Google Hangout: Driving Transformational Change

48 Hour Challenge to Create a Bright Energy Future

Amplify your impact! If we raise $2,500 in 48 hours following our Google Hangout, it’ll be matched with a $5,000 gift. Donate now

If you missed the hangout, watch it now!

 

At RMI, we have a bold vision for the United States’ future, one built on a cleaner, brighter, more prosperous energy future. But we won’t get there with baby steps. We need to boldly move forward with transformational change.

This Google Hangout—coming up on Tuesday, December 11—will give a window into how RMI focuses its efforts for maximum impact, and how our supporters play a key role in making that impact possible.

"Blog

We’ll take a look inside a number of RMI initiatives, including—for example—our efforts in the solar sector. Part of RMI’s Reinventing Fire vision includes an electrical system powered primarily by distributed renewable resources, with solar photovoltaics (PV) likely leading the way. It’s an exciting area of opportunity with huge potential, but it’s not without challenges. Solar is frequently too costly, perceived as too risky by investors, and challenges the traditional structure of investor-owned utilities.

RMI is leading the way by bringing together utilities, technology partners, and customers to pioneer novel solar business models. Already there is progress to celebrate, as RMI has shifted the industry away from a focus on the hard costs of the actual solar hardware—which comprise just 20 percent of solar’s total cost—and onto the other 80%—the soft costs associated with permitting, installation labor, and other costs.

There’s more work to be done, however. RMI continues to drive transformational change in this sector, further knocking down cost and risk barriers, and energizing the solar industry and utilities around solutions.

During the Hangout, you’ll hear more about this and other RMI initiatives, such as Project Get Ready, which is literally and figuratively driving change in the transportation sector, reducing carbon emissions and oil dependence through vehicle electrification.

You’ll hear from:

Ben Holland, Program Manager, Project Get Ready
Dan Seif, Senior Consultant (Electricity and Industrial)
Elaine Gallagher Adams, AIA, Senior Consultant (Buildings)
Ryan Matley, Consultant (Electricity)
Lena Hansen, Principal (Electricity)
Ned Harvey, COO and Development Lead

We’ll also be taking questions from our audience via Twitter. Send your questions to @RockyMtnInst and use the hashtag #brightenergyfuture.

To watch the discussion live, you can:

1. Bookmark this page. We’ll be streaming the conversation here starting at 11:00 MT on Tuesday, December 11.
2. Go to RMI’s YouTube page and click on the Feed tab. The video will stream there as well.
3. Go to RMI’s Google+ page and watch the event live. (You must be a Google+ member and follow RMI’s page on Google+.)  

Prep for the hangout by watching Reinventing Fire: Change Energy Use Forever

Highlighted Resources

"Shi

Google Hangout: Building Permanently Affordable Housing

"eLab
eLab: Creating a Resilient Electricity System

"Solar


Solar Issues of the Day: Customer Acquisition

 

Some images courtesy of Shutterstock.