RMI

As a non-partisan organization that has long worked with both Republican and Democratic administrations, we stand ready to work with the new administration and all newly elected officials to bolster energy security, clean energy technologies, and clean manufacturing jobs. Globally, RMI research shows rapid advances in the deployment of wind, solar, battery storage, and electric vehicles. In the US, historic investments are spurring a cleantech manufacturing boom nationwide that is bringing down costs for families and businesses, improving energy reliability, and creating employment and growth in both red and blue parts of the country. That’s why outside of Washington, states, cities, governments, citizens, nonprofits, and companies across the board are committed to working together for an equitable clean energy future that brings prosperity to all. RMI is committed, as it always has been, to partnering with a broad range of collaborators to advance the energy transition. That imperative is true both here in the U.S. and worldwide. https://lnkd.in/g-bW7p32

The buildout of renewable energy does not require a surge in capital expenditure (capex). Instead, it can be reallocated: As cleantech capex rises, fossil fuel capex falls. This reallocation is already underway. In 2015, 35% of energy supply investments went to clean energy. In 2023, 50% of investments were clean, at $1.1 trillion. Learn more about how capital is being reallocated to support renewable energy growth: https://bit.ly/3PpJ0SW

Adding more lanes to roads doesn’t fix congestion in the long run. Instead, it draws more cars to the road, resulting in the same traffic problems as before. 🛣️ Referencing RMI’s Smarter MODES and SHIFT calculators, state departments of transportation in Minnesota, Colorado, and a handful of other states are shifting their investments to expand more affordable transportation options that give consumers more choices to get around traffic. Bloomberg News examines how state departments of transportation are rethinking their transportation systems to boost clean transportation projects like biking, walking, and transit that will not only slash climate pollution, but also help residents save money.: https://bloom.bg/40yQIAv

Despite a recent drop in investments, market intelligence firm Sightline Climate (CTVC) estimates that investors are sitting on approximately $86 billion in unspent cash for climate tech. 💸⚡️ This means there’s still a massive opportunity for innovative solutions to attract funding and drive sustainable change. A new article by Bloomberg Green spoke with experts about this opportunity, including Managing Director of Third Derivative, RMI’s climate tech accelerator, Rushad Nanavatty. Rushad said, “We need a tenfold increase in the rate at which we are building first-of-a-kind commercial facilities for critical climate tech.” That’s why RMI, alongside Deep Science Ventures and Third Derivative, launched Mark1, a new developer-as-a-service working to bridge the gap to commercialization for emerging climate tech. By providing startups with support across all aspects of large-scale project development—including technical, commercial, financial, and regulatory—Mark1 will address the many challenges startups face in the climate tech sector. Applications are now open, so apply today! Learn more about Mark1’s work: https://www.mark1.build/ Read about what’s ahead for carbon-cutting startups and the climate tech sector: https://lnkd.in/gTPdbDFe

As the cement industry continues to work through ways to decarbonize, limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) is much cleaner than ordinary Portland cement and could unlock economic benefits for the sector. So, what is LC3? It’s a low-carbon cement blend that combines calcined clay and limestone to greatly reduce the need for traditional clinker, the most carbon-intensive component of cement. Traditional clinker is responsible for 85%–90% of cement's carbon emissions, but adopting LC3 can cut the use of clinker in half. RMI’s new report dives into why LC3 could be the next big thing for the industry, offering both climate and financial benefits. By acting now, stakeholders can seize the opportunity to lead in a rapidly evolving market while contributing to global climate goals. https://bit.ly/4he9zq9

Like every other major industry, the construction industry is also looking to decarbonize. But adoption of low-carbon cement has been slowed down by a significant hurdle: the lack of performance standards and specifications (PSS). PSS can help transition the concrete industry to net-zero, lower costs, and ensure long-term performance and durability of construction projects. However, to make PSS a reality, we need reliable performance-predicting testing and clearly defined responsibilities for their implementation.  RMI’s new guidance on developing PSS includes testing strength💪, durability ✅, and workability👷. These tests ensure that low-carbon cement mixtures meet the practical needs of the construction industry. We have a unique opportunity now to trial these tests on low-carbon concrete projects happening today, which could accelerate the adoption of low-emissions materials. Learn more about the development of performance standards and specifications, including what role you could play, here: https://lnkd.in/ethiqjUA

Concrete and cement, one of its key ingredients, are fundamental for modern life. The world uses 30 billion tons of concrete every year to build the roads, bridges, and buildings that drive the global economy. Producing this concrete generates 8% of annual global emissions. To identify actionable paths for creating low-emissions, clean concrete, RMI, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, in collaboration with the White House, brought together key concrete stakeholders — including real estate developers, departments of transportation, and cement and/or ready-mixed concrete companies — to join the Clean Concrete Pledge Initiative. Members of the Clean Concrete Pledge Initiative are committed to procuring, demonstrating, or supplying low-carbon concrete materials, which sends a signal to the US concrete industry that clean concrete creates economic opportunity, while also driving down climate pollution. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4gNyHEr

"The potential for energy to transform lives is something that I wake up every morning excited to be a part of," says Suleiman Babamanu, Program Director of RMI’s Africa Energy Program., “You can generally sense and see the impact that this is making.” Suleiman Babamanu grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, initially aspiring to work in the oil and gas industry. As the global focus shifted toward renewable energy, Suleiman pivoted his career, earning a scholarship to study renewable energy enterprise and management in England. He returned to Nigeria to address the country’s energy crisis, where over 85 million people lack electricity. Working with Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency, he collaborated with RMI on solar minigrid projects to expand energy access to rural communities. In 2022, driven by his passion for transforming lives through clean energy, he joined RMI. Suleiman now leads RMI’s Africa Energy Program (AEP), a team that works tirelessly to provide affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy solutions across sub-Saharan Africa. From electrifying rural communities to empowering urban centers, AEP believes that energy is more than just a resource — it's a catalyst for opportunity, growth, and resilience. Learn more about RMI’s work in shaping Africa's energy landscape in our recent article, Electrifying Communities, Empowering Livelihoods, and watch the full interview with Suleiman Babamanu below. ⬇️ 🎥 Link: https://lnkd.in/gBUWPdRQ

2024 was a record year for clean energy, with falling costs and rising uptake across solar, EVs, and batteries. In the new year, there are still more opportunities to transform the energy system, save money, and cut climate pollution: ➡️ Improving energy efficiency could save trillions of dollars while helping to manage electricity load growth. ➡️ Slashing methane emissions will be key for tackling climate pollution. New satellites and commitments have made methane more visible, and now it’s time to act. ➡️ Investments and financing need a reallocation — from fossil fuel subsidies to clean energy solutions. We are halfway through this decisive decade and the energy transition has thankfully come a long way. The time is now for leaders and locals around the world to see these signs of progress — and hit the ground running in 2025. https://bit.ly/3DJynrz

RMI cofounder Amory Lovins honors the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter: "I had the pleasure of meeting President Jimmy Carter in the Oval Office in 1977. He was such a fine engineer that, in that first meeting, the Energy Secretary (Jim Schlesinger) said three things — all technical, all wrong — and President Carter corrected him on all three. He’d invited me in to discuss my 1976 Foreign Affairs article reframing energy solutions around efficiency and renewables to achieve many social, economic, environmental, health, and security benefits. He’d mastered that article, and with impressive strategic foresight, launched decades of US progress on those lines. A decade ago he told me how helpful he’d found it. I feel blessed by the honor of having known this inspiring and remarkable man."