RMI Outlet
Electricity
Securitization in Action: How US States Are Shaping an Equitable Coal Transition
Much has been made of coal’s dramatic decline. Coal is no longer the cheapest way to generate electricity in many countries, and in recent years power plants and mines have closed in the face of this economic reality, especially in the United States and Europe. In the coming decade,…
Powering Decarbonization in Illinois: A Cautionary Coal Tale
Coal plants are closing across the United States at an accelerating rate. In fact, from 2011 to mid-2020, utilities shut down 95 gigawatts (GW) of coal capacity, with another 25 GW scheduled to be shut down by 2025. At the end of 2019, the outlook was for 20 more…
North Carolina Advances Its Clean Energy Transition Despite Challenges of 2020
2020 did not go according to plan, to say the least. But that did not stall North Carolina’s drive forward on clean energy. Over the past year, state officials, utilities, and a broad set of stakeholders worked together to advance key portions of the state’s Clean Energy Plan. Through…
Climate Change Is Messing with Texas
With extreme cold stretching across half the United States, the past week has seen unprecedented power outages in the central part of the country, and particularly in Texas. Millions of people remain without power as the state’s grid operator, ERCOT, struggles to meet historic demand for electricity even as…
Five Lessons from Hawaii’s Groundbreaking PBR Framework
On December 23, 2020, the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) issued a landmark decision to adopt a comprehensive performance-based regulatory framework for the islands’ investor-owned utilities. The newly adopted framework delivers a portfolio of thoughtful and innovative regulations that will align utility business incentives with clean energy and customer…