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Electricity

Building Clean, Competitive Grids

We must invest in large- and small-scale solutions, from transmission lines and utility-scale renewables to efficiency and distributed energy resources.

An affordable, reliable, and clean US energy future is within reach — but we must choose to build it. We must invest in our electric grid and leverage competitive markets to both meet rapid load growth and keep bills affordable.

Why This Matters

Affordable outcomes for ratepayers
Americans benefit from competitive markets and a modernized grid
Meeting growing energy demand
To power data centers and electrification, the US must both invest in its electric grid and get more from the existing system.

At RMI, we believe that collaborative grid planning and competitive interconnection will allow the United States to build the most cost-effective electricity system. Competitive markets will then allow Americans to reap the benefits of a modernized grid, including investments in advanced transmission technologies and flexible generation and load.

How We Work

Analyze
Provide data-driven insights and solutions
Convene
Bring together market stakeholders
Enable
Support implementation for regulators and market actors

In our work, we grapple with complex grid challenges through a combination of a deep understanding of grid physics and extensive experience convening diverse stakeholders.

Explore the Work

Interconnection
Speed and fairness for generation and load interconnection
Transmission
Improved planning and accelerated build out
Market Design
Strengthened competition, reliability, and economic efficiency

Interconnection

We are working to increase the speed and fairness with which we connect new generation and load to the US grid. Our recent reports have quantified the cost and time savings of interconnection interventions at the intersections of policy, technology, and regulation.

Transmission

We work to identify structural challenges and provide practical solutions to improve how we plan, pay for, and permit transmission. We also work directly with regulators, utilities, and industry to support regional and interregional transmission planning, cost allocation, advanced transmission technologies, and permitting. Our recent work includes:

Market Design

Our market design efforts provide analysis and recommendations to support reforms that increase competition, ensure reliability, and leverage economics to support public policy goals. Our previous engagements have focused on PJM and its capacity market as well as how to best integrate large loads into our existing systems.

Additional Resources

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Independent research. Real-world solutions. Supported by donors.

RMI can pursue the highest-impact climate and energy solutions because we’re supported by people who believe change is possible. Every gift helps advance the work needed to make clean energy the default choice worldwide.

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