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This case study examines the managed phaseout of the South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation (SLTEC) coal plant in the Philippines. In 2022, ACEN Corporation sold its equity in the plant to a special purpose vehicle (SPV), reducing the plant's operating life by 25 years to a retirement date of 2040. The transaction utilized a structure based on the Asian Development Bank's energy transition mechanism to lower the cost of capital and facilitate ACEN's transition toward 100% renewable energy by 2025.

This policy brief from RMI argues that Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) are a viable solution for utilities and regulators to manage electricity grid stress caused by growing loads and extreme weather during summer peaks.

This report outlines the critical role of China's iron and steel industry in meeting global climate goals and provides a framework for companies to set aligned targets and implement decarbonization mechanisms.

In May 2024, the US Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) updated minimum energy standards for new construction, requiring new covered buildings under four stories to comply with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (2021 IECC) and taller buildings to meet ASHRAE/ANSI Standard 90.1-2019. These updates, combined with 45L tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), make high-performance multifamily housing financially viable, particularly for all-electric constructions and those in specific climate zones.

This report by RMI outlines a strategic roadmap for scaling utility-enabled distributed energy resources (DERs) in Nigeria to improve power reliability and increase distribution company (DisCo) revenues.

The Virtual Power Plant Flipbook is a guide by RMI designed to help utilities and stakeholders implement virtual power plants (VPPs) by providing a collection of case studies and a comparison matrix. It defines VPPs as aggregations of distributed energy resources used to enhance grid reliability, resilience, and decarbonization.

This briefing by RMI proposes "clean repowering" as a strategy to bypass interconnection delays for clean energy projects in the United States. By utilizing existing power plant interconnection points, the time from application to operation can be reduced from an average of five years to less than one year, potentially deploying 250 GW of new clean energy assets.

This research paper by RMI analyzes the systemic inefficiencies of the global fossil energy system, quantifying the energy and financial losses occurring from primary extraction to end-use. It argues that these inefficiencies make fossil fuels vulnerable to disruption by cleaner, more efficient alternatives such as renewables, electrification, and localized energy generation.

This report by RMI outlines strategies for developing equitable electric vehicle (EV) charging and shared mobility solutions for lower-income residents of multifamily housing in the United States, based on engagements in Portland, Atlanta, and Phoenix.

This briefing by RMI explores how distributed solar, particularly rooftop solar (RTS) and decentralized renewable energy (DRE), can alleviate the financial distress of India's electricity distribution companies (Discoms) while helping the country meet its 2030 renewable energy targets and modernize its grid.

This briefing by RMI explores how the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) Program, established by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), can be used for "capital recycling" to accelerate the clean energy transition. The author argues that by using low-interest federal loans to displace costly utility equity and refinance "low-quality" rate base components (legacy fossil fuel costs), utilities can reduce ratepayer costs while maintaining sustainable shareholder earnings. The document provides a five-step implementation framework and applies it to case studies of utilities in Iowa and Missouri, while also detailing federal compliance requirements such as NEPA.

This consensus paper from ZEROgrid’s Impact Advisory Initiative outlines a framework for large energy consumers and policymakers to assess the consequential impact of voluntary corporate actions on grid decarbonization and reliability.

This briefing by RMI explains how electric utilities can use Community Benefits Plans (CBPs) to mitigate project risks and secure federal financing, specifically through the Department of Energy's Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program. It argues that meaningful community engagement and commitments to labor and equity reduce the likelihood of project cancellations, address workforce shortages, and improve a utility's social license to operate.

Data center power demand in the US is projected to reach 35 GW by 2030, potentially accounting for 7.5% of total electricity consumption. RMI argues that this surge presents an opportunity to set a precedent for future large-scale electrification (e.g., EVs, manufacturing) by prioritizing energy efficiency, demand flexibility, grid-enhancing technologies (GETs), and carbon-free energy procurement. The document highlights the risk of utilities defaulting to new gas generation and urges regulators to implement system-level 'zoning' for the grid and equitable cost allocation for upgrades.

The report examines 'equity PIMs' as a regulatory tool to incentivize utilities to improve energy affordability and service for underserved communities. It highlights that while several US states have adopted these mechanisms to target energy efficiency and reduce disconnections, they are most effective when paired with broader systemic reforms, reporting metrics, and direct assistance programs.

This report by RMI identifies policy concepts and areas intended to drive the decarbonization of the steel sector in the United States, emphasizing the critical nature of the next decade for primary steel production capabilities.

This briefing by RMI argues that high rates of return on equity (ROE) for regulated utilities hinder the energy transition by incentivizing capital-intensive projects over efficiency, increasing costs for consumers, and making utilities less competitive than third-party renewable developers.

RMI analysis indicates that Illinois could achieve significant household cost savings, pollution reduction, and public health improvements by adopting three clean transportation strategies: vehicle electrification standards, climate-driven agency planning, and renewed investments in state transit systems.

RMI reports that expanding regional electricity transmission in the Western US is a 'win-win' economic opportunity. It finds that energy export states (Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming) could increase their market access from $3 billion to $40 billion per year by 2050 with better transmission, while states with clean energy standards could reduce costs by over 30% through expansive regional planning.

This report by RMI analyzes three high-potential offshore wind development zones in the Philippines—Manila Bay, Tayabas Bay, and Guimaras—to accelerate the country's transition to renewable energy and address a looming energy crisis caused by the depletion of the Malampaya natural gas field.