexity of current energy transitions and proposes a four-stage framework—initiation, vision communication, conduction, and delivery of outcomes—to achieve more transformational results.

The City of St Louis Park issued a USD 43.7 million green bond on December 28, 2018, to finance a LEED Gold certified multifamily housing project via a loan to E-Generation One, LLC.

This policy brief outlines the "steel for fuel" investment strategy, where utilities replace uneconomic fossil fuel plants with renewable energy assets. By shifting from variable fuel expenses (which earn no return) to capital investments in wind and solar (which earn regulated returns), utilities can increase shareholder earnings while reducing costs for consumers. Using Xcel Energy as a primary example, the brief discusses the role of competitive bidding, the difference between utility-owned assets and Power Purchase Agreements, and the regulatory environment in the United States.

The City of Minneapolis issued a USD 96 million green bond on 31 October 2018 to fund a new Public Service Center and an East Side Storage and Maintenance Facility, both of which are committed to LEED Gold certification. The bond, which matures in 2046, was reviewed by Kestrel Verifiers and represents the second such issuance from a Minnesota issuer in 2018.

The Interstate Power and Light Company issued a USD 500 million senior unsecured green bond on September 26, 2018, to fund the construction and development of wind and solar electric generating facilities.

The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Buildings provides a framework for regional governments to reduce emissions in the building sector, which contributes nearly one-third of global emissions. It recommends three primary actions: establishing net-zero codes for new buildings, mandating energy efficiency upgrades for existing buildings, and requiring utilities to implement energy-savings programs through energy efficiency resource standards (EERS).

The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Electricity provides a framework for transitioning regional electricity systems to renewable or zero-emission energy. It outlines five primary actions: implementing ambitious Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), phasing out coal-fired generation through retirement and moratoriums, modernizing rate designs to include dynamic pricing, integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) into grid planning, and expanding community solar projects to increase accessibility.

This case study describes how the Organic Valley agricultural cooperative partnered with OneEnergy Renewables and the Upper Midwest Municipal Energy Group (UMMEG) to source 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2019. By utilizing a community solar model in the U.S. Midwest, the partnership developed 12 MW of solar for Organic Valley and an additional 17 MW for local communities, totaling approximately 29 MW of new installations.

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.

This fact sheet by the International Institute for Sustainable Development explains the nature of zebra mussels, their spread into Manitoba, and their potential ecological and infrastructural impacts on Lake Winnipeg.

This briefing from RMI outlines eight priority areas for electricity innovation in 2017, based on a survey of the Electricity Innovation Lab (eLab) network. The document focuses on the integration of distributed energy resources (DERs), the evolution of utility business models, and the need for improved customer engagement to transform the U.S. electricity system.