Alternative and Renewable Energy

commentary

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.

Mark Stalczynski, Ismael Arciniegas Rueda, et al.

commentary

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.

Karishma V. Patel, Michelle E. Miro

commentary

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?

David Catt, Nihar Chhatiawala, et al.

commentary

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.

Brian Wong, Ismael Arciniegas Rueda

commentary

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?

Liam Regan, Benjamin Lee Preston @bl_preston

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.

commentary

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?

Liisa Ecola, Laura Fraade-Blanar

commentary

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.

Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, Tim McDonald, et al.

commentary

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.

Nicholas E. Burger, Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright, et al.

commentary

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.

Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright, Sara Turner

commentary

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.

Aimee E. Curtright @ACurtright, Kathleen Loa

commentary

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.

Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, Debra Knopman

commentary

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.

Keith Crane

commentary

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.

Julia Pollak

commentary

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.

Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert, Steven W. Popper

commentary

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.

Keith Crane

commentary

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.

Constantine Samaras

commentary

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.

Keith Crane

blog

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.

commentary

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.

Keith Crane, James T. Bartis

commentary

Fueling Opportunity

Published commentary by RAND staff: Fueling Opportunity in the Washington Times.

John D. Graham