This summer, RMI and Third Derivative launched a pilot at an affordable housing community in Boulder, Colorado, to evaluate an innovative cooling material designed to help keep buildings cooler without using additional energy. By reflecting sunlight and releasing heat, passive daytime radiative cooling technology has the potential to reduce indoor temperatures and improve comfort for residents who are often most vulnerable to extreme heat. The pilot will generate independent, real-world performance data to better understand how the technology performs in occupied buildings and help inform broader adoption of low-energy cooling solutions.

As electricity demand grows across the country, RMI is helping states build more affordable, reliable, and resilient energy systems. In Arizona, RMI helped shape statewide recommendations on energy efficiency, battery storage, advanced transmission, and virtual power plants (VPPs). In New Jersey, RMI’s technical expertise helped lawmakers incorporate distributed energy resources (DERs) and VPPs into legislation responding to rapidly growing demand from data centers. Together, these efforts are helping states meet new energy needs while reducing costs and strengthening the grid.

Building on years of work with island communities, RMI launched its Global Islands Energy Program to help islands around the world build cleaner, more resilient, and more affordable energy systems. The program draws on lessons from successful projects — including virtual power plants in the US Virgin Islands — to create scalable blueprints that strengthen energy security, support economic opportunity, and help communities thrive in the face of growing climate and energy challenges.

RMI is helping cities overcome the practical barriers to bringing EV charging to residents without driveways or garages. RMI supported 15 cities through technical assistance, peer learning, and funding. In Washington, DC, RMI introduced new considerations and approaches as the city installed pilot curbside chargers and planned expansion across all eight wards. RMI support also helped two cities launch or expand EV carshare programs and two others install chargers at multifamily housing sites — turning plans for more more accessible electric transportation into projects on the ground.

As more electric vehicles hit US roads, utilities need to anticipate where and when charging will increase electricity demand — without overbuilding the grid and raising costs. RMI brought consumer advocates together to explore how smarter EV planning can help keep electricity affordable, then launched its EV Grid Toolkit to put proven forecasting, investment, rate design, and load-management strategies in the hands of advocates, regulators, and utilities. The goal: prepare the grid for more EVs while making infrastructure investments more targeted and cost-effective.

As electric vehicles expand in island nations, safely managing used batteries presents unique challenges for these small, remote regions. RMI is helping Bermuda prepare by engaging local stakeholders, technical experts, innovators, and service providers; assessing the island’s needs and capabilities; and developing scenarios for future battery volumes. This work is informing tailored recycling pathways that can meet Bermuda’s needs today while preparing for growing EV adoption — helping recover valuable materials, manage batteries safely, and offer lessons for other island communities facing similar challenges.

Across Southeast Asia and India, RMI’s Third Derivative is helping industrial climate startups move from promising technologies to commercial deployment. While participating in the Future Industries Partnership, startups have converted pilots into paid projects, launched manufacturing facilities and products, secured customers, and raised capital, supported by commercialization guidance and connections to investors and industry. One startup, Torus, reached more than 10 commercial customers, began production of its first 300 motor and controller units, and was selected among the top 30 tech startups to represent India at VivaTech in Paris and among the top 10 startups for expansion into the US market by the University of Chicago. In addition, Torus secured a Social Alpha grant to strengthen scale-up plans, and credited D3 strategic sessions and pitch coaching as a key contributor to its Mumbai and Delhi Climate Week competition wins.

RMI brought technical expertise to a state working group improving Colorado’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory. RMI recommended using more Colorado-specific data, including the state’s Oil and Natural Gas Annual Emission Inventory Reporting data, to more accurately track emissions from the oil and gas sector — a change that will be incorporated into future inventories. The state also took RMI’s recommendation to publicly clarify key points on its oil and gas reporting tool, making it easier to understand how Colorado estimates methane emissions and track the sector’s performance over time.

RMI, working with Carbon Mapper and Environmental Defense Fund, supported New Mexico’s efforts to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas operations. RMI helped coordinate analysis showing revenue lost through large “super-emitter” events, supporting the case for increased air-quality permit fees that took effect July 1, 2026. RMI recommendations also helped shape a proposed state super-emitter program, including elements of federal methane standards. The rule is expected to enter its official public comment period in late August, 2026.