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RMI has developed a calculator to determine the emissions parity between natural gas and coal, highlighting that methane leakage can make gas as damaging to the climate as coal. The briefing argues that the perception of natural gas as a 'cleaner' fuel is often incorrect because even low leakage rates can negate the greenhouse gas benefits of substituting coal with gas.

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 briefing by RMI analyzes the potential for transitioning the Great Lakes region's steel industry to near-zero-emissions production. It identifies a gap between aggressive federal incentives—such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)—and the lack of coordinated, steel-specific industrial strategies at the state level. The report evaluates three primary decarbonization pathways: Blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace (BF-BOF) with carbon capture and storage (CCS), natural gas direct reduced iron (DRI) with CCS, and renewable hydrogen-based DRI, noting that hydrogen DRI offers the lowest emissions intensity and most competitive levelized costs when subsidies are included. It emphasizes the region's economic importance, as the Great Lakes house all of the US's integrated steel mills and two-thirds of the nation's steelworkers, while warning that failure to modernize could lead to a loss of competitiveness and jobs to other regions or international markets.

This briefing by RMI analyzes the potential for the Great Lakes region to lead the electric vehicle (EV) and battery supply chain. While the region possesses historical automotive strengths and significant R&D capacity, it faces competition from the 'Battery Belt' in the Deep South and gaps in state-level industrial policies. The document outlines the four stages of the supply chain—upstream, midstream, downstream, and reuse/recycling—and provides a gap analysis of regional policies compared to federal initiatives, urging Great Lakes states to coordinate on strategic coordination, production incentives, and end-of-life regulations to maintain competitiveness.

This report by Energy Innovation argues that while the economics of clean energy are now competitive with fossil fuels, non-financial risks—specifically project development and market uncertainty—are hindering deployment in the United States. The authors propose 'investment-grade policies' to reduce these risks, focusing on transmission access, streamlined siting and permitting, and long-term cost-recovery schedules to lower the cost of capital for developers.

This report by Energy Innovation argues that while zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) trucks have significant potential for greenhouse gas reductions and public health improvements, current adoption rates are insufficient to meet climate goals without more ambitious policy interventions.

This report by RMI analyzes how updated energy efficiency standards and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax incentives can reduce energy costs for low-income Americans by encouraging the construction of high-efficiency, all-electric homes.

This RMI briefing outlines how US Public Utility Commissions (PUCs) can use grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) to resolve transmission bottlenecks that are delaying the interconnection of renewable energy. It identifies regulatory 'gold plating' and 'capex bias' as primary barriers and proposes four strategies—knowledge building, planning mandates, financial incentive reforms, and FERC engagement—to accelerate the deployment of these cost-effective solutions.

This case study describes RMI's efforts to make rooftop solar more accessible to low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities through inclusive Solarize campaigns. Between 2021 and 2022, RMI organized cohorts of 27 cities to implement bulk-purchasing programs combined with grants and community partnerships to reduce financial and administrative barriers to solar adoption.

This appendix provides a financial viability analysis of 'export-only' electrolyzer projects in the United States, which utilize co-located new clean energy resources and allow for opportunistic electricity sales to the grid. The analysis concludes that such projects, which comply with the three principles of additionality, deliverability, and hourly time-matching, are competitive across large portions of the U.S., suggesting that rigorous 45V tax credit guidance regarding lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions would not hinder industry growth.

This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), arguing that the technology fails to meaningfully reduce greenhouse emissions and may prolong dependence on fossil fuels. It details the technical limitations, safety risks, and economic costs of CCS, while contrasting it with more effective climate solutions like renewable energy and demand reduction.

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 research paper by the World Resources Institute analyzes version 1.0 of the White House Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). While the update identifies more disadvantaged communities than the beta version, the authors argue it fails to account for cumulative burdens—where multiple environmental, health, and socioeconomic stressors overlap—which disproportionately affect communities of color.

This briefing by RMI discusses the environmental impact of cryptocurrency, specifically Bitcoin, and outlines the efforts and challenges associated with decarbonizing the industry. It details the transition of Ethereum to a lower-energy mechanism, the development of accounting frameworks for emissions, and the necessity for Bitcoin to move away from proof-of-work mining or utilize additional renewable energy to avoid hindering climate progress.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) reviewed federal legislation from the 115th through the 117th Congress to identify laws promoting climate adaptation and resilience. EESI identified 41 laws that address over 16 different climate impacts, ranging from acute events like wildfires to slow-onset events like thawing permafrost, though much of the federal approach remains centered on disaster response and recovery.

This policy brief argues that the United States power grid lacks a comprehensive national development plan, unlike the European Union and China, leaving it fragmented and vulnerable to climate-related extreme weather. It advocates for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to mandate minimum inter-regional power transfer capabilities and establish a robust planning process to improve grid resilience and resource sharing.

A November 2022 report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) based on a 50-state survey reveals that major U.S. companies in the technology, banking, and insurance sectors frequently employ state-level lobbyists who also represent the fossil fuel industry. The report highlights a contradiction between these companies' public net-zero climate goals and their reliance on 'multi-client lobbyists' who promote continued fossil fuel dependence.

This guide by RMI describes resilience hubs as community-serving facilities designed to support vulnerable populations during and after extreme weather events. It outlines five foundational areas of support—power, communication, facilities, operations, and services—and provides six strategic lessons for cities implementing these hubs, emphasizing community partnership, energy efficiency, and the integration of solar and battery storage.

This report by Energy Innovation provides a guide for state policymakers to leverage the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 to accelerate the transition to clean electricity. It details the mechanics of clean energy tax credits, reinvestment financing for fossil infrastructure, and transmission provisions, while analyzing independent modeling of the IRA's potential to reduce U.S. electricity sector emissions and lower household energy costs by 2030.

This research paper proposes the creation of Organized Long-Term Markets (OLTMs) to support the rapid deployment of clean energy resources in restructured wholesale electricity markets. The author argues that current market designs—including energy-only, capacity, and hybrid models—fail to provide the long-term investment signals and liquidity needed for grids with high penetration of variable renewable energy (VRE). The proposed OLTM acts as a derivative market that standardizes long-term energy delivery contracts, allowing producers to recover capital expenditures and consumers to hedge against price volatility while remaining linked to real-time spot market pricing.