Energy Storage Incentive Rate Setting for States

The intent of this document is to provide recommendations and guidance for states seeking to develop distributed or behind-the-meter (BTM) energy storage incentive programs. It is intended to help states decide how to structure incentive programs and how to set incentive rates.
As states increasingly adopt energy storage targets, develop storage policy and regulation, and seek to drive energy storage deployment, numerous incentive programs have emerged. These vary greatly in design, making it difficult to compare incentive rates from one program to another. For example, some incentive programs offer rebates, while others provide performance payments over a fixed period. Other …

Climate Resilience Pathways: Catalyzing Private Sector Action

Businesses’ ability to adapt to climate change is a strategic imperative. Yet, despite the growing need to manage and respond to climate risks, a staggering 80% of companies lack a comprehensive plan for climate adaptation. This gap is a call to action— businesses must mobilize their considerable influence, resources, and partnerships to forge a resilient future.

The drive for decarbonization has demonstrated the private sector’s power to coalesce around best practices, attract investment, and shape policy. There is an urgent need for similar dynamism to accelerate climate resilience. The lack of a unifying language and framework for corporate climate action …

A Framework for Valuing Energy Resilience

Resiliency, particularly in the context of disaster and crisis management, has gained increasing recognition as a vital component of societal well-being. This paper explores the multifaceted concept of valuing resiliency, delving into its significance, factors influencing its assessment, and various measurement approaches. By comprehensively analyzing this topic, this report aims to provide a clear understanding of the importance of valuing energy resilience in diverse settings and the complex considerations involved in its evaluation.…

X-Change: The Race to the Top Cleantech Competition Between China, Europe, and the United States

X-Change: The Race to the Top is the fourth report of the X-Change series. The series analyzes the exponential growth of renewable energy technologies, demonstrating why and how major areas of the global energy system are achieving faster change than many realize. The series is produced by RMI in partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund and as a contribution to Systems Change Lab.

In X-Change: The Race to the Top, RMI looks at the contest between China, Europe, and the United States to make and deploy the energy technologies of the future. China is in the lead in many of …

2023 Billion-Ton Report: An Assessment of U.S. Renewable Carbon Resources

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technology Office’s (BETO) 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23) is the 4th in a series of assessments of potential biomass resources available in the United States. BT23 explores these resources in terms of quantity, price, geographical density and distribution, and market maturity. Resource quantities in this report are limited by specified economic and environmental sustainability constraints. Good practices are needed to ensure biomass production has positive environmental outcomes.…

NEA System Cost Analysis for Integrated Low-Carbon Electricity Systems: A Guide for Stakeholders and Policymakers

The imperative to reduce carbon emissions is profoundly transforming the electricity and energy systems of OECD and NEA countries. This sets in motion a number of interrelated developments that challenge traditional understandings of the way energy systems work. These changes also require a reappraisal of established notions of costs at the level of the integrated electricity system. Different technologies with comparable costs at the level of the individual plant can thus have very different effects on the total costs of a system. This impacts the strategic decision-making of energy policymakers with regard to the energy mix. It relates, in particular, …

Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction

The Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction (Buildings-GSR), a report published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), provides an annual snapshot of the progress of the buildings and construction sector on a global scale. The Buildings-GSR reviews the status of policies, finance, technologies and solutions to monitor whether the sector is aligned with the Paris Agreement goals. It also provides stakeholders with evidence to persuade policymakers and the overall buildings and construction community to take action.

As outlined in this edition, the buildings and construction sector contributes significantly to global …

ClearPath Proposal to Modernize the U.S. Department of Energy

In a new report, ClearPath details its proposal to modernize the United States Department of Energy (DOE). The intent of the report is to align a new Administration on a pro-innovation agenda by reorganizing DOE to better promote energy security, with a focus on difficult-to-decarbonize sectors and deployment.

“The United States is in the midst of an energy revolution. Demand for new energy will reach all-time highs, breakthrough technologies are beginning to commercialize, and existing technologies are innovating new, cleaner ways to produce more energy,” said Rich Powell, CEO of ClearPath. “The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) can play an …

Achieving an 80% Renewable Portfolio in Alaska’s Railbelt: Cost Analysis

Researchers found that creating a modern energy system in Southcentral Alaska—one that includes new jobs and uses local renewable energy resources—is more affordable than relying on imported natural gas.

Providing 75% of Alaska’s electricity, the Railbelt power system is the largest in the state and consists of five utilities. Because of a looming natural gas shortage, the Alaska State Legislature is exploring the adoption of a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to meet growing energy demand and minimize costs. An RPS requires that a specified percentage of the electricity utilities sell comes from renewable energy resources. This study incorporates input from …

Accelerating the Energy Transition Through Advanced Rate Design

Advanced rate design refers to a dedicated process outside of a traditional rate case in which an electric utility develops a comprehensive suite of tariffs to maximize load flexibility. Traditional utility rates often reflect simple pricing structures such as flat rates or tiered pricing. If offered at all, time-varying rate options are typically limited and unable to translate every customer’s needs and capabilities into grid benefits. In addition, such rates may not be updated at a sufficient pace to reflect a rapidly evolving power grid. In contrast, advanced rate design aims to create more dynamic, flexible, and responsive pricing or …