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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.

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.

This report by RMI provides a decarbonization roadmap for the film and TV industry to transition from diesel generators to clean mobile power solutions, including solar, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and hydrogen power units (HPUs). It analyzes the technical requirements of production sets, identifies systemic barriers to adoption, and proposes coordinated strategies for studios, suppliers, and manufacturers to scale zero-emissions power.

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 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.

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.

This report by RMI provides best practices for reforming energy efficiency incentive programs to accelerate the adoption of heat pumps. It argues that current programs are often too complex, deterring participation—particularly among low-to-moderate income (LMI) households—and recommends streamlining applications, aligning equipment specifications, and tailoring incentives to local climates to better support decarbonization goals.

This guide by RMI outlines how Public Utility Commissions (PUCs) can use regulatory actions to ensure utilities leverage the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to reduce costs for ratepayers. It provides four case studies from Washington, Georgia, Oregon, and New Jersey, demonstrating proactive, mid-planning, procurement-stage, and program-design interventions to improve grid affordability and reliability.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics provides an overview of the global petrochemical industry, highlighting its growing contribution to oil and gas demand and greenhouse gas emissions. It details the specific impacts of nitrogen fertilisers and plastics, the rapid expansion of production capacity—particularly in China—and the limitations of current recycling and substitution strategies in mitigating climate and health risks.

This guide by RMI explains the role of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) as 'nutrition labels' for building materials, detailing how they report life-cycle assessment (LCA) data to track embodied carbon. It outlines the current limitations of EPD standardization and proposes a vision for 'ideal' EPDs based on rigorous Product Category Rules (PCRs) to ensure fair and competitive carbon reduction policies.

This report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) analyzes the adoption of electric school buses (ESBs) in the United States as of June 2023. It tracks the number of committed vehicles, the impact of federal and state funding, and the distribution of these buses across different demographics and environmental conditions, highlighting a trend toward more equitable deployment in low-income and high-pollution areas.

This guide by RMI explores how Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) can leverage their extensive rooftop and parking assets to drive solar development, reducing greenhouse gas emissions while increasing shareholder value. It identifies significant untapped capacity, outlines the financial and regulatory barriers to adoption, and proposes community solar as a viable solution to overcome these challenges.

This fact sheet explains the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) regulation adopted by California in 2020, which requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to increase the percentage of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) and near-zero-emissions vehicles (NZEVs) in their annual sales from 2024 to 2035.

This report analyzes the potential nationwide impact of California's Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule, which aims for 100% ZEV sales by 2035. It finds that if all 177 eligible states adopt the rule, the U.S. could reduce cumulative emissions by 1,310 MMT CO2e by 2050, prevent 5,000 deaths and 160,000 asthma attacks, and see the EV fleet grow to 239 million vehicles. The analysis emphasizes that while the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides critical short-term incentives, state-level mandates are necessary for long-term sustainability.

This RMI fact sheet explains the technology, benefits, and market opportunities for geothermal heat pumps (also known as ground-source heat pumps) in the United States. It highlights their efficiency in both hot and cold climates, their role in reducing building emissions, and the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on lowering installation costs.

This fact sheet by RMI explains the concept of embodied carbon in building materials, detailing how it is calculated, strategies for its reduction, and the role of policy and industry in decarbonizing construction.

This guide from the World Resources Institute outlines strategies for U.S. local governments to expand community solar access for low- and moderate-income (LMI) households, leveraging new federal incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act and various municipal-level interventions.

This policy brief by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines how U.S. ports are addressing climate change through mitigation strategies to reduce emissions and adaptation measures to increase resilience against sea level rise and extreme weather.

As of August 2021, fewer than 1% of U.S. school buses are electric, with 95% still relying on diesel. Adoption is led by California and Montgomery County, Maryland, though deployment is heavily skewed toward suburban areas (64% of committed buses). While some electric buses are in highly vulnerable communities, this is largely due to targeted funding in California. Federal initiatives like the American Jobs Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework provide scaling opportunities, though the report warns that funding 'clean' fossil-fuel alternatives like natural gas hinders decarbonization goals.

This briefing by the Decommissioning Working Group argues that U.S. nuclear energy policy is not evidence-based and that the NRC is captured by industry interests. It highlights critical gaps in the management of decommissioning trust funds, the safety of spent fuel storage canisters, and the lack of safety standards for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), recommending a shift toward science-based standards and increased Congressional oversight.