Investment in Technologies of Today: Increasing Flows of Finance into Developing Countries

The low-carbon transition requires an economy-wide transformation encompassing the decarbonization of electricity and heat generation, transport, industry and buildings sectors. This entails investments across a number of low-carbon technologies. This paper focuses on ‘technologies of today’, in other words those that have demonstrated technological viability but remain at varying levels of commercial viability in developing countries.…

Decarbonization Roadmap Guide for School Building Decision Makers

The Decarbonization Roadmap Guide is written for those interested in healthy, efficient, carbon-neutral school design, construction and operation. It outlines achievable goals that result in healthy, affordable, all-electric facilities, and explains common actions taken by leading districts to operationalize their carbon-neutral ambitions. Different stakeholders are likely to interact with this framework in different ways, and the guide shares examples of how this can be done. In addition, the guide links to resources and templates that can be customized locally. While these resources are written with public schools in mind, they can also be used for private schools as well.…

Key Messages for Communicating About Carbon Neutral Schools

Effective communication is critical to successfully engage your audience and ultimately achieve your goal of designing, constructing, and operating a zero energy (ZE) school. This document will help you to address key questions around your communication effort and engage stakeholders in the integrated ZE process.…

Cost Study of the Building Decarbonization Code

This “Cost Study of the Building Decarbonization Code” analyzes the incremental first cost and life cycle cost of two common building types that follow the code language in NBI’s Building Decarbonization Code. The study, which was supported by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), analyzes first costs for both all-electric and mixed-fuel paths for single-family and medium office prototypes. It also includes life cycle cost analysis for the single-family scenario. Ultimately, the cost study found that all-electric homes achieve construction savings and mixed-fuel buildings households are only nominally more expensive. It also found marginal additional first costs for property owners …

Real Estate Opportunities in the Energy Transition

Much has been said about the need for countries and companies to build a low-carbon global economy. Multiple estimates of the amount of capital that will be needed to fund the energy transition over the next several decades are stunning, putting the number at or above $100 trillion. Cognizant of the enormous task — and opportunity — before them, the private and public sectors have already begun the work of building a greener economy. Much of this work has been focused on investments in renewable energy, electric vehicle production and battery technology.

Until relatively recently, real estate has been somewhat …

Assessing The Viability Of Hydrogen Proposals: Considerations For State Utility Regulators And Policymakers

Natural gas and electric utilities across the United States are increasingly pursuing pilot projects to blend hydrogen with natural gas for various end-uses, including as a heating fuel in buildings or for power generation. However research shows these projects would increase consumer costs, exacerbate air pollution, and cause safety risks while minimally reducing greenhouse gases. By comparison, electrification is a proven, low-cost alternative that poses no safety or health risks and can rapidly cut building emissions. And in the power sector, increasing renewable electricity is a much more efficient clean energy pathway. State utility regulators and policymakers should require a …

Trends and Highlights from Recent Comprehensive State Energy Plans

NASEO developed this brief on comprehensive state energy planning trends to support State Energy Offices and their partners as they engage in comprehensive energy planning processes. Comprehensive energy planning helps states take a holistic view of their energy sector covering key concerns around energy supplies, economic development, end–use sectors such as transportation or buildings, and overarching goals like energy equity and resiliency. This brief illustrates the approach and scope of several recent state planning efforts, identifies trends among these comprehensive energy plans, and highlights key issues…

Oregon Energy Policy Simulator Insights: Recent Developments, Policies To Meet Emissions Goals

Research using the Oregon Energy Policy Simulator developed by Energy Innovation, the Green Energy Institute, and Power Oregon evaluates the state’s recent climate policies, finding they would reduce emissions 25 percent below the 1990 baseline in 2035 and nearly 30 percent below in 2050, adding $140 million to the state’s economy and creating 570 jobs in 2050. The research shows Oregon can leverage its ambitious power sector policies for deeper emissions cuts and greater job benefits. Adopting stronger policies across the economy, especially for buildings and transportation, would reduce emissions 50 percent by 2035 and 74 percent by 2050, boosting …

Energy Security Benefits of Congressional Climate and Clean Energy Policy

The Ukraine invasion has led policymakers to consider how the U.S. and its allies could reduce demand for Russian fossil fuels and increase energy security. Increasing domestic oil production is not a short-term solution as it will take years to significantly ramp up production. Fortunately, new Energy Policy Simulator modeling finds the climate and clean energy provisions currently under consideration in the U.S. Congress would reduce annual U.S. oil consumption by 180 million barrels per year by 2030, or roughly twice current U.S. imports of Russian oil, with half of the reductions achieved by 2025. Clean energy deployment and electrification …

Benefits of Heat Pumps for Colorado Homes

SWEEP updated its study for 2022 on the benefits of heat pumps and heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) for Colorado homes, about 85% of which currently use gas for heating. Gas prices increased significantly in the second half of 2021, and as a result heat pumps and HPWHs are now much more cost-effective than they were only one or two years ago. In addition, heat pump and HPWH performance and availability have continued to improve. Efficient electric heat pumps and HPWHs have the potential to significantly reduce carbon and other pollutant emissions from Colorado homes, with a reasonable initial cost …