Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by RMI explores the potential for state and local governments in the United States to develop solar energy projects on closed and inactive landfills to advance clean energy and community revitalization.

This policy brief by RMI argues that the current design of the residential solar investment tax credit (ITC 25D) creates inequities by benefiting high-income and White residents while excluding low-and moderate-income (LMI) households who lack sufficient federal tax liability. RMI advocates for Congress to transition ITC 25D to a 'direct pay' model, similar to proposed provisions for business- and utility-scale renewables, to lower upfront costs, reduce energy burdens, and stimulate job growth in LMI communities.

The RMI report 'COP26 Action Plan: Three Urgent Steps to Standardize Emissions Reporting' proposes a 'digitally native' GHG Protocol to improve the visibility and traceability of scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions across supply chains. The author argues that current accounting systems rely too heavily on approximations and spreadsheets, which hinders the ability to compare companies and incentivize decarbonization. The plan outlines a three-step transition: establishing unified accounting principles that prioritize primary data over averages, building a technical architecture based on distributed ledger technology to track embodied carbon at the product level, and evolving the market so that carbon emissions become a digital 'unit of trade' integrated into corporate financial disclosures.

This case study describes the Puerto Rico Community Energy Resilience Initiative (CERI), a program designed to increase energy resilience in low-to-moderate income communities through the installation of solar-plus-storage microgrids at critical facilities.

This briefing from RMI advises US local leaders to utilize existing federal funding opportunities to advance decarbonization, resilience, and environmental justice rather than waiting for new legislation. It outlines strategies for navigating over 100 existing programs, integrating equity via the Justice40 initiative, and seeking funds from non-traditional agencies.

This guide explains that grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs) can reduce utility costs and greenhouse gas emissions by flexing energy loads based on grid price and carbon intensity. It identifies that buildings drive up to 80% of peak demand in the United States and lists low- and no-cost measures for GSA building managers, such as optimizing building operations, thermal mass, and lighting automation.

This case study describes the development of a zero-emissions transportation ecosystem in Cincinnati, focusing on the collaboration between Servall Electric, an electrical contractor, and Workhorse, a local manufacturer of electric last-mile delivery step vans.

This briefing by RMI's Center for Climate-Aligned Finance analyzes the increasing trend of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) within the financial sector, where large firms are acquiring smaller companies to gain expertise in climate risk and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) domains.

This briefing by RMI argues that reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the United States is essential for meeting climate goals, as transportation is the country's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. The document outlines how systemic changes in land use, transportation pricing, and roadway design can reduce reliance on personal vehicles and mitigate the societal harms of urban sprawl.

This guide explains how local governments in the United States can use buyer-led aggregation to procure off-site, large-scale renewable energy, providing a seven-step process and case studies to facilitate the transition.

This policy brief explores how African pension funds can be leveraged to address the electricity access gap in Africa by investing in renewable energy-backed (RE) bonds. It argues that while there is a significant opportunity to align long-term pension obligations with long-lived energy infrastructure, systemic barriers regarding investment vehicles, regulatory frameworks, and government environmental policies must be addressed to unlock this capital.

This statement from RMI argues that the climate crisis is an immediate planetary emergency requiring the rapid deployment of a broad spectrum of clean technologies and the accelerated retirement of carbon-intensive assets to avoid irreversible climate feedback loops.

This report provides a compendium of pathways for electricity distribution companies (discoms) in India to improve financial and operational performance and increase the adoption of clean energy technologies. It argues that systemic reforms across policy, management, and technology are necessary to overcome significant annual losses that currently hinder grid modernization and the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

RMI argues that continued high spending on US gas distribution infrastructure is counterproductive to climate goals and risks creating stranded assets. The document advocates for a shift toward electrification and energy efficiency for residential and commercial buildings, while limiting gas infrastructure spending to targeted safety needs and high-value industrial applications.

This briefing by RMI outlines a framework for 'climate intelligence' to accelerate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, particularly in hard-to-abate industrial sectors. The strategy focuses on four pillars: emissions visibility, standardized accounting and attribution, digitized infrastructure using distributed ledger technology, and the scaling of these standards in markets.

This policy brief by RMI argues that federal incentives are necessary to help electric cooperatives (co-ops) retire aging coal plants and transition to renewable energy, which would drive significant economic development in rural US communities.

This report outlines the necessity of climate resilience for India's power sector to ensure energy security and economic growth. It recommends a combination of adaptive planning, technical upgrades (such as energy storage and grid hardening), and innovative financing to protect the grid from climate risks.

RMI argues that utility-scale energy production and local electricity production, such as rooftop solar, are complementary rather than competing solutions for the energy transition in the United States.

RMI's research paper 'Clean Power by the Hour' evaluates the costs and emissions impacts of hourly carbon-free energy procurement strategies across seven global electricity markets to determine how matching electricity demand with supply on an hourly basis affects grid decarbonization.

This briefing by RMI outlines the risks posed by methane emissions to public health, safety, and the climate, emphasizing the need for better visibility, source attribution, and the implementation of methane standards to reduce leakage from oil and gas systems, coal mines, landfills, and livestock.