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The OCI+ tool provides data on the methane intensity of global oil and gas resources, highlighting that the sector is responsible for an estimated one-third of global methane emissions. The tool aims to help policymakers, investors, and civil society prioritize the highest-emitting assets for mitigation. The document emphasizes that over half of industry methane emissions can be profitably reduced and notes the role of satellite monitoring in identifying super-emitters. Additionally, the OCI+ includes an environmental justice feature to map the risks posed by gas flaring to nearby communities, specifically utilizing 2022 US flaring data.

The document examines the intersection of forest management and sustainable construction in Colorado. It highlights how a century of fire suppression and climate change have led to overstocked forests, increasing the risk of high-intensity wildfires. The authors propose scaling the production of mass timber—engineered wood products—using small-diameter trees harvested during thinning operations. This approach aims to offset the high cost of forest treatments, create local jobs, and reduce the embodied carbon of buildings compared to steel and concrete. The report concludes with a call for coordinated action from policymakers, developers, and insurers to establish a 'wood-first' procurement strategy and a state-level Mass Timber Action Plan.

The document outlines strategies for regulators to direct utilities to incorporate Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits, rebates, and grants into their planning and procurement processes. It highlights specific actions taken by PUCs in Washington, Georgia, Oregon, and New Jersey to improve grid affordability and reliability by mandating the investigation of federal funding, creating financial incentives for matching requirements, and integrating federal rebates into state energy efficiency programs.

Saint Lucia is transitioning its energy system to reduce diesel dependency and increase climate resilience. A key milestone was the 2018 completion of a 4 megawatt utility-scale solar farm, which produced 24.7 million kWh of electricity in its first three years. The island aims to have 35 percent of its electricity supplied by renewable energy by 2025 and to reduce climate pollution by 23 percent by 2050. Current efforts include the planning of eight solar microgrids to power critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and schools, to ensure operational continuity during disasters. The document highlights the role of 'catalytic' philanthropic capital in unlocking private investment and the importance of the Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN) in helping small island developing states navigate the complexities of securing climate finance.

The document discusses the challenges of decarbonizing existing buildings in the US and details RMI's work in Massachusetts using 'lighthouse projects' to create a scalable, equitable market for energy retrofits in affordable housing.

The report emphasizes that US states are currently underutilizing federal clean energy incentives, particularly tax credits, and suggests that states adopt administrative programs, demand-pull policies, and stacking analyses to capture this investment potential. It notes that while residential tax credit usage is higher than predicted, most states are not on track to reach their full investment potential by 2030. The analysis, which covers the lower 48 US states, utilizes updated data from the JCT and CBO to estimate sector-specific funding opportunities.

The document addresses the funding gap for state Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs) following the oversubscription of the EPA's CPRG Implementation Grants. It outlines a framework for building 'capital stacks'—combining federal grants, tax incentives, and low-interest loans—to finance ten common climate measures across the transportation, electricity, industry, buildings, and waste sectors. The guide emphasizes leveraging the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to maintain momentum in decarbonization efforts.

The document outlines a strategy for decarbonizing the shipping sector in Washington state, focusing on the acceleration of zero or near-zero emission fuel (ZEF) supply chains and infrastructure. It evaluates the feasibility of e-fuels derived from green electrolytic hydrogen and biofuels from sustainable biomass based on emissions reductions, cost, scalability, and technological readiness.

RMI supported Washington State in creating the Transportation Electrification Strategy (TES) using a two-stage analytical approach. The first stage assessed EV adoption pathways and identified that reaching the 2030 goal of 100 percent zero-emissions passenger vehicle sales would result in 13.6 MMT of on-road emissions, which exceeds the target of less than 10 MMT CO2e needed to meet broader climate goals. To bridge this gap, the TES recommends point-of-sale rebates and low-cost leasing programs. The second stage utilized the GridUp tool's hyper-local travel data to forecast EV load and identify where grid investments are necessary to prevent bottlenecks and maintain affordability during the transition to electrified transportation and heating.

The briefing analyzes how the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 (EPRA) and FERC Order 1920 could accelerate US transmission expansion to 2–4 TW-miles per year. By enabling the deployment of clean energy to meet growing electricity demand and displace fossil fuel generation, these provisions are estimated to reduce cumulative US grid emissions by 6.5 Gt CO2e through 2050. The analysis focuses on four key EPRA sections addressing interregional planning, FERC permitting, categorical exclusions, and legal decision timelines.

The briefing examines how battery energy storage systems (BESS) can replace fossil fuel generation to ensure grid reliability. It details three primary functions of batteries: balancing variable renewable energy supply and demand, providing stability services like frequency and voltage regulation, and enabling 'black start' capabilities to restore power after blackouts. The author contends that batteries often offer lower costs and faster response times than thermal plants. To maximize these benefits, the document recommends that utilities conduct analytical studies to identify specific reliability needs and utilize all-source procurement processes to ensure the most cost-competitive resources are selected.

Ammonia is essential for global food security via fertilizers and is emerging as a critical low-carbon energy carrier and maritime fuel. While current production relies on fossil fuels—contributing over 1% of global GHG emissions—the transition to 'green ammonia' via electrolysis and renewable energy offers a path to carbon neutrality. RMI forecasts a 113% increase in US ammonia production by 2030, driven by hydrogen exports to the EU and the adoption of ammonia-powered shipping, provided that technical challenges and NOx/N2O emissions are managed.

The report highlights that while contrail-induced warming is a significant climate problem, it is solvable through targeted solutions like flight rerouting. It emphasizes that the primary barrier to accurate contrail prediction is a lack of reliable humidity data at cruising altitudes. The document advocates for increased investment in atmospheric science, expanded flight trials to test operational feasibility, and the integration of air traffic management to prevent airspace congestion as contrail avoidance is scaled.

The chemicals industry accounts for 4% to 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a level comparable to the steel industry. While chemicals are essential for 96% of manufactured goods and over 75% of emission reduction technologies, their production relies heavily on fossil fuel feedstocks and energy-intensive processes. RMI advocates for a systems approach to decarbonization focusing on reducing petrochemical demand through circular economy principles, improving process and energy efficiency via renewables and hydrogen, and transitioning to defossilized feedstocks to avoid over-reliance on carbon capture and storage (CCS).

The document argues that reducing embodied carbon—which accounts for an estimated 11% of global emissions—is a necessary technology transition that must be completed by 2050. It presents a business case for developers, noting that embodied carbon often comprises a substantial part of Scope 3 emissions and that failure to adopt low-carbon practices could lead to stranded assets. The guide divides recommendations into building-level strategies (reducing material use, increasing utilization, switching to low-carbon materials, and designing for disassembly) and corporate-level strategies (institutionalizing practices, prioritizing retrofits, marketing successes, reporting Scope 3 emissions, and aggregating demand through buyer coalitions).

RMI conducted a pre-feasibility analysis on a high-capacity coal plant in Indonesia, finding that replacing the plant with solar and storage is the preferred solution for maximizing CO2 abatement and investor cash flow, provided sufficient land is available. The analysis highlights the necessity of blended financing to maintain affordable electricity costs during early retirement and notes that biomass co-firing is generally less profitable than other repurposing options. The study emphasizes that land characteristics and regulatory frameworks are critical determinants of a site's repurposing potential.

The document assesses the use of 'book and claim' as a chain of custody model to decarbonize supply chains for steel and concrete. This system decouples environmental attributes from physical products, allowing companies to invest in lower-carbon materials without direct physical access or contracts with producers. The report highlights the need for this model to provide the demand signals required for producers to finance lower-carbon infrastructure aligned with 1.5°C targets, while noting the complexity of implementing such systems within the steel and concrete sectors due to long supply chains and existing EPD/PCR systems.

The report advocates for a transition from traditional cost-of-service regulation (COSR) to comprehensive performance-based regulation (PBR) to better align utility incentives with modern societal and environmental goals. It proposes a 'Four Pillars Model' consisting of incentivizing cost efficiency, removing throughput incentives, equalizing incentives for capital and operating expenses, and incentivizing targeted outcomes. The document includes an overview of PBR tools and uses Hawaii's framework as a case study for implementation.

The document introduces performance-based regulation (PBR) as a modern alternative to early 20th-century utility regulatory frameworks, which are currently challenged by the rise of renewable energy, distributed energy resources, and electrification. PBR is presented as a mechanism to align utility incentives with policy outcomes such as reduced emissions and improved social equity.

The document outlines the transformation of China's power sector through the lens of its second round of power market reforms initiated in 2015. It highlights the development of a market-oriented system involving pricing reforms and new mechanisms for transmission, distribution, and spot markets to support clean energy goals.