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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
The Climate Opportunity of Clean Energy Portfolios
This policy brief by RMI argues that the United States can reduce carbon emissions and lower consumer costs by replacing proposed new natural gas power plants with 'clean energy portfolios' consisting of zero-emissions technologies.
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Document type: Policy brief
Using carbon tax revenues to help attain climate goals: Insights for Washington State from existing programs
This research paper analyzes options for using carbon tax revenues to achieve climate goals in Washington State. It warns against focusing solely on the lowest-cost emission reductions, which often leads to pitfalls such as overpayment (economic rents), lack of additionality, and long lead times for project supply. Instead, the authors recommend a strategic approach that targets market failures, promotes social equity and long-term decarbonization, and leverages existing state energy and transportation programs.
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Document type: Research paper
CLEAN ENERGY JOBS GROWTH IN THE UNITED STATES
This World Resources Institute fact sheet provides data on employment growth within the United States clean energy economy, focusing on solar, wind, energy efficiency, and alternative fuel vehicle sectors as of early 2016 and 2017.
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Document type: Fact sheet
THE ECONOMICS OF DEMAND FLEXIBILITY
This executive summary from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) analyzes the economic potential of "demand flexibility" (DF)—the use of technology to shift electricity consumption to lower-cost times. The report argues that DF can significantly reduce both customer electric bills and overall grid investment costs by treating demand as a flexible resource ("flexiwatts") rather than a static load.
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Document type: Executive summary
THE ECONOMICS OF LOAD DEFECTION
This executive summary by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and HOMER Energy analyzes the economic transition of residential and commercial customers from grid-only electricity to grid-connected solar-plus-battery systems. The report argues that while total grid defection is possible, the more likely scenario is a gradual shift where customers use the grid as a backup, potentially leading to significant revenue loss for utilities and stranded assets for central generation owners unless new regulatory and pricing models are adopted.
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Document type: Executive summary
Improving the consistency of energy efficiency data: A landscape of decision makers and policy needs
This fact sheet by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the need for harmonizing demand-side management (DSM) energy efficiency data in the United States. It argues that while DSM programs are widespread and budgets have grown to over $8 billion as of 2011, inconsistent evaluation methods and reporting practices hinder their effectiveness in climate policy-making. The document maps various policy drivers for data harmonization—ranging from integrated resource planning to the Clean Air Act—and identifies the specific decision-makers and potential climate benefits associated with creating common definitions and reporting formats.
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Document type: Fact sheet
SPACE HEATING
This 2004 RMI guide outlines strategies for reducing home heating costs, emphasizing that a well-insulated building shell is the primary investment. It compares the efficiency (AFUE), installation costs, and operational expenses of furnaces, boilers, in-space heaters, air-source and geothermal heat pumps, and active solar systems, while providing guidelines for system sizing and replacement timing.
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Document type: Guide