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The briefing distinguishes between attributional accounting, which allocates emissions responsibility, and consequential assessment, which estimates how specific corporate actions change total greenhouse gas emissions. It argues that while attributional reporting is necessary for inventories, it fails to quantify real-world abatement or value actions like grid storage. By adopting modernized consequential methods, companies can prioritize interventions—such as siting solar projects in coal-heavy regions—that drive faster grid decarbonization.

The document proposes a "transition finance nexus" framework to illustrate how transition pathways, planning, assessment, and finance interact in the banking sector. It argues that these elements are interdependent and that improving any single part strengthens the entire system, creating a circular process for scaling transition finance. The framework is based on consultations with 15 organizations, including banks and NGOs.

The guide advocates for a holistic community engagement strategy to secure a 'social license' to operate, reducing the risk of permitting delays and project cancellations for energy and infrastructure deployments.

The briefing outlines a path for the United States to achieve mineral self-sufficiency for electric vehicle (EV) batteries by 2050. It proposes six strategies to reduce mineral demand—including shifting battery chemistries, increasing energy density, and changing mobility patterns—stating that these could limit cumulative mining to 125 million tons. The author argues that while battery recycling currently faces low financial returns due to market volatility and high capital costs, it offers a higher return on investment when social and environmental externalities are priced in. To realize these benefits, the document calls for policy interventions to value recycled materials and investment in domestic midstream manufacturing (refining and processing) to avoid exporting recycled materials and to create between 84,000 and 125,000 US jobs by 2032.

The document assesses three types of multifunction mechanical systems designed to reduce the cost and disruption of building decarbonization retrofits in multifamily housing. It examines fully packaged systems (e.g., Systemair Genius), partially packaged systems (e.g., Villara AquaThermAire), and distributed systems (e.g., Ephoca AIO WM paired with SanCO2), focusing on their ability to integrate heating, cooling, ventilation, and domestic hot water (DHW) using low global warming potential refrigerants.

SoffitDuct is a lightweight, prefabricated HVAC ductwork system designed to replace invasive site-built soffits in multifamily retrofits. Demonstrated at the Corona Del Rey apartments in California, the system uses foil-faced foam to provide a 'finish-ready' exterior that can be painted, reducing contractor time and duct leakage. While the project identified challenges in passing through structural wall framing, it estimates that the solution is applicable to 6.3 million residential units (45%) in California, excluding studios, one-bedroom units, and single-story homes with attics.

The electronics industry accounts for over 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, driven by digitization and automation. This report focuses on energy efficiency in final assembly, testing, and packaging (FATP) facilities, noting that leading companies have achieved up to 30% energy savings in existing facilities with minimal costs. The analysis provides a guide for FATP operations and other industries using similar HVAC, compressed air, and lighting systems to implement scalable energy-saving solutions.

The document argues that virtual power plants (VPPs), which aggregate decentralized energy resources (DERs) like rooftop solar and battery storage, can reduce the Caribbean's dependence on expensive imported fossil fuels and improve grid stability against climate-driven threats like hurricanes. Using the US Virgin Islands as a case study, the report evaluates the scalability of VPPs to provide energy, capacity, and ancillary services, offering recommendations for policymakers and utilities to transition toward cleaner, more resilient energy systems.

Michigan faces grid reliability issues, including frequent blackouts and narrowing capacity for peak demand. Virtual power plants (VPPs), which aggregate distributed energy resources (DERs), are proposed as a solution to support the state's clean energy goals of 80% by 2035 and 100% by 2040. The document recommends that utilities seek funding from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), utilize the MPSC's 90-day pilot review program, and that the legislature mandate VPP implementation. Additionally, it suggests the MPSC allow residential and small commercial aggregation in wholesale markets and update metering infrastructure procurement to ensure DER integration capabilities.

The report argues that current US energy efficiency programs are overly complex, resulting in low participation rates (0.5% to 3% of households) and significant barriers for low-to-moderate income (LMI) families. To drive heat pump adoption and meet climate targets, the document recommends simplifying incentive structures (e.g., using $/unit instead of $/BTUh), aligning equipment specifications with federal standards like ENERGY STAR, and providing up-front discounts with prompt contractor reimbursement. It emphasizes the need for long-term funding (3-5 years), market development through workforce training, and a 'climate-forward' framework that prioritizes greenhouse gas reductions over simple energy savings. For equity, it suggests partnering with community-based organizations, setting LMI-specific budget targets, and funding pre-electrification measures like electrical panel upgrades.

The report identifies fragmented policies and challenged economics as primary barriers to the US hydrogen industry's scale-up, risking a loss of global leadership. It suggests that federal and state policymakers should maintain incentives, promote exports, and increase demand-side supports across sectors such as steel, aviation, and maritime shipping to secure supply chains and expand the industrial base.

The report examines 26 state-level Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs) submitted under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program, finding that most plans rely on generalities and high-cost incentives rather than sector-specific strategies. It argues that states must transition from high-level commitments to tailored, long-term roadmaps that prioritize cost-effective tools, such as operating-cost supports and regulatory standards, while leveraging co-benefits like public health improvements and workforce development to maintain American industrial competitiveness against international peers like China and the EU.

The document details the career trajectory of Melissa Le Blanc, who transitioned from a student to a leader at FortisTCI through the support of the Women in Renewable Energy (WIRE) Network and academic mentors. It highlights the role of the WIRE Network, coordinated by RMI, in providing mentorship, technical training, and job opportunities for women in the Caribbean's clean energy sector. Le Blanc's current work includes overseeing the installation of a 1.2 MW solar and battery microgrid in the Turks and Caicos Islands, which meets 30 percent of the electricity demand in North and Middle Caicos.

The report examines the potential of advanced transmission technologies (ATTs), including grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) and advanced conductors, to expand US grid capacity. While pilots have demonstrated success—such as increasing capacity by 40% in the Midwest—widespread adoption is hindered by risk aversion, financial disincentives, a lack of integration into planning processes, and poor cross-utility coordination. The author suggests that large corporate energy users can accelerate deployment through policy advocacy at federal and state levels and by leveraging their influence to catalyze collaboration across different utility service territories.

RMI and TERI convened waste management officials from Uttar Pradesh, India, for a 'waste clinic' designed to facilitate peer-to-peer exchange and expert guidance. The clinic focused on four priority areas: data collection, source segregation and collection of organic waste, organic waste treatment, and disposal. For each area, the clinic identified systemic challenges—such as resource constraints, lack of standardized data, and inadequate infrastructure—and proposed specific 'treatments' including the adoption of standardized KPI templates, graded user fees, and the use of biomining for dumpsite remediation. The goal is to provide a replicable model to help Indian cities meet national 'Garbage Free Cities' goals and reduce landfill gas emissions.

The document analyzes the financial burden on Wisconsin Electric Power Company (WEPCO) ratepayers resulting from the early retirement of the coal-fired Oak Creek Power Plant and warns against repeating these mistakes by investing in new natural gas plants. It argues that clean energy alternatives and better regulatory scrutiny of load forecasts can prevent future stranded assets.

The report analyzes the US synthetic nitrogen fertilizer market, which is highly centralized with 71% of capacity held by four producers. It evaluates seven ammonia production pathways, ranging from mature 'blue ammonia' (SMR with CCS) to lab-scale electrochemical and photochemical methods. The document identifies key barriers to green ammonia adoption, including high financing risks, lack of industrial standards, and the absence of long-term offtake agreements from farmers. It highlights state-level incentives in North Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, New York, and Michigan, alongside federal support via the Inflation Reduction Act's 45V clean hydrogen production tax credit, which offers up to $3/kg of hydrogen.

The report argues that the EU's initial hydrogen targets were overly ambitious and calls for a pragmatic shift toward 'hard-to-electrify' sectors. It identifies a significant gap between current production (0.02 Mtpa) and 2030 targets, projecting regulated demand between 2.2 and 2.8 Mtpa. The authors advocate for a 'carrots and sticks' approach—combining subsidies with enforceable RED III mandates and penalties—to drive offtake. Financially, the report estimates that €13.9 billion in public funding is needed to meet mandates, potentially rising to €45.6 billion under an Accelerated Transition Scenario, which could unlock €276 billion in private investment.

RMI analysis indicates that replacing coal-fired units at the Colstrip Generating Station with a portfolio of solar, wind, and battery storage could save Montana ratepayers between $500 million and $1.17 billion over 30 years. The document urges Northwestern Energy and the Montana Public Service Commission to prioritize coal-to-clean reinvestment and Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) financing in upcoming rate cases and integrated resource plans.

The document argues that the adoption of zero-emission trucks (ZETs) in India is hindered by a lack of affordable financing and the risk-aversion of private capital. It recommends that public-sector actors, including government officials and multilateral development banks, utilize concessional debt, risk-sharing mechanisms, and policy-driven incentives to de-risk investments and stimulate private-sector participation to meet net-zero goals.