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This executive summary by RMI evaluates the performance of reclaimed R-410A refrigerant compared to virgin refrigerant in HVAC systems. The report argues that scaling the recovery and reclamation of refrigerants from retired equipment is essential to bridge the supply-demand gap created by the U.S. HFC phasedown under the AIM Act, demonstrating that reclaimed refrigerants meeting AHRI 700 standards provide performance parity with virgin supply.

Heat pumps are increasingly cost-competitive with gas furnaces due to their superior efficiency, producing two to five times more heat than the electricity they consume. In the U.S., residential heat pumps have outsold gas furnaces for four years, and their adoption in industry could boost GDP by over $50 billion by 2050. Other alternatives like hydrogen are deemed less viable due to higher costs, safety risks, and lower efficiency.

This report by RMI analyzes the benefits of replacing electric resistance heating and water heating systems with heat pumps in US homes. It quantifies the potential for significant household energy bill savings, reductions in peak electric demand on the grid, and decreases in carbon pollution, while providing policy and program design recommendations to accelerate adoption.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines two primary policy responses to climate change in Africa: carbon sequestration through forest regeneration and the implementation of a global carbon tax. It highlights the critical role of the Congo Basin as a carbon sink and analyzes four illustrative global carbon tax scenarios, concluding that a differentiated payment approach aligns best with international equity principles and the Paris Agreement.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics challenges the claim that renewable energy increases electricity prices, arguing that real-world data from the US, EU, Australia, and India often show a correlation between high renewable uptake and below-average power prices.

A joint statement by five Canadian environmental and health organizations—Ecojustice, Breast Cancer Action Quebec, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, the David Suzuki Foundation, and Environmental Defence—providing feedback on the 'Consultation Document on Phase 1 of the Risk Management of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Excluding Fluoropolymers: Prohibition of the Use of PFAS, not Currently Regulated, in Firefighting Foams'. While the organizations support the proposed risk management measures and their alignment with European Union and Washington State standards, they strongly criticize the proposed implementation timelines, which could allow some facilities to use PFAS-containing foams until 2039.

This RMI briefing outlines the roles of key countries and regions—China, Brazil, India, Southeast Asia, and the United States—in the global energy transition as they approach COP30 in Belém, Brazil. It highlights the shift from high-level commitments to tangible actions, such as large-scale renewable deployment, the development of low-carbon shipping hubs, and subnational leadership in the US.

This report by the World Resources Institute examines the potential for U.S. states to lead the deployment of Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies as federal funding and policy support for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) face rollbacks and uncertainty.

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.

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 technical explainer by RMI analyzes the voluntary carbon market (VCM) for ozone-depleting substances (ODS) recovery and destruction credits. It details how these projects provide high-additionality climate benefits by permanently destroying potent greenhouse gases like CFCs, while identifying significant logistical, legal, and technical barriers to scaling, particularly in developing nations.

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 briefing analyzes the US Treasury's final 45V guidance for electrolytic hydrogen projects, which establishes a tax credit framework based on three pillars: incrementality, temporality, and deliverability. The guidance provides a transition period for annual matching until 2030, after which hourly matching is required, and introduces flexibility by allowing emissions calculations per hour and per electrolyzer to avoid 'all or nothing' credit losses.

This executive summary presents a meta-analysis of research from nonpartisan groups, universities, and government agencies regarding the impact of federal technology-neutral electricity tax credits (§45Y and §48E) on consumerSS. United States household energy bills. The document argues that these credits lower electricity costs by reducing the investment costs for wind, solar, battery, nuclear, and geothermal projects, with utilities passing these savings to consumers. It warns that repealing these credits would increase energy bills for households and businesses, particularly as electricity demand grows due to factors such as data center expansion.

RMI describes the role of solar-plus-battery-storage microgrids in creating community resilience hubs, particularly during extreme weather events like hurricanes. Based on a cohort of leaders from various institutions, the guide outlines five key factors—facility suitability, electricity costs/net metering, energy efficiency, battery sizing strategies, and available funding—that can help non-taxable entities successfully implement microgrid projects in low-to-moderate income US communities.

This RMI guide argues that allowed Return on Equity (ROE) for US electric utilities is currently set too high, exceeding the actual Cost of Equity (COE) required by investors. This discrepancy creates a 'capex bias,' incentivizing expensive capital projects over cost-effective solutions and increasing customer bills. By correcting flawed model assumptions—such as overestimating growth rates and using arithmetic instead of geometric means—and debunking myths about capital access and credit ratings, regulators can lower ROEs to reduce consumer costs and accelerate the transition to clean energy.

This report by the World Resources Institute analyzes the state of clean energy in the United States through 2024, highlighting record growth in solar and battery storage alongside significant headwinds including grid capacity limits, rising local opposition, and policy uncertainty under the Trump administration.

This policy brief provides guidance for utility modelers and regulators on integrating the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program into capacity expansion modeling. It outlines a three-step approach to maximize ratepayer savings: modeling portfolio-wide financing savings, prioritizing 'clean repowering' at existing fossil sites, and optimizing transmission investments. The document emphasizes the urgency of applying for EIR funding by the end of 2025 to meet the September 30, 2026, conditional commitment deadline.

This briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the prevalence, health impacts, and regulatory landscape of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the United States as of 2024. It details the contamination of drinking water and soil, the associated cancer and endocrine risks, and the multi-level government efforts—including the EPA's 2024 National Primary Drinking Water Regulation—to mitigate these 'forever chemicals'.

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.