Alternative and Renewable Energy

Employment and Unemployment

blog
U.S. Labor Market, 988 Hotline, Firearm Homicides: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on the U.S. economy’s uneven pandemic recovery, a new national mental health hotline, firearm homicides, and more.
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Jul 22, 2022

Disaster Recovery Operations

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Rebuilding Ukraine for a Changing Climate
When the war in Ukraine ends, the country will in all likelihood undergo a massive reconstruction. Ukraine could rebuild in a way that would both lower its carbon footprint and construct infrastructure resilient to the effects of climate change.
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Jul 8, 2022
Mark Stalczynski, Ismael Arciniegas Rueda, et al.
Banking and Financial Services

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More Than Green: Leveraging Green Bonds to Invest in Greater Climate Resilience
The significance of green bonds may depend not only on having a lot of them but also on carefully developing, investing, and tracking projects against the larger goal of climate resilience.
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Nov 24, 2021
Karishma V. Patel, Michelle E. Miro
Banking and Financial Services

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The Growing Green Bond Market Could Plateau. How Can It Grow Further?
If green bonds are a viable tool to reduce emissions and adapt infrastructure to the effects of climate change, how can governments encourage the issuance, sales, and growth in the share of green bonds in the total bond market?
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Nov 23, 2021
David Catt, Nihar Chhatiawala, et al.
Infrastructure Finance

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Green Bonds Can Leave Issuers in the Red
To achieve the Biden administration's blueprint for solar energy and focus on climate change mitigation and adaptation, green bonds may be worth considering. But, like any other financing instrument, they may be best considered through a cost-benefit lens.
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Nov 22, 2021
Brian Wong, Ismael Arciniegas Rueda
Environmental Regulation

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Achieving Decarbonization and Energy Equity Through Reconciliation
The past two years have witnessed increasingly vocal calls for rapid decarbonization of the global economy through a clean energy transition. How can Congress ensure that new costs associated with a clean energy transition do not fall disproportionately on lower-income ratepayers?
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Sep 9, 2021
Liam Regan, Benjamin Lee Preston @bl_preston
Alternative and Renewable Energy

essay
Costa Rica Leads the Way in Cutting Carbon Emissions
Almost every country has pledged to slash carbon emissions to slow the gears of global warming. Costa Rica's plan provides a glimpse of what a carbon-neutral future will look like. It shows how nations can take action and make investments that hold up, regardless of what future comes to pass.
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Aug 30, 2021
Surface Transportation

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Micromobility: How Will We Know When It's Working?
Micromobility was positioned as a solution for every urban problem from traffic congestion to air pollution to transit deserts and inequality. Is there a way to know if micromobility can fulfill these ambitious goals?
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May 18, 2021
Liisa Ecola, Laura Fraade-Blanar
Emerging Technologies

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A Better Way to Think About Scooters
Unleashed in Santa Monica, California, last September, Bird and its competitors are now in 30 American cities and counting. Cities are responding to the scooter takeover with new regulations and increased law enforcement. But if officials rely only on 20th-century tools to integrate these 21st-century scooters into their cities, they will miss a big opportunity.
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Aug 28, 2018
Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, Tim McDonald, et al.
Public Utilities

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Getting (Solar) Electricity Pricing Right
Demand for rooftop solar panels is soaring among U.S. homeowners. Meanwhile, states are struggling to adapt a 20th-century electrical grid—and the corresponding cost structure for electricity rates—to this 21st-century reality. This is causing confusion and uncertainty.
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Jul 24, 2017
Nicholas E. Burger, Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright, et al.
Alternative and Renewable Energy

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Uncertainty and Complexity: Biomass Can Help on the Path to Deep Decarbonization
While biomass will almost certainly never become the dominant fuel for the electricity sector in the United States, it is still worth including as part of a menu of greenhouse gas mitigation strategies.
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Feb 24, 2017
Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright, Sara Turner
Energy Distribution

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Investing in Infrastructure? Don't Forget the Electric Grid
Leaving the future of America's electricity grid to chance should not be an option. To maximize the potential benefits of a multibillion-dollar smart grid investment, a closer examination of technology and policy is needed.
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Dec 7, 2016
Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright, Kathleen Loa
Global Climate Change

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With Trump in the White House, States Could Step Up on Climate Change
The new administration has expressed skepticism about climate change. But states may choose to pursue their own climate change initiatives.
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Nov 26, 2016
Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, Debra Knopman
Environmental Pollution

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China Can Fix Its Severe Pollution Problem
China's economic transformation over the last three decades has produced potentially deadly air pollution its people inhale every day. But an investment of $215 billion annually could substantially reduce pollution, lessen its drag on productivity, spare the lungs of countless people, and save lives.
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Jan 19, 2015
Keith Crane
Developing Countries

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In South Africa, Bold Investments Turn Trash into Treasure
South Africa’s landfills are reportedly rapidly reaching capacity—as are those in many developing countries. Surveys show that only about 3 percent of urban South Africans sort and recycle their household waste frequently. Until recycling becomes more widespread, the nation will have to keep building landfills.
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Dec 3, 2014
Julia Pollak
Environmental Regulation

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New Coal Plant Rules Need Sustained Support to Succeed
Stopping climate change will require the United States and the rest of the world to virtually eliminate emissions over the course of the 21st century. Getting anywhere close to zero emissions demands sustained political and public support, driven by an energy production sector given enough incentives to make carbon reduction succeed.
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Jun 30, 2014
Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, Steven W. Popper
Solar Energy

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Why China's Suntech Might Not Be Alone in Heading Toward Bankruptcy
Demand for photovoltaic solar panels still primarily depends on government subsidies, as in most parts of the world solar power remains more expensive than conventional sources of electricity, says Keith Crane.
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Mar 29, 2013
Keith Crane
Environmental Legislation

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Transitioning to a Carbon Tax Credit
Instead of setting an arbitrary Production Tax Credit value, we could provide a tax credit based on the social value of clean electricity generation, writes Constantine Samaras.
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Feb 20, 2013
Constantine Samaras
Military Budgets and Defense Spending

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DoD Renewable Fuels Investment Premature
Technological development challenges suggest that it is highly unlikely that advanced approaches for producing hydrotreated renewable oils suitable for military applications will constitute an important fraction of the commercial fuel market until well beyond the next decade, writes Keith Crane.
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May 24, 2012
Keith Crane
Environmental and Natural Resource Management

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Earth Day and RAND
As people around the world prepare for the 42nd annual Earth Day this Sunday, we look back at some of the recent research from RAND's Environment, Energy, and Economic Development program.
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Apr 20, 2012
Global Climate Change

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On Carbon Dioxide, a Better Alternative
A carbon dioxide tax with refund is fair because the people responsible for the most emissions would pay the most. The tax would also be progressive. Many Americans with lower incomes would find the refund would more than defray the higher costs of gasoline and electric power, write Keith Crane and James Bartis.
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Nov 29, 2007
Keith Crane, James T. Bartis
commentary
Fueling Opportunity
Published commentary by RAND staff: Fueling Opportunity in the Washington Times.
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May 19, 2006
John D. Graham

A New Approach to U.S. Security Policy in the Middle East

Wait Times for Veterans Scheduling Health Care Appointments

Elon Musk May Have a Point About Bots on Twitter

Putin's Latest Threats, U.S. Policy in the Middle East, Disaster Recovery: RAND Weekly Recap

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy with Research

The Policy Currents Podcast

Improving Psychological Wellbeing and Work Outcomes in the UK

Managing Escalation in Crisis and War

Getting to Know Military Caregivers and Their Needs

Planning for the Rising Costs of Dementia

Alternative and Renewable Energy

U.S. Labor Market, 988 Hotline, Firearm Homicides: RAND Weekly Recap

Rebuilding Ukraine for a Changing Climate

More Than Green: Leveraging Green Bonds to Invest in Greater Climate Resilience

The Growing Green Bond Market Could Plateau. How Can It Grow Further?

Green Bonds Can Leave Issuers in the Red

Achieving Decarbonization and Energy Equity Through Reconciliation

Costa Rica Leads the Way in Cutting Carbon Emissions

Micromobility: How Will We Know When It's Working?

A Better Way to Think About Scooters

Getting (Solar) Electricity Pricing Right

Uncertainty and Complexity: Biomass Can Help on the Path to Deep Decarbonization

Investing in Infrastructure? Don't Forget the Electric Grid

With Trump in the White House, States Could Step Up on Climate Change

China Can Fix Its Severe Pollution Problem

In South Africa, Bold Investments Turn Trash into Treasure

New Coal Plant Rules Need Sustained Support to Succeed

Why China's Suntech Might Not Be Alone in Heading Toward Bankruptcy

Transitioning to a Carbon Tax Credit

DoD Renewable Fuels Investment Premature

Earth Day and RAND

On Carbon Dioxide, a Better Alternative

Fueling Opportunity

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