Search Climate Insights Directory

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provides an overview of model standards and policy design criteria for permitting, inspection, interconnection, and net metering of distributed photovoltaic (PV) systems. It aims to help local governments and utilities reduce non-hardware balance of system costs—which can account for up to 40% of installed system costs—by adopting streamlined, standardized processes. The document highlights specific model frameworks such as the Solar ABCs Expedited Permit Process and IREC Model Interconnection Procedures, while detailing the existing solar-friendly policy landscape in Colorado.

In a 2019 commencement speech at Olin College of Engineering, Amory Lovins outlines the concept of "applied hope," which RMI uses as a framework for creating tangible, scalable solutions to global crises. Lovins distinguishes applied hope from passive optimism, arguing that the most effective way to improve the future is through practical action, integrative design, and resource efficiency to transition away from fossil fuels and environmental degradation.

The 2008 Micropower Database provides an independent assessment of global capacity and electrical output for micropower—defined as all renewables excluding large hydro and cogeneration—covering historical data from 1990 to 2005 or 2006 and forecasts through 2010.

This report by RMI proposes the 'feebate' as a legislative tool to increase automobile fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A feebate applies a surcharge (fee) to inefficient vehicles to fund rebates for efficient ones, creating a self-financing mechanism that encourages manufacturers to innovate across all vehicle size classes without restricting consumer choice.

This research paper by Amory B. Lovins argues that climate change, oil dependence, and nuclear proliferation can be addressed through profitable, market-driven energy efficiency and decentralized renewable energy. The author contends that saving fuel is cheaper than buying it, and that transitioning away from oil and nuclear power is economically advantageous and enhances global security.

A speech delivered by Amory B. Lovins on August 8, 2007, outlining a vision for a sustainable future achieved through integrative engineering, resource efficiency, and the phasing out of fossil fuels and nuclear energy.

The Framework for Community Sustainability provides a guide for community governance based on the experiences of North American communities, emphasizing the complementary nature of the economy, community, and environment.

This guide provides strategies for communities of any size to achieve economic growth through the application of natural capitalism, emphasizing methods that distribute benefits widely and remain compatible with the environment.

The Port Innovation Workshop Final Report details a two-day event convened by the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, in collaboration with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and Rocky Mountain Institute, to identify strategies for improving the sustainability and energy efficiency of cargo container operations. The workshop produced 44 ideas categorized as Port Leadership, Partnership, or Blue Sky opportunities, focusing on electrification, logistics optimization, and radical redesigns of port infrastructure to reduce emissions and operational waste.

This report, commissioned by Hawai`i County Mayor Harry Kim and authored by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), provides a whole-system evaluation of the county's 2005 goals. It identifies the loss of local land control to outside investors as the island's most critical challenge and offers specific recommendations to accelerate progress in affordable housing, energy self-sufficiency, and environmental stewardship. The document emphasizes the use of measurable indicators to ensure government transparency and the adoption of 'whole-system thinking' to address root causes rather than symptoms of community stress.

In his 2007 Blue Planet Prize acceptance remarks, Amory B. Lovins argues that Japan is uniquely positioned to lead a global transition to benign and affordable energy, provided it overcomes complacency in energy efficiency, leverages its renewable energy potential, adopts distributed generation, and reforms bureaucratic energy policies.

This document is a 2007 web exchange between Prof. Steve Berry, Peter Bradford, and Amory Lovins regarding the viability and role of nuclear power in mitigating climate change. The participants debate the economic competitiveness of nuclear energy versus energy efficiency and 'micropower' (distributed renewables), the risks of proliferation and waste, and the energy needs of rapidly developing nations like China and India.

Amory Lovins argues that the world is entering a transition away from oil driven by the economic superiority of energy efficiency. He highlights the potential for ultralight hybrid vehicles, the role of the U.S. Pentagon in driving material innovation to reduce logistics risks, and estimates that eliminating U.S. oil use by the 2040s would cost $15 per barrel. The text suggests that this shift is already being adopted by companies like Wal-Mart and Boeing.

This research paper by Amory B. Lovins argues that climate protection is profitable rather than costly, primarily through energy efficiency and the adoption of decentralized 'micropower' systems. The author contends that market-driven transitions to energy productivity and low-carbon supplies can eliminate oil dependence and reduce carbon emissions without requiring new taxes or mandates.

This 2006 report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) for the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission outlines a strategy to integrate environmental restoration with economic development along the Cuyahoga River ship channel in Cleveland. It proposes a transition from traditional industrial land use to a 'restoration economy' through projects focusing on stormwater management, aquatic habitat restoration, brownfield remediation, green industrial building standards, and industrial symbiosis (Waste = Revenue).

This RMI fact sheet presents several case studies of green building projects across residential, commercial, and urban redevelopment sectors, highlighting the economic and environmental benefits of sustainable design, such as energy savings, increased property value, and reduced marketing costs.

This statement from the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) to Senator Olympia Snowe proposes a series of short-term measures to reduce U.S. demand for conventional crude oil by 5% to 9%. RMI argues that such a reduction would stabilize global oil prices by increasing excess capacity to between 2.5 and 3.8 million barrels per day, thereby mitigating the impact of price shocks and speculation.

This research paper by RMI outlines the principles of community collaboration and smart governance as the primary means for achieving healthy, sustainable communities.

This report documents the recommendations and proceedings of the 'Design for Health: Summit for Massachusetts Health Care Decision Makers,' held on September 28–29, 2004. Organized by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), the summit aimed to promote the adoption of sustainable, high-performance design in healthcare facilities to improve patient outcomes, staff performance, environmental health, and financial security.

This 2005 report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) argues that fuel cells can be cost-effective distributed energy resources (DER) by capturing economic benefits beyond simple energy generation, such as deferring utility distribution investments and providing premium reliability for the digital economy.