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This briefing analyzes the PJM Board's January 2026 decision regarding the Critical Issue Fast Path for Large Load Additions (CIFP-LLA). It outlines how states within the PJM region can implement retail-level policies—such as specialized tariffs and improved forecasting—to manage the surge in data center electricity demand without increasing costs for residential ratepayers or compromising grid reliability.

This technical explainer by RMI analyzes the use of voluntary carbon markets (VCM) to finance the plugging of orphaned oil and gas wells in the United States and Canada. It evaluates the methodologies used to generate carbon credits, the associated quality risks—particularly regarding emissions quantification and permanence—and the systemic regulatory failures that lead to the proliferation of orphaned wells.

This guide by RMI explains the climate and health impacts of methane, its primary sources, and strategies for reduction. It highlights the role of data and international agreements in curbing emissions and details RMI's specific tools and initiatives for monitoring and certifying low-methane gas production.

This report provides a framework for conducting a Gas System Analysis (GSA) to help regulators and decision-makers evaluate the prudence of gas utility infrastructure investments, reduce consumer costs, and align utility operations with climate and public health goals.

This briefing by RMI argues that affordability programs for low-income utility customers reduce system-wide energy costs by lowering utility debt and collection expenses, which are otherwise passed on to all ratepayers.

A statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) arguing that the US government is dismantling critical disaster protections and weather forecasting capabilities while the petrochemical industry continues to expand in hurricane-prone regions, leaving vulnerable communities exposed to escalating climate risks and financial instability.

This briefing by RMI argues that the "Pennsylvania Plus" (Penn+) region is uniquely positioned to become a hub for an emissions-differentiated gas market. The region possesses a strong combination of low-methane gas supply, developed market infrastructure, and a supportive regulatory environment, though it currently faces a gap where the supply of low-leakage gas exceeds buyer demand.

This report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) analyzes the potential for repurposing abandoned and soon-to-be-closed surface coal mines into solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants. It argues that these sites are ideal for solar development due to their existing proximity to grid infrastructure and the need for land reclamation, offering a pathway to align clean energy goals with local job creation and environmental restoration.

This briefing by RMI outlines the economic, health, and environmental benefits of transitioning over 10 million US homes that rely on delivered fuels (oil and propane) to electric heat pumps. It provides data on potential energy savings, carbon pollution reduction, and recommends specific policy interventions and outreach strategies to accelerate this transition.

RMI argues that while attributional carbon accounting is useful for reporting, it fails to measure the actual climate impact of corporate actions. The briefing proposes the adoption of 'consequential assessment,' which models how specific actions—such as signing solar PPAs or investing in grid storage—change the overall emissions profile of the electricity grid. While more uncertain than inventory-based accounting, consequential assessment can guide companies toward more effective decarbonization strategies. The authors call for modernized datasets and standardized reporting frameworks to make this approach practical for global corporate use.

This report by RMI and Evergreen analyzes industrial decarbonization strategies within 26 Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs) submitted by US states and Puerto Rico under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program. The analysis finds that while there is a general intention to reduce industrial emissions, state plans often lack the subsector specificity, long-term roadmapping, and cost-effective policy tools necessary for a successful transition. The authors recommend that states move away from a reliance on federal funding, adopt tailored strategies based on local industrial compositions, and better leverage co-benefits such as public health improvements, workforce development, and international competitiveness.

This report by RMI argues that the US steel industry faces a critical decision point regarding seven aging coal-based blast furnaces in the Great Lakes region. The author contends that investing hundreds of millions of dollars to 'reline' these furnaces to extend their life by 20 years risks creating stranded assets, perpetuating severe local pollution, and missing the transition to low-emissions steel. Instead, the report advocates for a transition to Hydrogen-Ready Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) coupled with Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) to ensure long-term competitiveness and align with climate goals.

This report defines "energy parks" as large-scale microgrids that co-locate renewable energy generation, storage, and electricity consumers (loads) behind a single point of interconnection (POI) to the bulk power grid. The authors argue that this model reduces equipment costs, accelerates the "time to power" for industrial loads, and provides flexible grid services. The document outlines the evolution of these parks from simple solar farms with high inverter-loading ratios to complex hybrids involving thermal batteries and hydrogen electrolysis. It identifies significant regulatory hurdles, including interconnection queue delays, wholesale market participation rules, and state-level utility monopolies, and proposes a shift toward treating energy parks as "digital resources" with a universal participation model.

A statement by Representative Chrissy Houlahan in the Congressional Record recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and its role in providing nonpartisan, science-based educational resources to Congress on climate and energy topics.

This research note by Energy Innovation argues that the U.S. Treasury Department must maintain the "three pillars" (incremental, deliverable, and hourly-matched clean electricity) in the final rules for the Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit. The author contends that weakening these rules would undermine climate goals, increase electricity costs for consumers, and stifle the development of a flexible, domestic electrolyzer industry.

In May 2024, the US Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) updated minimum energy standards for new construction, requiring new covered buildings under four stories to comply with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (2021 IECC) and taller buildings to meet ASHRAE/ANSI Standard 90.1-2019. These updates, combined with 45L tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), make high-performance multifamily housing financially viable, particularly for all-electric constructions and those in specific climate zones.

A letter from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and other health professionals to the Premier of New Brunswick, warning against the pursuit of shale gas production due to documented adverse health impacts associated with hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

This report by RMI argues for the establishment of comprehensive indoor air quality (IAQ) guidelines in the United States to protect public health and inform building decarbonization. It examines the health risks of indoor pollutants, compares indoor and outdoor air regulation, reviews international and domestic examples of IAQ guidelines, and outlines how such guidelines can be applied to product safety, building codes, and certifications.

This guide by RMI provides recommendations for recipients of the US EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) planning grants to incorporate organic waste and landfill methane strategies into their Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs). It emphasizes the use of 20-year global warming potentials to highlight the urgency of methane reduction and suggests a combination of upstream waste prevention and downstream landfill control measures to achieve significant greenhouse gas reductions and community benefits.

This report by RMI outlines a strategic framework—focused on competitiveness, constraints, and coordination—to accelerate energy transition investment in the Great Lakes region. It argues that while the region possesses significant industrial legacies and innovation assets, it faces structural hurdles such as slow population growth, labor shortages, and a lack of cohesive industrial strategies. The document proposes that states move beyond simple investment attraction toward coordinated industrial policies, leveraging federal incentives from the IRA, IIJA, and CHIPS Act to build regional clusters in sectors like EV batteries, low-carbon steel, and sustainable fuels.