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132 results
Clean Energy 101: Energy System Resilience
This guide by RMI defines energy system resilience as a community's ability to maintain critical services during and after extreme weather, distinguishing it from reliability, which refers to day-to-day grid performance. The document outlines the necessity of resilience due to climate volatility, aging infrastructure, and increasing grid strain, while highlighting that vulnerable populations and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are disproportionately affected by outages.
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Document type: Guide
Residential Clean Technologies Still Make Sense — Even Without Tax Credits
An RMI analysis evaluates the viability of residential clean technologies—electric vehicles (EVs), air-source heat pumps (ASHPs), and rooftop solar—in the US following the expiration of federal tax credits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. The report finds that these technologies still provide significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions and household cost savings, though the most effective technology varies by region and household archetype.
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Document type: Report
Critical Mineral Deep Dive: Lithium
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the role of lithium in the energy transition, its global supply chain, extraction methods, and the environmental and social impacts associated with its production.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Hourly matching of scope 2 emissions can further incentivise decarbonisation
This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the transition from annual to hourly matching for accounting scope 2 emissions. It argues that hourly matching—requiring electricity consumption to be matched by renewable generation in the same hour—provides a more accurate reflection of decarbonisation and creates stronger market signals for renewable energy deployment than current annual standards. While 100% matching can be costly, the document suggests that partial matching (e.g., 80-90%) can maintain climate benefits while reducing costs. The briefing notes that the GHG Protocol is updating its Scope 2 Guidance, with a release expected in 2027, and highlights that hourly matching is already being implemented through 45 projects globally and specific regulatory frameworks like the EU's CBAM.
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Document type: Briefing
Estudio normativo y técnico para la instalación de cargadores eléctricos residenciales en edificios existentes
This report analyzes the legal and technical obstacles to installing electric vehicle chargers in existing residential buildings in Chile, specifically the conflict between individual property rights and the collective ownership of electrical infrastructure under Law N°21.442. It finds that high community approval quorums lead to an 80% rejection rate for projects. By comparing legislation in the US, Europe, and Brazil, the report recommends modifying Chilean law to establish a 'right to plug', allowing owners to install chargers via simple notification, provided they bear all costs and adhere to SEC technical standards.
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Document type: Report
Grid-Scale Virtual Power Plants are Here. Have Utilities Noticed?
This policy brief by RMI argues that virtual power plants (VPPs)—aggregations of distributed energy resources like batteries and smart thermostats—have reached a scale capable of replacing traditional power plants but are not being adequately integrated into utility long-term planning. The document highlights that while VPPs are increasingly mentioned in regulatory filings, they are often not modeled as selectable resources on an equal footing with conventional generation, leading to a risk of inefficient grid overbuilding.
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Document type: Policy brief
The Geothermal Supply Chain Is America’s to Gain — or Lose
This report by RMI argues that the United States is well-positioned to lead the next-generation geothermal supply chain by leveraging existing oil and gas expertise, but warns that targeted policy and research are required to avoid bottlenecks and capture economic benefits.
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Document type: Report
Unpacking the PJM CIFP Decision: What PJM States Can Do to Ensure Affordable, Reliable Electricity During the Data Center Boom
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.
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Document type: Briefing
For the US EV Market, a More Turbulent Road Lies Ahead
The US electric vehicle (EV) market is experiencing a slowdown in momentum due to federal policy shifts, including the expiration of purchase tax credits and the repeal of tailpipe emission limits. While EV sales fell 4% in 2025, charging infrastructure continues to expand through private investment. Automakers are pivoting away from all-electric targets toward a mix of hybrids and affordable models, while manufacturing investments in the Midwest and South have seen significant cancellations.
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Document type: Report
5 Things We Learned from Analyzing More than 200 Utility Incentives
This fact sheet by RMI analyzes data from over 200 performance incentive mechanisms (PIMs) in the United States to identify trends in how public utility commissions (PUCs) use these tools to drive priorities such as decarbonization, equity, and affordability.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Canada-Alberta MOU a Disappointing Retreat on Oil & Gas Methane Regulation
A joint statement by the Environmental Defense Fund, For Our Kids, and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment criticizes a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Canadian federal government and the Alberta government. The groups argue that the MOU's timeline for methane reduction represents a significant retreat from previous climate commitments and risks economic losses.
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Document type: Statement
Cutting These Subsidies Could Save States Millions of Dollars
This RMI fact sheet examines the practice of gas line extension allowances—subsidies where existing customers fund the cost of connecting new buildings to the natural gas system—and the movement among US states to phase them out to lower utility bills and support electrification.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Six State Priorities to Get Clean Energy Wins
This policy brief by RMI outlines six strategic priorities for U.S. states to optimize federal funding and accelerate clean energy deployment following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The document emphasizes the urgency of acting before federal incentives phase out, focusing on fleet electrification, permitting and interconnection reform, financial gap filling, energy affordability, home energy rebates, and cleantech manufacturing innovation.
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Document type: Policy brief
The E-Bike Rebate Program Guidebook
The E-Bike Rebate Program Guidebook, published by RMI, provides a comprehensive framework for local governments, nonprofits, and transportation agencies to design and implement e-bike rebate programs. It outlines a five-step process: establishing a project team and goals, designing funding and incentive structures, partnering with bike shops, executing community outreach, and managing the program launch and follow-up. The guide emphasizes equity, suggesting income-tiered rebates and diverse application methods to increase accessibility for low- and moderate-income residents.
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Document type: Guide
Bringing Solar Within Reach: A Guide for Tax-Exempt Entities to Deliver Affordable Energy to Low-Income Households
This guide outlines the Renewables Investment for Social Equity (RISE) model, which enables tax-exempt entities to use the IRS 'direct pay' (elective pay) mechanism to deliver affordable solar energy to low- and moderate-income (LMI) households. The model allows tax-exempt organizations to own solar systems, install them at low or no upfront cost for residents, and recover costs via the Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit (ITC).
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Document type: Guide
US Governors Are Leading Efforts to Tackle the Cost of Electricity
This policy brief by RMI examines how US governors are addressing rising electricity costs, which have increased by an average of 23% over the last decade. The document highlights actions taken by governors in at least 14 states since 2023 to balance immediate customer relief with long-term system cost containment, while warning against superficial measures like one-time bill credits that do not address underlying affordability challenges.
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Document type: Policy brief
Lower Bills, Cleaner Air: Heat Pump Benefits for Homes Relying on Delivered Fuels
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.
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Document type: Briefing
ASSESSING IMPACTS OF THE 2025 RECONCILIATION BILL ON U.S. ENERGY COSTS, JOBS, HEALTH, AND EMISSIONS
This report by Energy Innovation analyzes the potential economic, environmental, and health impacts of the U.S. House of Representatives' 2025 budget Reconciliation legislation. The analysis compares a 'Current Policies' scenario against an 'EI Reconciliation May 2025' scenario, finding that the proposed repeals and modifications of clean energy tax credits and funding would increase household energy costs, lead to significant job losses, reduce electricity capacity, and increase greenhouse gas emissions and premature deaths.
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Document type: Report
Powering Progress: Industrial Decarbonization Planning at the State Level
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.
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Document type: Report
US Electricity 2025
In 2024, wind and solar combined to produce 17% of US electricity, surpassing coal (15%) for the first time. While electricity demand rose by 3%, solar generation grew by 27%, adding more generation than gas to meet this demand. Despite the growth in clean energy, overall power sector CO2 emissions rose slightly by 0.7% because gas generation increased to meet rising demand, though carbon intensity reached a record low.
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Document type: Report