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This report argues that Iran has a strategic opportunity to replace its costly and ambiguous nuclear power program with a modernized energy strategy focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy. The author contends that shifting away from nuclear power would reduce the risk of proliferation, lower the likelihood of renewed sanctions, and improve regional stability by discouraging a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

This case study describes an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) completed in 2014 by Lockheed Martin at the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua. The project achieved a 54 percent energy reduction across nine buildings through a combination of LED lighting retrofits, HVAC optimizations, and the installation of a 956 kW solar PV system, which is the State Department’s largest overseas system.

Microsoft contracted for 285 MW of wind energy via two off-site projects to hedge against energy price volatility and support its goal of carbon neutrality. By utilizing a dedicated energy team, external expertise, and executive support, the company reduced transaction timelines from the industry average of one to two years down to six months for the first deal and six weeks for the second.

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) details eight case studies of deep energy retrofits implemented via Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) in federal and municipal settings. It identifies six best practices for achieving significant energy reductions—averaging 58% across the highlighted projects—without upfront capital costs or Congressional appropriations.

This executive summary from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) analyzes the economic potential of "demand flexibility" (DF)—the use of technology to shift electricity consumption to lower-cost times. The report argues that DF can significantly reduce both customer electric bills and overall grid investment costs by treating demand as a flexible resource ("flexiwatts") rather than a static load.

The Energy Retrofit Guide for Caribbean Hospitals, published by RMI in August 2015, provides a framework for healthcare administrators in the Caribbean to reduce operating costs and improve facility resilience through deep energy retrofits. The guide outlines a three-step process—Find, Finance, and Follow-through—and introduces a complementary online tool to help facilities benchmark performance and identify energy efficiency measures (EEMs).

This briefing by RMI explores the potential of residential demand charges as a tool for electricity rate design. It argues that as distributed energy resources (DERs) like rooftop solar and electric vehicles increase load variability among residential customers, traditional energy-only charges become inequitable. Demand charges, which bill based on the maximum power used in a cycle, can more accurately reflect grid infrastructure costs, promote customer equity, and provide price signals that encourage load shifting and the adoption of demand-management technologies.

This briefing by RMI argues that decentralized solar energy is the most viable path to providing electricity access to the 1.3 billion people currently without it, specifically in sub-Saharan Africa and India, while avoiding a projected 141-percent increase in carbon emissions by 2040 that would result from coal-fired power plants.

This executive summary introduces a report by RMI that examines the value of battery-based energy storage on the U.S. electricity grid, specifically focusing on the impact of deployment location, the potential for 'stacking' multiple services to increase value, and the regulatory barriers preventing such utilization.

An essay by Amory Lovins arguing that investing in energy efficiency and renewables in Iran could strengthen its economy and security while displacing its nuclear power program and preventing a regional nuclear arms race.

A case study by RMI detailing Kaiser Permanente's procurement of 153 MW of off-site wind and solar power through a deal with NextEra Energy Resources to meet its sustainability goals in California.

This executive summary by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and HOMER Energy analyzes the economic transition of residential and commercial customers from grid-only electricity to grid-connected solar-plus-battery systems. The report argues that while total grid defection is possible, the more likely scenario is a gradual shift where customers use the grid as a backup, potentially leading to significant revenue loss for utilities and stranded assets for central generation owners unless new regulatory and pricing models are adopted.

This guide by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provides real estate investors with a framework to calculate and present the full value of deep energy retrofits. It argues that conventional evaluations, which focus primarily on energy cost savings, often overlook significant revenue and risk-reduction benefits that can make a project financially viable even if its net present value based on energy savings alone is negative.

The report introduces the 'electricity system value chain' framework, designed to help technology providers and system designers identify and capture value within the complex, non-linear network of the modern electricity grid. It moves beyond linear value chains to a system-based approach that integrates electrical, communications, and organizational layers to align compensation with the actual value provided by emerging technologies, such as distributed energy resources.

This case study describes the efforts of Granma province in Cuba to become a 100-percent renewably powered model for the rest of the country. As of 2013, the province had implemented a diverse array of renewable energy systems, including solar PV, mini-hydropower, wind-powered water pumps, and biomass energy from sugar mill waste and biodigestors.

This case study describes the transformation of Bonaire's electricity system from a diesel-dependent model to one aiming for 100% renewable energy following a power plant fire in 2004. The system integrates wind power, battery storage, and diesel generators capable of running on biodiesel, resulting in lower electricity costs and increased reliability.

This executive summary from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) outlines the need for new business models for distributed solar photovoltaics (DPV) in the United States to move beyond customer-centric value toward system-wide optimization. It proposes three 'bridge' building blocks—increased access, treating DPV as a grid resource, and technology bundling—to align the interests of utilities, solar companies, and customers while transitioning toward broader regulatory reform.

This briefing by RMI outlines a strategic framework for China to transition away from fossil fuels by 'reinventing fire' through innovation and leapfrogging traditional industrial paths. The document focuses specifically on the first of three proposed 'gamechangers': achieving oil-free mobility through vehicle lightweighting, electrification, logistics optimization, and the adoption of advanced biofuels and hydrogen.

RMI proposes an Integrated Utility Services (IUS) model for Fort Collins Utilities to accelerate residential energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption. The model uses a default opt-out 'Basic Package' and on-bill financing to remove barriers, potentially meeting 90% of the residential sector's emissions reduction goals by 2030 while diversifying utility revenue.

This RMI research paper argues that traditional bundled, volumetric electricity rates are inadequate for a grid with increasing distributed energy resources (DERs). It proposes a transition toward more sophisticated pricing across three dimensions: attribute unbundling, temporal granularity (e.g., real-time pricing), and locational granularity (e.g., 'hot spot' credits). The authors recommend a staged implementation using default and opt-in rates, supported by third-party technologies to maintain a simple customer experience, and call for greater data transparency and improved valuation methodologies for regulators.