Reflections of a Climate Change Candidate

Before joining RAP earlier this year as U.S. program director, Mandy Mahoney ran for City Council in her home city of Atlanta with a platform focused on the impacts of climate change. In a column for the Saporta Report, an Atlanta-based news website, she revisits some of what she learned from voters on the campaign trail. As Atlanta’s summers grow hotter and housing costs increase, the need for equitable and streamlined access to energy efficiency improvements becomes more urgent.

Net Metering Reform: Options for Wisconsin

A growing number of states have considered reforms to their net metering practices in recent years, a period of decreasing prices for distributed energy resources, rapid changes in technology and evolution of the electricity system. This paper, produced for the Wisconsin Public Service Commission as part of its review of the state’s net metering practices, examines net metering approaches and design options, as well as detailing recent reforms in other states.

Heat Pump Sales Taking Off Around the World

Reducing energy consumption — gas in particular — is a burning issue in Europe. With experts promoting heat pumps to electrify and decarbonize buildings, this technology will likely see rapid growth. The pace of adoption, however, will depend strongly on government policies and energy price trends. In a guest post for Carbon Brief, Jan Rosenow and Duncan Gibb analyze global heat pump markets and recommend strategies to further bolster deployment.

FURTHER NOTES

Clean Heat for a Cooler Planet

In a presentation to the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Richard Cowart and Chris Neme discussed the principles behind the Clean Heat Standard, an innovative policy tool designed to progressively lower emissions from the heating fuel sector. A Clean Heat Standard was recently passed by the Vermont House and is awaiting a vote in the state’s Senate.

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How Advisory Services Can Help Electrify Fleets

Advisory services from utilities or other companies can help vehicle fleet managers make informed decisions about electrification. In a roundtable discussion on March 25, panelists explored the story of fleet electrification from the varying perspectives of a school district, a transportation services provider, a technology company, and a utility.

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