Search Climate Insights Directory

Organic Valley reached its goal of 100 percent renewable electricity by partnering with OneEnergy Renewables and the Upper Midwest Municipal Energy Group (UMMEG) to develop community-scale solar projects. Because Wisconsin is a regulated utility market, the cooperative avoided direct power purchase agreements in favor of a partnership that developed 12 MW of solar for Organic Valley and an additional 17 MW for nearby communities, totaling 29 MW. Organic Valley secures its renewable energy by purchasing all renewable energy certificates (RECs) for the life of the projects. The initiative also incorporates pollinator-friendly solar standards, planting native wildflowers to support bee and butterfly habitats.

The document outlines five strategic actions for cities to address the built environment, which accounts for nearly 50 percent of GHG emissions in large cities. These actions include performing deep energy retrofits on city-owned buildings, implementing net-zero and progressive building codes, supporting citywide LED lighting upgrades, and requiring energy benchmarking and public transparency for building energy use.

RMI's Sunshine for Mines program proposes a systematic approach to repurposing legacy mine sites, which are often liabilities due to contamination and maintenance costs, into productive energy assets. The methodology involves a multi-stage screening process covering environmental and regulatory constraints, technical feasibility (resource screening and reserve quantification), and financial viability via Net Present Value (NPV) calculations. The brief highlights that while mining companies often face high hurdle rates, the economic case is strengthened when compared to the 'business-as-usual' cost of maintaining closed sites. A practical application of this model with BHP in North America identified a subset of sites with a collective potential exceeding 0.5 GW, primarily for solar PV.

The Carbon-Free City Handbook outlines a strategic framework for cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through immediate, economically viable actions. It categorizes recommendations into buildings, transportation and mobility, electricity, industry, and biological resources, emphasizing the importance of setting bold 100% targets to drive transformational change rather than incremental progress.

The document proposes a feebate system for India—where inefficient vehicles pay a fee and efficient ones receive a rebate—as a market-based alternative to static fuel economy standards. It argues that such a policy could help India reach its goal of 100 percent electric vehicle adoption by 2030 without relying on public funds. Drawing on case studies from Norway, France, and Ontario, the authors suggest a three-phase implementation strategy: establishing a professional design body, implementing a revenue-neutral point-of-sale feebate, and eventually expanding to other vehicle segments and the used car market.

The guide outlines five key strategies for corporate sustainability champions: aligning proposals with the firm's specific values and CEO's passions, building a financial business case using metrics like net present value, assembling diverse internal teams, starting with low-risk pilot projects to prove value, and building collaborative relationships with skeptical stakeholders, including finance executives.

RMI implemented a parking cash-out program at its Boulder Commons North office, allowing employees to choose between a parking spot or cash to support alternative commuting. During a three-month pilot, 64% of employees opted for the cash-out, with 60% of those switching from single-occupancy vehicles to biking, walking, or busing. This shift is estimated to avoid 950 single-occupancy vehicle miles and 415 kg of carbon emissions weekly. The program leverages a 'green-lease' structure that decouples parking costs from rent, demonstrating that transportation demand management can provide cost savings for employers and developers even in smaller urban settings.

RMI proposes a set of best practices for real estate portals to provide energy information for U.S. homes, emphasizing the need for estimated energy costs, visual comparisons, and clear methodology. The briefing argues that transparency in home energy performance increases market value and helps consumers address energy efficiency needs.

The briefing presents a business case for applying R-PACE financing to new residential construction to achieve net-zero energy (NZE) goals. It identifies key market barriers—such as high up-front costs and split incentives between builders and buyers—and proposes a policy framework to integrate R-PACE into new builds. RMI's analysis across six U.S. states suggests that NZE homes can be delivered with no additional up-front cost to the buyer, providing annual energy savings that exceed the PACE assessment payments.

The report argues that the electric vehicle revolution is inevitable due to falling battery costs and increasing consumer demand, making the urgent deployment of charging infrastructure a priority for U.S. utilities and regulators. It identifies high capital costs and unfavorable utility tariffs—specifically high demand charges—as primary barriers to the profitability of DC fast charging (DCFC). The authors advocate for a mix of Level 2 chargers for residential and workplace needs and DCFC for high-traffic corridors, supported by time-of-use (TOU) tariffs to optimize grid integration. Through case studies of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Ohio, and Texas, the report demonstrates how different regulatory environments and grid compositions influence the cost of charging and the potential for EVs to absorb excess renewable energy.

The briefing examines the link between indoor air quality (IAQ) and home energy performance, suggesting that healthcare providers can improve patient well-being by recommending energy upgrades. It highlights that poor IAQ costs the U.S. economy over $10 billion annually and notes that specific improvements—such as controlled ventilation, humidity control, and building envelope sealing—can reduce allergens and mold. The document promotes a partnership between RMI and NEEF to provide health professionals with educational materials, including the 'Health Heroes' infographic, to encourage homeowners to invest in energy-efficient upgrades that reduce carbon emissions and improve health.

The report examines the role of microgrids in the global energy transition, highlighting how falling costs of solar and wind energy enable these small networks to provide reliable, low-carbon power. It compares connected microgrids, which can operate independently during outages, with isolated microgrids, such as those in the Caribbean, which must be self-sufficient. The text emphasizes that both types face similar challenges in balancing variable renewables with firm energy sources and suggests that knowledge sharing, particularly from island nations leading in renewable integration, can accelerate the global transition.

The report presents five scenarios demonstrating that global warming can be limited to well below 2 C° if the world leverages exponential technological improvements and S-curve market diffusion. It highlights that experts often underestimate the speed of energy transitions by ignoring learning rates and systemic feedbacks. The proposed pathways involve reducing energy demand by approximately 60% through efficiency and electrification, shifting the electricity supply to over 90% renewables by 2040 in aggressive scenarios, and transforming agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) into a net carbon sink by the mid-2040s.

The mining industry is a major global energy consumer, with 2014 consumption reaching almost 1,400 TWh, representing between 1.25% and 11% of total world energy use. Much of this energy is provided by carbon-intensive diesel generation, particularly at remote off-grid sites. However, falling costs for solar PV and wind energy—with global LCOE dropping by 85% and 66% respectively since 2009—now make renewables cost-competitive with diesel and grid power. The document suggests that most mining functions, excluding trucking, can be electrified, and that U.S. mines could convert an additional 30% of their energy load to electricity. Beyond carbon reduction, transitioning to renewables can provide mining companies with a 'social license to operate' by creating local jobs, improving community relations through microgrids or community solar, and helping national governments meet Paris Agreement NDCs. The 'Sunshine for Mines' program aims to catalyze the installation of 8 GW of renewable capacity in the mining sector by 2025.

The report identifies a significant price gap between sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and conventional jet fuel as the primary barrier to adoption. It proposes that U.S. airports, specifically the Port of Seattle at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, can overcome this by funding 'co-benefits'—such as air quality improvements and greenhouse gas reductions—rather than the fuel commodity itself. The authors evaluate 14 funding mechanisms and recommend a portfolio including corporate support, port taxing authority, general non-aeronautical revenue, and airline agreements to meet an estimated $6 million annual cost for a 1% SAF blend. Additionally, the report explores infrastructure financing, noting that long-term co-benefit procurement contracts can de-risk private investment in regional SAF production.

Goldman Sachs became the first U.S. bank to sign a large-scale, off-site renewable energy PPA for a 68 MW wind project in Pennsylvania. The bank utilized a virtual PPA structure within the PJM grid to align clean energy generation with its U.S. consumption while managing commodity risks through its J. Aron business. This deal supports the firm's goal of 100 percent renewable electricity by 2020 and a target of $150 billion in clean energy investments by 2025.

Fort Collins Utilities implemented the Efficiency Works-Neighborhood Pilot to accelerate the city's goal of eliminating 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. By replacing an 'à la carte' approach with bundled service packages, third-party audits, and 100 percent on-bill financing over 20 years, the program more than tripled customer participation and achieved 60 percent greater carbon savings. The initiative received the Energy Innovator Award from the American Public Power Association (APPA) for its transferable model of removing financial and procedural barriers for residential consumers.

RMI asserts that while the U.S. federal withdrawal from the Paris Agreement undermines global efforts, the transition to clean energy will continue through the actions of American states, cities, and businesses. The organization highlights the growth of the solar industry and the ability of subnational entities to form an alternative 'societally determined contribution' to maintain climate leadership.

The briefing examines how blockchain's inherent properties—such as tamperproofing, decentralization, and public-private key cryptography—can protect the electrical grid from cyber-threats. It highlights the risks posed by the proliferation of Internet-connected energy devices and proposes blockchain as a solution to obsolete authentication methods and data manipulation. While noting that blockchain introduces a new risk of key mismanagement, the author suggests that integrating keys into physical devices can mitigate this issue.

The Door-to-Downtown (d2d) pilot in Boulder, Colorado, tested a public-private partnership to shift residents and visitors from personal vehicles to shared mobility services. By offering a $5 discount on inbound trips, the program attracted 5,400 registrants and generated nearly 2,500 trips, primarily peaking on Fridays. The pilot demonstrated that MaaS can alleviate downtown parking pressure and provide a scalable model for future electric and autonomous vehicle integration to meet carbon reduction goals.