This report explores how local governments can leverage distributed energy resources and virtual power plants to enhance grid reliability, reduce energy costs, improve resilience, and support clean energy goals. The report highlights opportunities for cities to accelerate adoption through local policies, procurement, and program design.
The Impacts of Wholesale Market Rules and Policies on Clean Energy Goals: A Primer for Local Governments
This paper discusses the evolving rules and policies of wholesale markets that can create barriers to local governments’ achievement of an effective and rapid clean energy transition. The report reviews the current barriers associated with transmission, market rules, and stakeholder processes across these markets while considering how these barriers affect local government clean energy and decarbonization goals, and the role of effective engagement in addressing these barriers.
Seeking Federal Funding; a Guide for Local Governments
Memorandum of Forming A Clean Energy Partnership with Utilities: Example of St. Petersburg, FL
This memorandum provides an example of how local governments can form a partnership with electric utilities to foster a clean energy collaboration.
Memorandum of Forming A Clean Energy Partnership with Utilities: Example of Charlotte, NC
This memorandum provides an example of how local governments can form a partnership with electric utilities to foster a low-carbon, smart city collaboration.
Memorandum of Forming An Aggregated Renewables Procurement Group: Example of the Baltimore Regional Cooperative Purchasing Committee
This memorandum provides an example of how a group of local governments and public entities can form a partnership, aggregate buying power, and procure renewable energy together at economies of scale for off-site electricity purchases.
Selected Examples of Leading Equitable Clean Energy Initiatives
This spreadsheet highlights case studies of equitable clean energy initiatives from leading cities and states across the United States. For each initiative, this resource provides a brief summary, an overview of key characteristics, and a description of how it addressed procedural, structural, distributional, or transgenerational equity.
This is a companion resource to the publication “Integrating Equity into City Clean Energy Initiatives: Considerations and Resources for Local Governments.” Download that report from the Tools & Resources library.
Integrating Equity into City Clean Energy Initiatives: Considerations and Resources for U.S. Local Governments
This report offers an approach and considerations for integrating equity into city clean energy initiatives. It provides an overview of developing equitable clean energy initiatives, relevant definitions, and example goals, targets,
and indicators that can be used for consistent and comprehensive planning and implementation. The report explores seven common types of clean energy initiatives pursued or supported by city governments, with high-level observations based on equity-focused case study reviews. The report also includes additional equity-focused resources from experts nationwide.
A companion piece to this report—”Selected Examples of Leading Equitable Clean Energy Initiatives”—presents case studies from leading cities and states. Download it from the Tools & Resources library.
Federal Funding Opportunities for Local Decarbonization (FFOLD)
Many federal funding opportunities exist for advancing local decarbonization efforts. Navigating those opportunities and making strategic decisions on how to best utilize the funds available can be challenging. This tool helps local governments prioritize and leverage existing federal funding to advance system-wide energy transition goals—from block grants and technical assistance to competitive grants, loans, and revolving loan funds.
Note: For the tool to function effectively, users must “Enable Macros” upon opening the file.
A companion piece to this tool—”Equity Design Considerations for Federal Funding”—presents resources to help tool users and broader audiences understand energy equity. Download it from the Tools & Resources library.
Last updated: June 21, 2022
Community Renewable Energy Act
The Utah Community Renewable Energy Act authorized future regulatory filings at the Utah Public Service Commission that will define rules, rates, and expectations for a community renewable energy program. It is seen as an important step toward Utah communities with ambitious clean energy goals to move toward net-100% renewable electricity by 2030. It was passed as a result of collaboration by three local governments in Utah (Park City, Salt Lake City, and Summit County) with Rocky Mountain Power and the state legislature.