City and County EECBG Grant Calculator – Direct Formula EECBG Funding Allocation Estimates for Local Governments

August 3, 2022 / Shelby Kuenzli

This Excel spreadsheet calculator provides funding estimates for cities and counties who will be eligible for direct formula funding through the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (EECBG). The calculator uses DOE formulas and recent census data to generate EECBG grant estimates. The calculator is a near-term pre-planning tool for cities and counties to gain insight into projected funding amounts prior to DOE’s official publication of final funding allocations later in 2022.

Note: Users should ‘Enable Macros’ to ensure functionality within the calculator.

The (Blue) Sky’s the Limit: Explore New Opportunities for State-Led Energy Leadership

July 11, 2022 / Shelby Kuenzli

This webinar convened U.S. state practitioners for a learning opportunity focused on how the State Energy Program (SEP) grant program, as re-authorized through the IIJA, creates an innovative landscape for states to fund ambitious climate projects over the next four years and address climate equity issues. The discussion drew on existing innovation, highlighting examples in which states have ambitiously used SEP funds on decarbonization and climate equity programs.

Explore Cutting-Edge Opportunities for City Leadership Through IIJA’s EECBG Formula Grant

July 6, 2022 / Shelby Kuenzli

This webinar shows how local governments can leverage Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program funds to advance community-wide impact, climate goals, and equitable outcomes. Watch this webinar to learn from legal experts on how funds were used in the past and how city decision-makers can use these funds to get the best return on investment in a carbon-free future.

Community Solar+: How the Next Generation of Community Solar Can Unlock New Value Streams and Help Communities Pursue Holistic Decarbonization

April 20, 2022 / Shelby Kuenzli

RMI’s report introduces a vision for the next generation of community solar. Community Solar+ is a whole-systems approach to deliberately plan and deploy community solar projects to embrace added value streams, capture greater economies of scale, and advance additional community-wide sustainability and equity goals. Community Solar+ is a way to do more with less by designing projects to also help build out electric vehicle charging infrastructure, align the grid for an electrified future, mitigate urban heat island effects, and more. The report is targeted at state and local governments, utilities, developers, and community members.

Procuring Large-Scale Renewables through Aggregation: A Guide for Local Governments

October 26, 2021 / Dan Slanger

This guide outlines how local governments can pursue buyer-led aggregated PPAs for utility-scale renewable projects. It includes the benefits of aggregation, off-site procurement options available to aggregation groups, and case studies of five successful aggregated renewables procurements. The guide also presents a seven-step process to guide local governments to pursue an aggregated procurement.

U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

June 7, 2021 / Dan Slanger

DOE’s WAP provides funding and technical assistance to states, territories, and the District of Columbia to help low-income families reduce energy consumption and costs by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes. It is the largest residential whole-house energy efficiency program in the United States.

U.S. Department of Energy’s State Energy Program (SEP)

June 7, 2021 / Dan Slanger

DOE’s SEP provides funding and technical assistance to states, territories, and the District of Columbia to enhance energy security, advance state-led energy initiatives, and maximize the benefits of decreasing energy waste. Its website includes information on the program and previously funded projects.

An Introduction to Retail Electricity Choice in the United States

June 7, 2021 / Dan Slanger

Retail electricity choice in the United States allows end-use customers (including industrial, commercial, and residential customers) to buy electricity from competitive retail suppliers. This report examines the price impact of retail electricity choice, the relationship between wholesale and retail electricity markets, and lessons learned from U.S. retail market experience.

Renewable Energy Policy Pathways Report

June 4, 2021 / Dan Slanger

This report is an analysis of policies intended to evaluate and identify potential pathways to increase access and decrease costs of renewable energy procurement across the United States.

A Local Government’s Guide to Off-Site Renewable PPA Risk Mitigation

May 24, 2021 / Dan Slanger

This RMI report helps local governments understand and mitigate key risks involved with virtual and physical off-site power purchase agreements (PPAs). It describe six specific risks: price, basis, non-energy market, shape, operational, and volume. The report then summarizes nine mitigation strategies for the two primary types of PPAs: virtual PPAs and physical PPAs.