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The document identifies high raw material costs, long manufacturing cycle times, and a lack of automotive-specific design standards as primary obstacles to using carbon fiber composites in vehicles. It argues that reducing material costs from approximately $11/lb to $6-$8/lb is essential for viability. The proposed solution is a 'substitution to transformation' approach, starting with individual part substitutions (e.g., engine mounts or battery carriers) to build supply chain scale before moving to full body-in-white implementation. The briefing also emphasizes the need for advanced CAE tools for crash modeling and the development of recycling and repair processes to ensure lifecycle robustness.

The document criticizes the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee's decision to limit the Department of Defense (DoD) from pursuing alternative fuels based on cost comparisons with fossil fuels. It argues that such restrictions stifle military-led innovation, which historically created technologies like the Internet and GPS, and prevents the civilian economy from leveraging energy savings. The author asserts that DoD's leadership in biofuels and efficient platforms could help the U.S. transition away from oil, coal, and nuclear energy by 2050, potentially saving $5 trillion.

The RMI-BOMA guide outlines five actionable steps to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings: increasing transparency of energy costs, engaging occupants to reduce plug loads, integrating sustainability into tenant fit-outs, planning for deep energy retrofits, and utilizing green leases to realign financial incentives between owners and tenants.

The analysis finds that while Boulder has achieved significant energy savings, current programs are insufficient to meet its 2012 Kyoto-based emissions targets. Residential lighting programs and audits are the most cost-effective, while renewable energy systems show below-average returns. The report recommends transitioning to a longer-term, integrated approach focusing on deep retrofits and exploring municipalization of the energy supply to close the emissions gap.

The report examines how the growth of distributed energy resources (DERs), particularly rooftop solar PV, disrupts traditional utility business models in California. It argues that existing volumetric rate structures and net energy metering (NEM) create economic misalignments and cost shifts from solar adopters to non-adopters. To resolve this, the authors propose three building blocks: improving the measurement of DER costs and benefits, implementing pricing models that reflect the actual value of energy based on time and location, and adapting utility business models toward either an 'incentive regulation' or 'network utility' approach.

The briefing examines the impact of the U.S. natural gas boom on renewable energy, noting that while low spot prices hinder utility-scale project financing in the near term, distributed solar PV and falling wind costs will sustain the transition.

RMI worked with H-E-B to implement a whole-system design for a new store at Austin's former airport site, targeting 50 percent energy savings through integrative moves in refrigeration, lighting, and building insulation. The project serves as a catalyst for H-E-B to apply these efficiency strategies across its wider store portfolio.

The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) operates a microgrid that manages 42 megawatts of generating capacity, including solar photovoltaics, a cogeneration plant, and a landfill-gas fuel cell. This system allows the campus to optimize energy costs and 'island' from the main grid during emergencies, such as the September 2011 blackout affecting Southern California, Arizona, and Mexico.

The guide outlines ten strategies for building energy efficiency, emphasizing a 'bottom-up' approach to energy needs, retro-commissioning, and sealing air and duct leaks. It suggests utilizing daylighting, advanced lighting and HVAC controls, and retrofit window films to reduce consumption. The author also recommends pursuing energy efficiency financing like PACE, incorporating shading devices or green roofs, and addressing human behavior, which can influence energy consumption by 12-17%.

The GSA Net Zero Renovation Challenge aims to move beyond shallow retrofits by leveraging ESPCs to achieve deep energy savings (over 50%) and net zero energy in a portfolio of 30-35 federal buildings. A workshop convened by RMI and GSA identified key barriers to this goal, including long procurement timelines, high financing costs, and a lack of integrative design. Proposed solutions include streamlining the ESCO selection process from 18 months to approximately 8 months, blending appropriated funds with ESPC financing, and adopting a 'right steps in the right order' approach that prioritizes load reduction before selecting HVAC and renewable systems. The challenge evaluates projects based on absolute energy savings, technical and financial creativity, and progress toward EISA 2007 goals.

The document highlights the inefficiency of the United States' building stock, which consumes 42 percent of the nation's total energy, and promotes five strategic solutions—technology adoption, integrative design, policy updates, low-cost financing, and valuing non-energy benefits—to achieve deep energy retrofits and support a cleaner electricity grid.

The author views a post-crash battery fire of a Chevy Volt at a NHTSA facility as an opportunity for General Motors to improve lithium-ion battery safety and reliability. Drawing on personal experience with battery failures, the author suggests that investigating such 'mistakes' drives engineering breakthroughs and intellectual property gains, ultimately positioning GM as a global leader in advanced automotive technology.

The author argues that while renewable energy and energy efficiency are growing, a 'missing piece' remains in the sustainability puzzle. He proposes the creation of a global search mechanism for green products based on certifications and the development of local industrial ecology parks to divert end-of-life materials back into manufacturing, supported by national insurance schemes.

The Rocky Mountain Institute contends that the U.S. government has historically provided far more subsidies to fossil fuels than to renewables, citing $72 billion for fossil fuels versus $29 billion for renewables between 2002 and 2008. The document argues that wind and solar are rapidly becoming cost-competitive, noting a 43% decline in solar PV installed costs from 1998 to 2010. It further highlights the economic burden of fossil fuel externalities, estimated at $63 billion annually, and dismisses the Keystone XL pipeline as a viable energy security solution because it does not support the electricity system.

The City-County Building in Indianapolis underwent an $8 million energy retrofit, reducing energy usage by 46% and securing $750,000 in annual savings. This project serves as the model for the SustainIndy program, which targets a 25% energy reduction across 61 city buildings to achieve $1.7 million in annual savings over 15 years.

The report argues that US utilities must move beyond a 'business-as-usual' mindset to meet increasingly aggressive energy efficiency targets. It proposes a 'turbocharging' strategy that combines 'broader' savings (acquiring more participants) with 'deeper' savings (increasing energy saved per participant). The authors identify systemic barriers, including utility complacency, lack of competitive experience, and rigid regulatory frameworks, and offer a framework of recommendations centered on improving marketing, sales execution, reducing transaction costs, and embracing collaboration with third-party partners and regulators.

The document outlines the current state of U.S. energy use across transportation, buildings, and industry, while projecting the economic and efficiency gains possible by 2050 through a transition to renewable energy and increased efficiency.

The briefing argues that traditional utility rebate programs, which focus on single-technology upgrades, yield only 1 to 5 percent whole-building savings. In contrast, a 'deep retrofit' approach—optimizing the building as a whole—can achieve 30 to 50 percent savings. To scale this, the authors propose the 'Deep Energy Efficiency Pays' (DEEP) program, which provides an additional incentive for projects that meet a specific energy savings threshold (e.g., 30 percent). This incentive is designed to 'tip' the economics of projects that would otherwise be financially unviable for building owners. The document highlights the Empire State Building as a successful example of a deep retrofit and discusses existing programs in California and Connecticut as precursors to this model.

The author contends that Germany's energy transition is the result of decades of consistent policy, including the 1991 Power Feed-In Law and the 2000 Renewable Energy Law, rather than a sudden 'shock' to the system. The text asserts that the July 2011 decision to phase out nuclear power by 2021 aligns with a long-established policy vector and rejects claims that recent redundancies at E.on were caused by a sudden change in government policy.

The document outlines the environmental and economic achievements of Ray C. Anderson at Interface, Inc., following his 1994 epiphany to reconcile industrial production with ecological stewardship. Between 1994 and 2010, Anderson led the company to divert over 100,000 tons of carpet from landfills, transition eight of nine plants to renewable electricity, and significantly reduce energy intensity, waste, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions, while saving $438 million in waste costs. These efforts were part of 'Mission Zero,' a 2020 goal to eliminate waste and harm while maintaining business success.