Energy Publications

In choosing policies to finance solar power, U.S. states have chosen
between two major options: solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) and
CLEAN Contracts. But few legislatures have been armed with data on the
cost-effectiveness of these strategies.  This report reveals that the transparency, certainty, and low risk of CLEAN Contract Programs makes them more cost-effective than SRECs for financing solar power projects. In other words, CLEAN means more solar at less cost.

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What would happen if the U.S. adopted the world's flagship solar energy policy – a feed-in tariff?  This policy is responsible for three-quarters of the world's solar power capacity and offers the simplest mechanism for expanding production of solar power and other renewable energy. 

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Ontario’s bold renewable energy program contains excellent examples of policy that marries economic and environmental goals.  Unique among programs that set a guaranteed price for electricity from renewable energy projects, Ontario’s program also boasts a domestic content requirement that has already resulted in the promise of 43,000 jobs and dozens of new manufacturing plants to support the 5,000 MW of new clean energy. More

PACE provides one of the most promising municipal energy financing tools and it's been adopted by 22 states.  But resistance from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has put the brakes on new programs.  This presentation explores the rationale, the process, and the promise of PACE.

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Community solar power can offer unique benefits in the expansion of solar power, from greater participation and ownership of solar to a greater dispersion of the economic benefits of harnessing the sun’s energy. But community solar faces significant barriers in a market wherethe “old rules” favor corporate, large-scale development. New rules – better community solar policy and regulations – are needed to remove these barriers. More

Twenty states now allow cities and counties to finance energy efficiency retrofits and on-site renewable energy generation and repay the loan with a property tax assessment. Five municipalities launched Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs in the past two years and these programs have spent $37.5 million to help enable close to 2,000 voluntary residential retrofits.  Read on to see how these programs have performed and what upcoming municipal energy finance programs should consider. More

As municipal financing for energy improvements (commonly called Property Assessed Clean Energy - PACE) rises in popularity, criticism has also arisen.  This short memo responds to the most common concerns with PACE financing.  The memo is also provided as a 1-page pdf.
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This December 2009 report was prepared for the RE-AMP network (120+ organizations in eight Midwestern states). The scoping report outlines and makes recommendations on a variety of policy issues related to expanding electric vehicles. The report illustrates the relationships between electric vehicles and other GHG reduction strategies such as fuel economy standards (CAFE), low carbon fuel standards (LCFS) and efforts to reduce vehicle miles traveled.  Because of their energy storage capability, electrified vehicles will also play an increasingly important role in the expansion of renewable energy and the future elaboration of smart grid technologies. More

States do not need to seek energy imports to meet their renewable energy goals.  Almost the entire country west of the Mississippi and parts of the Eastern Seaboard (a total of 31 states) can serve all their electricity needs with in-state renewable power. 

Every state in America could reach its renewable mandate with domestically available renewable resources.  
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