Category: Knowledge Center America

Regulatory Agility for US State Utilities: Brief

Regulatory Agility for US State Utilities: Brief

June 13, 2025 | , ,

Utility grids in the United States are at an inflection point. This brief “Regulatory Agility: Responsive and Adaptable Regulation for a Shifting Energy System” by RMI concludes that State public utilities commissions (PUCs) play a critical role in ensuring the health and economic vitality of families and businesses across the country. However, PUCs face increasingly complex mandates, continued rate increase requests, and a rapidly changing energy system. PUCs must continue to modernize to keep pace with the need to transition to a decarbonized, equitable, and flexible energy system. 

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State of US Clean Energy Manufacturing: Report

State of US Clean Energy Manufacturing: Report

May 30, 2025 | , , , , ,

The report “The State Of Clean Energy Manufacturing” by American Clean Power summarises that American clean power is leading a manufacturing renaissance across the country. Solar cells and modules made in Ohio, manufactured steel in New Mexico, advanced batteries in West Virginia, offshore service vessels built in Louisiana, and wind turbine blades in Iowa are just a few examples of the output from the 200 manufacturing facilities actively building primary clean power components to supply booming U.S. demand for new energy.

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New England’s Offshore Wind Transmission Study: Report

New England’s Offshore Wind Transmission Study: Report

May 22, 2025 | , , ,

The New England power system is undergoing a major transformation as five of its six states commit to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050. The ISO New England (ISO-NE) recently released the 2050 Transmission Study: Offshore Wind Analysis final report, which examines the reliable integration of large-scale offshore wind (OSW) projects into the regional grid, assessing their impact on the transmission system and identifying strategic planning requirements for future development. The findings of the report are based on N-1 direct current (DC) thermal steady-state analysis, providing a high-level view of system constraints but not replacing the need for more detailed full interconnection studies.

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Virtual Power Plants in the Caribbean: Report

Virtual Power Plants in the Caribbean: Report

May 22, 2025 | , ,

The report “Reimagining the Electricity Sector in Island Nations with Virtual Power Plants” by RMI summarises that Caribbean countries are universally renowned for their turquoise waters, pristine environment, and vibrant local culture. However, a common plight lurks in the background of most islands: a deep dependence on expensive, polluting fossil fuels for electricity generation. This reliance contributes to the unique vulnerability of island nations to volatile global fuel prices that can cripple local economies by driving up electricity prices. Furthermore, the aging and fragile grid infrastructure in many Caribbean countries leads to numerous electricity outages each year. 

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Commercial Building Energy Use in Dallas: Report

Commercial Building Energy Use in Dallas: Report

May 16, 2025 | , ,

The report “Understanding Commercial Building Energy Use in the Greater Dallas-Fort Worth Area: Building Stock Segmentation for Retrofit Planning” by the US Department of Energy and NREL breaks down the energy consumption and emissions of the building stock in the Greater Dallas-Fort Worth Area counties, by building type, building size, end use, energy consumption, emissions, and segment. The report concludes that 83% of building stock’s site energy consumption is Electricity, with 44% of the Electricity consumption accounted to HVAC. Most of the site energy consumed by HVAC is attributed to buildings with Multizone Systems, particularly in Education, Healthcare, and Office buildings. Building stock’s segment with the most site energy consumed is Hydronically Heated Multizone Systems.

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Expanding US-India Energy Security Partnership: Report

Expanding US-India Energy Security Partnership: Report

May 16, 2025 | , , , ,

The report “A Blueprint To Advance The U.S.-India Energy Security Partnership” by ORF America summarises that energy security remains a cornerstone of the U.S.-India partnership, being vital for economic growth and national security. A U.S.-India Energy and Industrial Partnership should involve deploying energy technologies at scale, reducing concentrations in energy supply chains and manufacturing, and strengthening both the domestic industrial base and industrial corridor between the two countries.

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Decarbonising US Economy using Biomass: Paper

Decarbonising US Economy using Biomass: Paper

May 9, 2025 | , , ,

The paper “Biomass and land use in a decarbonizing U.S. economy” by WRI concludes that biomass is a limited and valuable resource; as such, it is critical that it be used in a way that is most effective for emissions mitigation. It is vital that the value of biomass production be weighed against the many other demands placed on land in a decarbonizing society. This analysis finds that some biomass, including wastes and residues, has a role to play in decarbonizing the US economy, but accurate carbon accounting is essential, and guardrails must be placed on biomass use.

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Colorado’s Clean and Flexible Energy Future: Paper

Colorado’s Clean and Flexible Energy Future: Paper

May 2, 2025 | , , ,

This paper “Flexible, Clean Industry and Sustainable Energy Power Strong Economies” by Energy Innovation explores an emerging approach to transform cheap, clean renewable generation by co-locating with symbiotic new industries that can use electricity flexibly and how it could apply in Pueblo, Colorado. The combined resource creates a more dispatchable and reliable electric grid asset while at the same time providing an opportunity for host communities to capture more of the economic benefits of the energy transition. This approach is referred to as an “energy park.”

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Clean Energy Tax Credits in US: Report

Clean Energy Tax Credits in US: Report

April 25, 2025 | , ,

United States electricity demand is expected to grow, in part because data center demand could more than double by 2030. Utilities need to build power plants quickly to meet increased demand. This research summary compares analyses from more than a dozen nonpartisan research groups, showing how repealing §45Y and §48E technology-neutral electricity tax credits would raise the nation’s household energy bills around $6 billion annually in the next five years and $25 billion annually by 2040. In some states, households would shoulder over $500 increases in their annual energy bills

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California’s Clean Transmission Development: Report

California’s Clean Transmission Development: Report

April 10, 2025 | , ,

This report provides information, strategies, tools and case studies that California policymakers, regulators, and others could use to support equitable transmission planning and development that avoids harm and maximises benefits for underserved communities and Tribal Nations, collectively referred to as environmental justice (EJ) communities.  These EJ communities have long hosted fossil fuel infrastructure, facing cumulative health, environmental, and economic harms. 

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Virtual Power Plants in Michigan: RMI Brief

Virtual Power Plants in Michigan: RMI Brief

April 3, 2025 | , ,

This brief outlines the ways in which VPPs can support grid reliability, affordability, and decarbonization outcomes, with supporting metrics and case study examples from other states. Michigan utilities, regulators, and legislators have laid the groundwork for fundamental technologies, program structures, and market rules that are part of the foundation for VPPs. This brief concludes with a set of actions that Michigan utilities, regulators, and legislators can take to advance VPPs in the state to support affordable, reliable, decarbonized power for all Michiganders

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America’s Hydrogen Future: Report

America’s Hydrogen Future: Report

March 28, 2025 | , , ,

This report demonstrates why hydrogen is strategic for America to maintain its energy leadership as the global race to attract investments intensifies. It examines the current investment landscape, outlining project drivers and market barriers – including cost premiums and project risks – with case studies in exports, on-road mobility, aviation, steel, and maritime shipping. It offers policy options that can strengthen demand and derisk infrastructure development, illustrating the pathway to unleash widespread investments, promote domestic industrial growth, and solidify energy leadership.

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Net-Zero Transport in Canada: Report

Net-Zero Transport in Canada: Report

March 20, 2025 | , ,

A clean passenger transport system—based on walking, cycling, public transit, and zero-emission vehicles—can reduce costs for households and empower Canadians to easily get where they need to go, while making cities cleaner, quieter, and safer for everyone. Zero-emission vehicles, coupled with an increasingly robust charging network, can meet much of the remaining passenger transportation needs across Canada’s cities, towns, and rural communities.

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Connecticut’s Renewable Energy Status: Report

Connecticut’s Renewable Energy Status: Report

March 7, 2025 | , ,

The report “2024 Clean & Renewable Energy Report” by The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority details the status of the current clean and renewable energy programs and contracts administered by the electric distribution companies (EDCs), The Connecticut Light and Power Company d/b/a Eversource Energy (Eversource) and The United Illuminating Company (UI), and overseen by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (the Authority or PURA).

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Grid Enhancing Technologies in US: Report

Grid Enhancing Technologies in US: Report

February 28, 2025 | , ,

US electricity demand is projected to grow nearly 16% by 2029, putting new urgency behind the need for grid upgrades and the addition of new generation resources. The surge in renewable energy projects aiming to connect to the grid has highlighted longstanding transmission capacity challenges. Total U.S. transmission capacity must expand 2.7–4.1 times the 2020 level. A modernized approach to grid planning and operation is critical in order to safely, reliably, and affordably meet the electricity demands of the future. Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) can play a critical role in grid modernization by optimizing the efficiency of existing infrastructure and unlocking unused capacity.

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Oregon’s Energy Strategy: Presentation

Oregon’s Energy Strategy: Presentation

February 19, 2025 | , ,

Electrification and energy efficiency are key to reducing the size of the overall energy “pie” and to cost containment. Fuels play a strategic role in the transition, with a shift toward clean fuel alternatives toward 2050. All scenarios indicate a need to build infrastructure in Oregon. Tech loads are the biggest driver of electricity demand growth but are also uncertain in when and where they could emerge

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DER and VPP Deployment in Texas: Report

DER and VPP Deployment in Texas: Report

February 19, 2025 | , ,

The report “Local Governments Can Achieve Texas-Sized Impacts from Distributed Energy Assets and Virtual Power Plants” by RMI highlights that distributed energy resources and virtual power plants can empower Texas communities to lead the transition to a more resilient, affordable, and sustainable energy system. These assets, especially when combined to create virtual power plants (VPPs) — also known as aggregate distributed energy resources (ADERs) — are emerging as key tools that can be deployed quickly in support of a more reliable, resilient, and affordable electricity system. 

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Clean hydrogen uptake in US: Report

Clean hydrogen uptake in US: Report

January 31, 2025 | , , ,

The United States is on track to reach 7-9 MMTpa in operational capacity by 2030. Investment in clean hydrogen has nearly doubled in the last year—not including the approximately $50 billion of capital associated with DOE H2Hubs—shrinking the amount of additional capital investment required to achieve liftoff by 30-60%, to $30-150 billion from the $85-215 billion gap. Despite cost increases, markets for clean hydrogen are growing. Low-carbon reformation projects can target large, industrial offtakers in ammonia and refining. Electrolysis projects can target end markets with higher willingness to pay or markets with additional, stackable incentives.

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Reforms for US Local Transmission Oversight: Report

Reforms for US Local Transmission Oversight: Report

January 17, 2025 | , ,

The US transmission grid is facing substantial challenges due to load growth and a shifting generation mix, necessitating urgent expansion and modifications. Although utility investment in transmission infrastructure has quadrupled during the last 20 years, the emphasis has changed from critical high voltage regional lines to lower-voltage local projects, which is inefficient. Local projects frequently receive less scrutiny, which can result in higher costs and greater environmental and land-use implications than bigger, more strategically planned regional initiatives. This report highlights the challenges in expanding the US electric grid to meet increasing energy demands and transition to clean energy while ensuring grid reliability in the face of severe weather events.

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Streamlining Permits for Clean Industrial Projects in California

Streamlining Permits for Clean Industrial Projects in California

January 10, 2025 | , ,

This memo “Easing the Permitting Process for Clean Industrial Projects in California” by RMI outlines key challenges and solutions to begin improving the California permitting process for clean industrial projects ranging from clean fuel refining, to cement plants, to steel production, and more. It concludes that the permitting process in California is complex and work-intensive on both the side of the permit-seeker and the permitting agencies and local governments. As a result, improving the permitting process for clean industrial projects will require coordinated effort from both policymakers and project developers.

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