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.

The Future of Landfills is Bright

November 29, 2021 / Dan Slanger

This report examines the enormous potential for cities, counties, and states to scale up landfill solar to advance clean energy generation throughout the United States. The report outlines the multiple co-benefits of landfill solar and provides guidance on policies and best practices state and local governments can use to accelerate adoption.

Procurement and Pollinator Friendly Solar – Sample Ordinance and Procurement Language

May 19, 2021 / Dan Slanger

This template from Fresh Energy and Fosterra can be used to incorporate agriculturally- and pollinator-friendly language into an RFP, PPA, or other contract language.

Large-Scale Renewables Aggregation Alignment Tool

May 18, 2021 / Dan Slanger

This Google Sheet tool is designed to help renewable energy procurement groups align on key details for a joint off-site PPA RFP, including electricity procurement needs, resource details, PPA details, co-benefit requirements, and risk mitigation strategies. (Note: You will need to save a copy of the tool to be able to edit and use it for your procurement group’s work).

More Than a Megawatt: Embedding Social & Environmental Impact in the Renewable Energy Procurement Process

November 18, 2020 / Dan Slanger

This paper provides a starting framework and expert third-party guidance on how to maximize the positive social and environmental impacts of renewable energy purchases and minimize the negative impacts.

Solar and Storage for Cities

November 18, 2020 / Dan Slanger

This resource focuses on two distinct applications for behind-the-meter solar-plus-storage installations at city/county facilities: 1) peak load shaving or peak demand shifting and 2) emergency power (resilience). It provides guidance for city staff to conduct an initial assessment and investigation of solar-plus-storage systems to determine suitable system size and performance information that could be incorporated into a planned PV procurement for a single city facility.

Renewable Energy Resources – Case Studies

October 26, 2020 / Dan Slanger

Case studies of the successful introduction of renewables in federally-assisted properties.

On-Site Solar Webinar: Site-Screening & Prioritization

March 16, 2020 / Dan Slanger

This webinar is about how to use NREL’s PVWatts calculator and RMI’s Municipal Solar Site Selection Tool (MSSST) tool to quantify on-site solar potential and refine system size based on the site’s load and regulations. It was presented as part of the American Cities Climate Challenge Renewables Accelerator program.

Municipal Solar Site Selection Tool (MSSST)

January 29, 2020 / Dan Slanger

This Excel workbook is designed to efficiently identify promising sites for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. It provides key screening criteria, actionable steps, and the relevant resources needed to conduct preliminary site evaluations. Specific screening criteria are provided for building rooftops, parking canopies, open fields, brownfields, and landfills. The tool is intended for use by municipal decision-makers, but the screening criteria are applicable to most solar projects.

New York State Solar Guidebook

November 20, 2019 / cra2019dev

The Solar Guidebook contains information, tools, and step-by-step instructions to support local governments managing solar energy development in their communities. The Guidebook’s chapters cover a variety of solar energy topics including the permitting process, property taxes, model solar energy law, and more.