Regulatory Solutions for Building Decarbonization

To meet the imperative of curbing climate change and restoring clean and healthy air to our communities, it is critical that policymakers act to eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the building sector. In the United States, fossil fuels burned in residential and commercial buildings account for at least 600 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions per year—and far more when methane leakage is considered. Utilities, their regulators, and state policymakers together have an opportunity to eliminate these emissions and transform American homes and businesses to run on clean energy.

The old model of utility regulation is not conducive …

Taking Stock 2020: The COVID-19 Edition

For the past six years, Rhodium Group has provided an independent annual assessment of US greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and progress towards achieving the country’s climate goals. Each year, we explore changes in federal and state policy, shifting energy market and technology advancements, and expectations for growth of the US economy—all of which are central drivers of the outlook for US GHG emissions over the coming decade. However, this year’s edition is different. Here we focus solely on the largest source of uncertainty in the current outlook for US emissions: COVID-19’s impact on the economy.

It has been over 100 …

Expectations for Renewable Energy Finance in 2020-2023

This analysis presents the results of a new survey of prominent financial institutions and renewable energy development companies on their confidence in the sector amid the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.

This report also tracks progress on the $1T 2030: American Renewable Investment Goal, which is an initiative ACORE launched in 2018 to help secure $1 trillion in private sector investment in renewable energy and enabling grid technologies by 2030. One trillion dollars of investment over 2018-2030 would represent more than two times the historic investment in the U.S. renewable sector before the campaign and more than double our existing …

Technological Obsolescence and the End of Coal

Coal is dying in America, and it is disappearing for the same reason that led to the end of fax machines and typewriters. Coal is obsolete. Across all technical dimensions coal technology has been comprehensively surpassed by more modern natural gas and renewable electricity systems.

Technological obsolescence has stuck the coal industry before, in the rail, space heating, steel, and industrial markets — all of which have shrunk to near inconsequential size. Now technological obsolescence has struck coal in its last big market, electricity generation. The result is that coal-fired power is too expensive to survive.

Nothing is more characteristic …

Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO)

The July Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) remains subject to heightened levels of uncertainty because mitigation and reopening efforts related to the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue to evolve. Reduced economic activity related to the COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in energy supply and demand patterns in 2020. Uncertainties persist across the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) outlook for all energy sources, including liquid fuels, natural gas, electricity, coal, and renewables. The STEO is based on U.S. macroeconomic forecasts by IHS Markit, which assumes U.S. gross domestic product declined by 6.4% in the first half of 2020 from the same …

The Hidden Value of Large-Rotor, Tall-Tower Wind Turbines in the United States

The significant upscaling of wind turbine size (nameplate capacity, rotor diameter, and tower height) has, to date, been driven primarily by a goal of minimizing the levelized cost of energy. But with wind’s levelized cost of energy now comparable with that of other generating resources, other design considerations besides cost-minimization have grown in importance—particularly as wind’s increasing market penetration begins to impose challenges on the electric grid. We find that taller towers and larger rotors (relative to nameplate capacity) can enhance the value of wind energy to the electricity system and provide other “hidden” benefits. Specifically, in regions where wind …

Utility Best Practices for EV Infrastructure Deployment

With electric vehicle (EV) charging projected to increase U.S. electricity consumption 11% by 2040, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, there is no ignoring the importance of EV infrastructure to electric utilities. As of April 2020, almost $3 billion in transportation electrification investments have been approved or are pending approval by state utility commissions nationally.

Having the right strategic plan, building a strong team, and providing a good customer experience, will lead to successful EV charging programs. Download this report for recommendations for developing a comprehensive utility EV infrastructure program. Whether EV novice or expert, the best practices are useful …

Tenth Annual Energy Paper

Stargazing. COVID lockdowns reduced global CO2 emissions to levels last seen over a decade ago. While this decline is temporary, there’s still a lesson to be learned: an unsustainable halt in economic activity and mobility was needed to make a material dent in global CO2 emissions. In our tenth annual Eye on the Market energy paper, we take a look at when and how renewable energy transitions might accomplish the same thing. A lot of ideas flicker in the distance, but few are capable of being scaled and substantially commercialized in the foreseeable future.

Topics in this year’s paper include …

Solving the Climate Crisis

American leadership and ingenuity are central to solving the climate crisis. With the devastating health and economic consequences of climate change growing at home and abroad, the United States must act urgently, guided by science, and in concert with the international community to provide a livable climate for today’s youth and future generations. We must harness the technological innovation of the moonshot, the creativity of our entrepreneurs, the strength of our workers, and the moral force of a nation endeavoring to establish justice for all. Working together, we will avert the worst impacts of the climate emergency and build a …

Just Transition Concepts and Relevance for Climate Action

With climate change posing unprecedented threats to the planet and society, there is a growing focus on “just transitions” to help achieve the economic and social changes necessary for sustainable development, while protecting workers and communities and ensuring a more socially-equitable distribution of benefits and risks. However, there is no single, universally acceptable definition of just transitions to achieve and manage these changes. This paper seeks to explain the just transitions concept, including its origins and relevance. We offer a preliminary framework to describe the range of definitions among stakeholders and their underlying perspectives. We also identify several areas that …