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The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) has emerged as a leader in renewable energy, offering significant opportunities for corporate buyers through wind power purchase agreements (PPAs). Market improvements since 2014, including the integration of the Integrated System (IS) transmission system, have increased dispatch efficiency and reduced energy costs. The region possesses some of the highest wind resource quality in the U.S., with nine of the top 10 states for high-capacity-factor wind generation located within the SPP footprint. This high capacity factor allows for lower unit costs and more competitive PPA prices. While there is a strong pipeline of planned wind capacity—including an estimated 19 GW of planned additions and nearly 7 GW expected in 2017—corporate buyers are cautioned to monitor the pace of transmission infrastructure investment to avoid curtailment risks and track regional policy changes, such as potential tax credit eliminations in Oklahoma.

The report details how the US oil and gas industry emits methane, toxic air pollutants (such as benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde), and ozone precursors that cause cancer and respiratory illnesses. It provides state-specific data for Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, highlighting that ozone pollution travels across state borders, affecting residents even in states with little to no local industry activity. The document emphasizes the vulnerability of children and low-income communities and argues for the necessity of strong federal standards from the EPA and the Bureau of Land Management to protect public health.

The report examines the lifecycle emissions of major transportation fuels, finding that while electricity and biofuels are becoming cleaner, oil is becoming more polluting due to the shift toward unconventional sources like tar sands and fracking. It advocates for the 'Half the Oil' plan to reduce U.S. oil use by 50% by 2035 and calls for greater corporate accountability, transparency in emissions reporting, and a shift toward renewable electricity and non-food biofuels.

The report argues that while vehicle tailpipe emissions are decreasing due to efficiency gains, the overall climate impact of gasoline is rising because the oil industry is shifting toward more energy-intensive and polluting extraction and refining methods. It highlights the high emissions from depleted wells, tight oil (fracking), and tar sands, and calls for increased transparency, the elimination of routine flaring, and a transition to cleaner fuels to reduce the projected 100 billion barrels of oil consumption between 2015 and 2035.

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 author asserts that the $7 billion cost of the Kemper plant in Mississippi is attributable to the first-of-a-kind TRIG gasifier and construction issues, not the Selexol carbon capture technology, which is a well-established process used in over 110 projects. The document contrasts Kemper with the Petra Nova project in Texas, which was completed on budget as a retrofit. Kemper is presented as globally significant because it demonstrates the storage side of coal gasification, offering a potential model for coal-to-chemicals plants in China to stop venting CO2. Domestically, the project demonstrates the expandability of the U.S. CO2 pipeline network. The author concludes by calling for Congressional incentives, such as production tax credits, to accelerate the deployment of carbon capture in the power and industrial sectors.

The World Resources Institute argues that the U.S. Secretary of Energy should leverage the falling costs of wind and solar energy to position the United States as a global leader in clean technology. The statement highlights Texas's growth in wind power under Rick Perry's governorship as a model for national energy development.

The study finds that at oil prices of $50 per barrel, U.S. government subsidies make nearly half of discovered, not-yet-producing oil fields profitable, potentially adding 20 billion barrels of production. This would result in approximately 8 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions, representing about 1% of the remaining global carbon budget to limit warming to 2°C. The analysis highlights that while subsidies significantly drive production at lower prices, they primarily function as transfers to industry profits at higher prices (e.g., $100 per barrel). The most impactful subsidy identified is the immediate expensing of intangible drilling costs (IDCs).

The report examines the systemic challenges to scientific integrity in the US federal government, contrasting the widespread suppression of science during the George W. Bush administration with the partial progress made under Barack Obama. It argues that while the Obama administration established scientific integrity policies and improved morale, significant gaps remained in implementation, transparency, and the prevention of political interference in rulemaking. The document provides a framework and specific recommendations for the Trump administration to protect independent science, increase government transparency, and enhance public participation to ensure evidence-based decisionmaking.

The briefing explains that measuring electricity emissions through average factors often misrepresents the actual environmental impact of energy use. By adopting technology that tracks marginal emissions—the rate at which emissions change with a small change in load—consumers and corporations can optimize the timing and location of electricity use to maximize carbon reductions. The author highlights that harnessing end-use flexibility can make devices run 15 percent cleaner on average without cost or quality impacts. Practical applications include timing electric vehicle charging to avoid peaking plants and valuing renewable energy projects based on their specific carbon reduction potential rather than treating all megawatt-hours as equal.

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 identifies a 'double jeopardy' for residents of east Houston's Harrisburg/Manchester and Galena Park communities, who face both daily chronic exposure to toxic air pollutants and a high risk of acute catastrophic chemical accidents. Using EPA data, the study finds that these marginalized communities have significantly higher toxic concentrations, cancer risks, and respiratory hazards than the more affluent West Oaks/Eldridge and Bellaire neighborhoods. The authors attribute these disparities to a lack of citywide zoning in Houston and the concentration of high-risk industrial facilities in low-income areas, recommending stricter regulations on safer chemicals, improved fenceline monitoring, and the implementation of formal health-impact assessments.

The report identifies a 'double jeopardy' for residents of Harrisburg/Manchester and Galena Park in east Houston, who face both higher daily exposure to toxic air pollutants and greater proximity to high-risk chemical facilities than residents of West Oaks/Eldridge and Bellaire in west Houston. This disparity results in significantly higher cancer and respiratory illness risks for east Houston residents, exacerbated by a lack of comprehensive zoning laws and socioeconomic determinants.

The report identifies a 'double jeopardy' for residents of Harrisburg/Manchester and Galena Park in east Houston, who face both significantly higher daily exposure to toxic air pollutants and a greater risk of catastrophic chemical accidents due to their proximity to high-risk industrial facilities. In contrast, wealthier communities in west Houston, such as Bellaire and West Oaks/Eldridge, have far lower exposure levels and fewer nearby hazardous facilities. The document advocates for systemic regulatory changes, including the adoption of safer technologies, improved emergency communication, and the implementation of health impact assessments to address these environmental justice disparities.

The report finds that millions of Latinos in the US are disproportionately exposed to toxic air pollutants and ozone from oil and gas infrastructure, leading to significant health burdens. It highlights that 1.81 million Latinos live within a half-mile of such facilities and 1.78 million live in counties where cancer risks exceed EPA concern levels. The document argues that poverty and lack of health insurance exacerbate these risks, and calls for the EPA to regulate existing facilities, not just new ones, to protect public health and address climate change.

The report finds that millions of Latinos are exposed to toxic air pollutants and ozone smog from oil and gas facilities, leading to elevated cancer risks and childhood asthma attacks. These health threats are exacerbated by higher poverty rates and lower health insurance coverage within Latino populations. The authors argue for comprehensive EPA regulations covering both new and existing oil and gas infrastructure to reduce methane and toxic emissions.

China experienced unprecedented wind power growth, with capacity increasing from 1.26 GW in 2005 to 91.4 GW by the end of 2013. However, this rapid deployment led to significant issues with delayed grid connections and curtailment, particularly in resource-rich northern provinces. The report identifies a mismatch between the location of wind resources and power demand, alongside a lack of coordinated planning between generation capacity and transmission infrastructure. Governance failures, such as setting targets based on installed capacity rather than actual generation and a system of guaranteed run hours for coal plants, further exacerbated these problems. The Chinese government has responded with technical upgrades like ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission lines, revised feed-in tariffs, and a shift toward distributed wind power to mitigate these systemic inefficiencies.

The report uses photochemical modeling to compare a 2025 'Baseline' scenario with a 'Zero-Oil&Gas' scenario to quantify the contribution of the oil and gas sector to ozone concentrations and associated health burdens across the continental United States.

The report estimates that oil and gas emissions will cause over 750,000 summertime asthma attacks in children under 18 across the U.S. in 2025. It identifies volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) as the primary precursors to this ozone smog, noting that pollution travels far downwind to affect all 48 contiguous states. The analysis highlights Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Pennsylvania as states with the highest number of asthma attacks. To mitigate these effects, the report recommends implementing leak detection and repair (LDAR) programs, replacing high-emitting pneumatic equipment, and using vapor recovery units on storage tanks.

The document argues that biomass energy, specifically wood pellets exported from the U.S. to the UK, does not provide significant greenhouse gas benefits and may actually increase carbon pollution. It disputes USDA claims regarding forest growth in the Southern U.S., attributing reported increases to changes in surveying and categorization rather than new planting. Additionally, it warns that the demand for wood pellets threatens southeastern bottomland hardwood forests and misrepresents modeling studies as retrospective evidence of forest growth.