US Policy
Locally Powered, Federally Funded
How your neighborhood hospitals, universities, and nonprofits are accelerating the clean energy transition with federal dollars.
The US Clean Energy Incentive Landscape
Federal support of clean energy and related technologies — from solar and wind to batteries and more efficient manufacturing — has helped to create jobs, expand manufacturing, and grow the US economy for decades. For consumers, businesses and the government, as well as non-profit organizations such as RMI that assist them, the public investment has cut costs and waste, reduced harmful pollution, and stimulated investment. And while these benefits have supported people, businesses, and communities on both sides of the political aisle, they now face uncertainty in Washington.
The following resources document federal policy and benefits supporting clean energy investment and related technology innovation, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the CHIPS and Science Act, and related bills. This page will be updated as needed.
The Opportunity: Recent Federal Investment
As passed in 2022, the IRA marked the largest-ever investment in US clean energy, technology, and related manufacturing. The package aims to modernize transportation, building, heavy industry, energy, and other strategic sectors. It also invests in developing domestic supply chains. Rules are set to ensure that benefits flow widely to Americans across the country. Low-income groups, and those that have experienced disproportionate harmful pollution, are a top priority.
While these benefits have begun to be realized as of mid 2025, progress is in limbo while Congress and the Administration determine which grants and tax credits remain. Here, we’ve highlighted opportunities in the IRA to show the scale of potential benefits if the IRA continues.
The Results: Successes & Benefits
States, cities, businesses, and other stakeholders have accessed public clean energy funding, often contributing additional local private and public funds, and are building new projects across the country. A growing roster of these efforts have begun to deliver significant benefits to communities nationwide.
To document this progress, below we have curated case studies and examples of successful IRA implementations. These benefits could be jeopardized if federal incentives or policies are cancelled or significantly rolled back.
The Key: Resources & Tools
The following resources and tools can help US states and cities, along with companies, economic development organizations, and policymakers discover incentives, model policies, and identify the best places to build or attract various kinds of clean energy projects, often with the help of federal policies.
Implementation: Effective State Action & Policies
Smart implementation of any public support will continue to be critical to maximize benefits to the economy, jobs, health, and the climate. States as well as cities, businesses, and nonprofits are emerging as leaders in support of modernizing America’s industrial and energy sectors.
Below we've compiled information and guidance that states can access to implement clean energy and deliver varied benefits to their constituents. This will be updated as terms evolve.
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US Policy
IRA Regulatory Toolkit
A library of resources to support stakeholder decisions as they apply IRA opportunities in regulatory proceedings.
US Policy
State Online Clean Energy Incentive Toolkit
States can play a key role in advocating for these federal incentives to help constituents in your state save money. This toolkit creates a guide for states to create an online clean energy incentive hub…
US Policy
Clean Energy Jobs Are Changing Lives. These Programs Are Providing Liftoff.
Jobs supporting the energy transition are in demand, and programs supported by cities, states — and now a bipartisan coalition of governors — are helping train the future workforce.
US Policy
Financing Solar Panels Just Became Much Easier. Thank the Climate Bill.
Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, a new financing model can make solar easier to access for low-income households and nonprofits. Here’s how a church in Compton put it to work.
US Policy
Scaling Low-Income Solar with the Inflation Reduction Act
Tax-exempt entities can accelerate the adoption of solar photovoltaics (PV) among low-to-moderate income (LMI) communities.
US Policy
State Infrastructure Reinvestment Program Playbook
By supporting high-impact EIR projects, states can help revitalize existing energy infrastructure in ways that reduce pollution, create jobs, and bring billions in new investment to communities.
US Policy
The State Energy Financing Institution (SEFI) Program Playbook for States
By funding or financing as little as 1%–5% of the project through an eligible SEFI, states can now strategically unlock billions in low-interest federal financing for large economic development projects, directing massive amounts of private…
US Policy
Bring in the Billions
This article includes a previous version of RMI’s IRA funding analysis. For the most up to date methods, data, and visuals please visit our IRA Funding Potential webpage. US states are currently in a…
Electricity
On the Climate Bill’s Second Birthday, Surging Successes — But a Split Reality
The Inflation Reduction Act promised an unprecedented wave of clean energy growth. Two years on, the act’s impacts are exceeding even optimistic initial estimates.