While local governments across the United States have announced 100 percent renewable energy or carbon-neutrality goals for their operations, understanding what these goals entail and how they should prioritize various projects remains a challenge. While many energy models have been developed for utility resource planning, these frameworks are costly and more technical than most cities and counties need.
Local governments are becoming increasingly aware of the important role of wholesale market operators in decarbonization, the deployment of clean energy, and grid reliability. Wholesale market operators include regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs). Due to the technical and time-intensive nature of the process for engaging with RTOs, local governments frequently have a difficult time engaging in stakeholder and market processes. This report outlines case studies in which two municipalities and one coalition of local governments have successfully used innovative strategies to engage with their RTOs. The case studies feature the town of Hanover, NH; the PJM Cities and Communities Coalition; and the City of Castle Hills, TX.
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.
This ACCC Renewables Accelerator case study examines a coordinated effort by local governments in North Carolina to provide insight into how and why local governments are increasingly getting involved in utility Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) processes. It shares details and takeaways from this leading example of local government collaboration to inform other local governments’ efforts to advance a cleaner, more equitable, and sustainable energy future.
This report provides a comprehensive guide for local law- and policy-makers in developing climate programs that consider and comport with federal and state law. It explores and explicates legal issues that might inhibit or enable policy adoption and implementation across a range of municipal carbon mitigation policy areas: Equity, Buildings, Transportation, Energy, and Waste.
This support package provides local governments with a foundational understanding of integrated resource plan (IRP) processes and key considerations to help local governments evaluate their engagement plans and craft an initial engagement strategy.
This blog discusses how the PJM Cities and Communities Coalition (PJMCCC), the first city coalition organized specifically to address wholesale market level issues, was formed along with its efforts to reform the PJM market.
PJMCCC statement on the importance of storage deployment in the PJM territory and its role in supporting renewable energy integration, resilience, equity, and clean energy job creation.
This NCSL report addresses ways that legislatures can increase citizen involvement and public confidence in the institution. Its emphasis is on the legislative institution, addressing issues such as transparency of the legislative process, access to the parliament, media relations, roles of organized interests and civic education.
NCSL provides nonpartisan support for state legislatures and individual legislators. Its website contains a variety of resources that could be valuable for engaging with legislative processes, including topical research, bill tracking, and educational information.
