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The document analyzes the U.S. home energy financing landscape, distinguishing between traditional lenders (e.g., FHA, Fannie Mae) and nontraditional options (e.g., PACE, on-bill financing). It argues that consumer choice is driven more by the timing of improvements and ease of origination than by interest rates or terms. Key barriers include manual underwriting for traditional products and a lack of standardization and securitization for nontraditional products. The brief recommends automating underwriting for traditional lenders and creating standardized, poolable programs for nontraditional financing to enable scaling.

The document outlines a structured approach to grid modernization, emphasizing integrated distribution planning and the use of outcome-oriented metrics for affordability, resilience, and environmental performance. It suggests tying utility revenue to these performance targets through conditional rates of return or budget caps with shared savings to align utility incentives with public benefits.

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 document outlines eight key areas for electricity innovation in 2017, focusing heavily on the integration, valuation, and management of distributed energy resources (DERs). It highlights the shift toward technology-agnostic DER valuation, the potential for electric vehicles to serve as grid assets, and the need for alternative capital planning to displace traditional infrastructure. The text also addresses the necessity of evolving utility business models, establishing distribution system operators (DSOs), improving customer engagement, and expanding DER access to low- and moderate-income customers.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) asserts that Ontario's coal plant phase-out significantly reduced air pollution and improved public health. In 2002, Ontario's five coal plants were responsible for 23% of sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions, 14% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, 23% of airborne mercury, and 20% of greenhouse gas emissions. Between 2003 and 2012, SO2 emissions from these plants dropped by approximately 140,000 tonnes, contributing to a nearly 50% decline in annual air levels of SO2 and a 25% decline in PM2.5 across the province. A 2005 estimate valued the health impacts of coal plant pollution—including over 600 premature deaths and 1,900 hospital or emergency room visits annually—at $3 billion per year. Additionally, Toronto Public Health found that air quality improvements from 2000 to 2011 reduced premature deaths in Toronto by 23% and hospital admissions by 41%, attributing these gains in part to the coal phase-out.

The US coal industry has faced a sharp decline driven by the shale gas revolution, increasing competitiveness of renewables, and federal environmental regulations. This transition has led to significant job losses and bankruptcies among major coal producers, particularly impacting regions like Appalachia and the Powder River Basin. To mitigate these effects, the Obama administration introduced the Power Plus Plan to fund economic diversification and worker retraining. However, low-income households still face high electricity costs, and bankrupt companies have shifted reclamation and pension liabilities to state budgets.

The document details a spreadsheet model designed to quantify the effects of hypothetical green banks in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont from 2017 to 2031. It outlines the financial assumptions, including initial capitalization based on New York's per-capita rates, a 5% borrower interest rate, and a 5:1 private-sector leverage ratio. The methodology explains how funds are allocated across energy efficiency, solar photovoltaics, and community wind, and how these investments are translated into installed capacity, electricity savings, and avoided carbon emissions using data from NREL, ACEEE, and the EPA.

The Union of Concerned Scientists proposes that Maine establish a green bank to catalyze private-sector investment in clean energy. An analysis suggests that an initial public capitalization of $14 million could leverage $300 million in total investment over 15 years. This initiative would support 70 MW of new solar and wind capacity, save homes and businesses $33 million annually on electricity bills through efficiency, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 176,000 tons by 2031. The document identifies Efficiency Maine, the Finance Authority of Maine, and the Maine Technology Institute as potential hosts for the bank and outlines financial tools such as credit enhancements, warehousing, and direct lending to drive market transformation.

The Union of Concerned Scientists proposes that New Hampshire establish a clean energy finance authority to leverage public funds for private investment. An analysis suggests that an initial $14 million capitalization could drive $300 million in total investment over 15 years, resulting in 70 MW of new solar and wind capacity, $40.3 million in annual electricity bill savings, and a reduction of 222,900 tons of carbon dioxide emissions by 2031.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) proposes that Vermont could leverage an initial $7 million public investment into $148 million of total clean energy investment over 15 years. This expanded financing capacity would support nearly 50 MW of new solar and wind power, save homes and businesses $14.6 million annually on electricity bills, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 111,500 tons by 2031. The report details existing Vermont programs—such as Efficiency Vermont, PACE financing, and the Clean Energy Development Fund—and suggests a more comprehensive, coordinated public-private financing initiative to meet the state's long-term goal of 90% renewable energy and efficiency by 2050.

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 report argues that the rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) requires a shift in regulatory paradigms to ensure that new loads benefit rather than impair the electricity grid. It emphasizes the role of state utility regulators in designing smart charging policies, rate structures, and infrastructure ownership models. Through case studies of California and Washington, the document illustrates different approaches to EV deployment and integration, highlighting the need for adaptive regulation, such as scalable pilots and scenario-based distribution planning, to manage the unpredictable nature of EV adoption.

The report argues that an accelerated phase-out of coal power in Alberta would significantly reduce premature deaths, emergency room visits, and asthma episodes, while providing billions in socio-economic value. By extrapolating data from Environment Canada's Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement (RIAS), the authors demonstrate that a stepwise transition proposed by the Pembina Institute would more than double the health benefits of the 2012 federal regulations between 2015 and 2035.

The National Program for fuel efficiency and emissions standards is a cornerstone of New York's strategy to reduce transportation emissions, which account for 33 percent of statewide emissions. The program has already reduced annual transportation-related emissions in New York by 2 million metric tons and saved drivers $1.5 billion in fuel costs since 2011. By 2030, the program is projected to lower the state's global warming emissions by 21 million metric tons per year, save consumers $7 billion in gas expenses, create over 40,000 jobs, and increase the state's GDP by more than $6 billion.

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 document outlines the growing demand for sustainable finance professionals to facilitate the transition to a sustainable economy. It identifies diverse career paths in the public sector (multilateral development banks, green banks), the private sector (consulting, financial institutions, clean tech), and NGOs (foundations, thought leadership organizations). It notes that while finance backgrounds are advantageous, the field welcomes professionals from law, policy, and management, and highlights recent initiatives like the Breakthrough Energy Coalition and the Catalytic Finance Initiative as evidence of the sector's growth.

The Health Collaborative, representing 15 health organizations, argues that phasing out coal-fired electricity in Canada by 2025 is essential for mitigating climate change and reducing severe public health risks. The document highlights that while coal provided only 10.6% of Canada's electricity in 2014, it accounted for 72% of the sector's greenhouse gas emissions. It details the health benefits of coal closures, citing Ontario's experience where the phase-out led to significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and fine particulate matter, as well as a 23% decrease in air-pollution-related premature deaths in Toronto between 2000 and 2010. The submission also emphasizes the danger of mercury emissions from coal plants, which are linked to neurodevelopmental impacts in children. The authors recommend a complete phase-out by 2025, the development of renewable energy, and the implementation of energy efficiency programs.

The report argues that electric vehicles (EVs) represent a significant demand-side opportunity for the electricity grid. By treating EV charging as a distributed energy resource (DER), utilities can use smart charging—even without vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities—to avoid infrastructure investment, integrate more variable renewables, and reduce system costs. The authors emphasize that charging behavior is most effectively influenced in the first few months of ownership, necessitating early action on rate design and infrastructure planning. Through modeling in five U.S. states and analysis of California pilots, the report demonstrates that optimized charging can substantially flatten load profiles and prevent peak demand increases. It outlines various roles for utilities (facilitator, manager, provider) and recommends the use of time-of-use (TOU) and dynamic pricing to shift loads to off-peak hours.