Advanced Search
1. Developed 30 policy recommendations to support coastal community resilience to extreme weather, erosion, flooding, sea level rise, and other hazards exacerbated by climate change.
Coastal communities are at the frontlines of climate change, and 40 percent of Americans—130 million people—live along our vulnerable ocean, gulf, and Great Lakes shorelines. Between June 2019 and June 2020, EESI organized and hosted 16 briefings on coastal resilience featuring 42 coastal resilience experts and practitioners from Alaska, the Caribbean, the Great Lakes, the Gulf Coast, Hawaii, the Northeast, the Southeast, and the West Coast. They covered topics ranging from nature-based solutions to coastal retreat.
EESI released a comprehensive capstone report based on the briefings, A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities, which was designed as a practical resource for Congress, federal agencies, and the public. It contains 30 specific recommendations to support coastal community resilience to extreme weather, erosion, flooding, sea level rise, and other hazards exacerbated by climate change. Recommendations include addressing gaps in climate adaptation research and data, supporting community-based adaptation planning, and adopting innovative ways to finance adaptation and resilience projects. The report also proposes six guiding principles to inform the implementation of coastal resilience policy in general, such as planning based on the climate of the future (rather than the climate of the past), integrating climate justice and equity in resilience and adaptation initiatives, and supporting on-the-ground work.
2. Assisted eight green banks apply for zero-interest federal loans to fund inclusive, clean energy financing programs in rural areas.
The Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides no-interest loans to electric cooperatives and other rural entities for on-bill financing programs. On-bill financing allows households and businesses to pay for clean energy upgrades with low-interest loans repaid right on their electricity bills.
New rounds of RESP funding opened in April and December 2020, and for the first time ever, green banks were eligible for the loans. Green banks are dedicated financial institutions that focus on funding clean energy and resilience initiatives. Green banks are natural partners for rural utilities seeking to set up on-bill financing programs because they can easily handle a program's financial components, which reduces the administrative burden on utilities.
Once the RESP eligibility expansion was announced, EESI quickly got the word out about the new opportunity to green banks around the country. The response was resounding: in just a few months, we helped eight green banks apply for a combined $50 million in RESP funds. USDA has already given initial approval to five of these applications totaling $35 million, and in 2020, RESP had its biggest year to date with $104 million obligated and 11 loans made. This year, 2021, seems to be on track for more of the same!
EESI helped a green bank submit a RESP application for $10 million to help more households and small businesses in rural, underserved, and distressed communities participate in its existing energy efficiency and clean energy programs. The application also proposed a new on-bill financing program for residential solar and battery storage as part of its broader goal to deploy 50 megawatts of battery storage by the end of 2025.
3. Showcased the report issued by the majority staff of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis to inform and guide new climate policy proposals.
EESI engaged with the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis early and often. We met with its majority and minority staff and (almost) all the committee member offices, wrote articles about the committee's hearings, submitted written comments in response to the committee’s public request for information (in 2019), and helped showcase the 538-page climate crisis report released by the committee's majority staff. Even though it was not the bipartisan committee report EESI had hoped for, the majority report provided numerous recommendations for Congressional action on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Our July 14 briefing about the report was our highest-attended briefing since 2016 (and our third best-attended briefing ever!), with 366 viewers. Speakers discussed the report through the lenses of environmental justice, public health, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
EESI produced articles highlighting the report's recommendations for energy efficiency, nature-based solutions, workforce development, aviation, and resilience. EESI also referenced the report’s recommendations in two fact sheets, one on revolving loan funds and resilience financing and the other on energy transitions in coal country.
4. Showed the way to helping low-income households access solar energy and energy efficiency.
Low-income households, which spend a higher share of their incomes on energy, have more to gain from making their homes more energy efficient and switching to renewable energy. But high upfront costs often prevent these households from investing in clean energy, even when doing so would save them money and make their homes more comfortable, healthier, and more resilient.
EESI released a peer-reviewed paper, Inclusive Financing Programs for Solar and Electrification, about how inclusive on-bill financing programs for clean energy can expand affordability and increase access to capital while promoting equity for households and businesses. The paper highlights the Hawaii Green Energy Money $aver (GEM$) and the Orcas Power and Light Cooperative (OPALCO) Switch It Up! on-bill programs as two examples of inclusive financing programs for clean energy upgrades that EESI helped develop. Both programs, one in Hawaii and the other in Washington state, provide financing to everyone regardless of income, credit history, or renter status. On-bill financing programs require no credit checks—as program eligibility is based on utility bill payment history—and no upfront payments. Historically, on-bill financing programs have focused on energy efficiency measures, but now a new wave of programs are emerging that also finance solar rooftop panels, beneficial electrification projects, and battery storage devices.
5. Launched a new newsletter, EESI Impact, and a new podcast, The Climate Conversation.
Last year saw the launch of two new outreach tools: a newsletter and a podcast. The newsletter, EESI Impact, replaces EESI Update, which was a periodic update to EESI’s friends on our work. EESI Impact serves the same purpose, but in a much more appealing way. With a greater emphasis on graphics, it is specifically designed to be a fast read, so our donors and stakeholders can quickly understand where we are devoting our resources and what returns we are generating. You can subscribe for free at www.eesi.org/subscribe.
Our new podcast, The Climate Conversation, was launched in October. It is meant to move past the doom and gloom around climate change, and focus on progress, solutions, and opportunities, both on the Hill and in communities throughout the United States. Twice a month, EESI staff members interview environmental, energy, and policy experts on practical, on-the-ground work that communities, companies, and governments are doing to address climate change. You can subscribe to The Climate Conversation on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. (And, if you like it, please be sure to give us a positive rating and review.)
6. Recommitted to diversity, equity, and inclusion as core EESI values and set goals for positive change across all programs and initiatives.
EESI has always understood that the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion are critical to fair and equitable programs and policies that advance climate solutions. In early 2020, EESI’s Board of Directors formed a committee on diversity, equity, and inclusion and adopted a resolution formally establishing them as core values. EESI strives to weave these values into our policy recommendations, technical assistance work, communications, operations, and everything else we do.
We have a long way to go, but we made some progress in 2020. For example, we began reaching out to and building relationships with diverse schools nationwide to increase diversity among applicants for our internships. And we were delighted to welcome two new board members in 2020 who are contributing new expertise and diverse perspectives to EESI: Raya Salter, a New York-based energy and climate justice law and policy expert; and Lieutenant General (Ret.) Jeffrey W. Talley, a businessman, scholar, and retired Army officer.
7. Refreshed our mission statement and vision: EESI seeks to advance science-based solutions for climate change, energy, and environmental challenges to achieve our vision of a sustainable, resilient, and equitable world.
We completed a strategic refresh of our mission, vision, and long-term outcomes. Our new mission—wholly consistent with our work to date—is to advance science-based solutions for climate change, energy, and environmental challenges. Our vision is a sustainable, resilient, and equitable world. We also refreshed our desired outcomes in a way that is consistent with our history and cognizant of the urgent need to address climate change. Our long-term outcomes are:
• Clean, decarbonized energy that is affordable and accessible for all;
• Resilient, healthy, sustainable, and just communities that can prepare for and adapt to climate change impacts and other disasters; and
• Informed decision-makers motivated and equipped to act on urgently-needed climate solutions.
8. Elevated workforce development to a top priority, to accelerate recovery from the pandemic and ensure an equitable transition to a decarbonized, clean energy economy.
The pandemic has resulted in countless job losses. The February 2021 unemployment rate of 6.2 percent was nearly twice as high as the rate in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit the United States. And this is an undercount: many have given up on looking for work, and so are not included in the unemployment rolls.
As policymakers considered what could be done to help the unemployed return to work and promote an equitable economic recovery, EESI held a five-part briefing series, Workforce Wednesdays. Each Wednesday in September, we covered a new workforce development topic, including high school preparation, climate and conservation corps, coal community transitions, mass timber, and small business. The series was a smashing success, and workforce development continues to feature prominently in EESI’s work as a key policy opportunity and a critical element of a “just transition” to a decarbonized, clean energy economy. Communities that have relied on fossil fuel mining and processing for years need help as the U.S. economy transitions to clean energy. Our fact sheet about how coal country can adapt to the energy transition recommends measures policymakers can take to help these communities seize opportunities and thrive in a new energy environment.
9. Spurred the development and implementation of innovative on-bill financing programs to make clean energy upgrades more affordable and equitable in Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Ohio, and 13 more states.
EESI continues to directly support utilities throughout the United States as they develop on-bill financing programs to help their customers save money while reducing emissions and improving health. EESI's approach emphasizes equitable access to programs so that low-income households can participate.
Alaska was a major focus in 2020 and continues to be in 2021. We are working with the City of Juneau on an efficient electric heating program, and a pilot program to upgrade 150 homes was launched in 2020. We also connected with two Alaska electric cooperatives: Grand Valley Electric Association (GVEA), which covers the greater Fairbanks area, and Homer Electric Association (HEA).
In Colorado, EESI helped Mountain Parks Electric (MPE), an electric cooperative northwest of Denver, launch its “Electrify Everything” on-bill financing program, backed by a $10M federal government loan. MPE’s on-bill financing program allows the cooperative's members to finance air-source heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and residential solar PV panels
10. Continued to emphasize the potential of nature-based solutions in making communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
EESI has been a vocal advocate of nature-based solutions, which can help address many of the challenges posed by climate change, such as more extreme weather, rising sea levels, and worsening urban heat island effects. Nature-based solutions include restoring wetlands and mangroves, building rain gardens and green roofs, and planting trees. Such “green" infrastructure, which is often cheaper than conventional “gray” infrastructure, can also create sustainable local jobs and help revitalize neighborhoods while making them healthier.
Our 2020 fact sheet, Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change, provides an overview of 13 federal programs across six federal agencies that make funding available for nature-based projects. The fact sheet has generated significant interest. Pew Charitable Trusts, a large philanthropic institution, invited EESI to present the fact sheet during a meeting with top resilience planners from states across the country, including Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington.
1. Submitted recommendations to the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis.
EESI submitted an extensive set of policy recommendations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. EESI Executive Director Daniel Bresette noted, “The Select Committee’s work is establishing a critical foundation of information and ideas that will inform climate policy development for years to come."
EESI’s response was wide-ranging and provided specific recommendations for Congress to consider as climate policy continues to take shape. EESI suggested ways to advance clean energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment; reduce emissions from the transportation sector; increase the use of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in new and existing buildings; and enact new nationwide policies to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
EESI also offered three high-level principles for the Select Committee to consider:
(1) The urgency of climate change demands near-term actions as longer-term policies are developed and implemented;
(2) Reducing the risks of the worst climate change outcomes, and adapting to their increased frequency, magnitude, and severity, will require a cohesive, coordinated set of policies that are complex and interconnected; and
(3) Congress should recognize and support efforts by states and local governments to reduce GHG emissions and implement measures for climate change adaptation.
2. Testified before the Senate on the importance of energy efficiency.
EESI’s Executive Director, Daniel Bresette, was invited to testify before Congress on the importance of energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create a clean energy economy, promote climate adaptation and resilience, and save Americans money. The hearing, “Energy Efficiency Efforts in the United States and Internationally,” was held before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee chaired by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on October 22, 2019.
“The urgency of climate change requires immediate action at home and abroad,” said Bresette. “Energy efficiency provides the easiest source of measurable emissions reductions. It is the secret weapon against climate change.” Indeed, Bresette noted that “the building sector accounts for about 40 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. About 30 percent of energy used in commercial buildings is wasted.” Bresette remarked that “we already have what we need—in terms of policies, technology, techniques, and program design—to improve our energy efficiency.” One particularly helpful tool is on-bill financing, a mechanism that makes it possible for low-income households to afford energy efficiency upgrades. EESI has helped several electric cooperatives launch on-bill financing programs (see below).
Policymakers can strengthen building energy codes as well as minimum standards for appliances, equipment, and lighting products. Existing software and controls, high-performance building materials, and sustainable design practices can make a sizeable dent in energy waste. The Department of Energy alone has identified $8.6 billion in measures that would make federal buildings more efficient, saving money in the long run.
Though Bresette emphasized the importance of energy efficiency, he noted that “energy efficiency should come first. But that does not mean it should go alone.” He encouraged the Committee “to consider energy efficiency along with policies to stimulate advancements in renewable energy, transmission and grid modernization technologies, storage, and other sources of emission reductions. In addition, climate adaptation and resilience legislation is complementary to these efforts to safeguard the energy system and critical infrastructure from disasters and extreme weather.”
3. Spurred the development and improvement of financing programs for energy upgrades in 12 states.
“On-bill financing” allows households to pay for energy upgrades with low-interest loans repaid right on their electricity bills—hence the name “on bill.” Our approach emphasizes equitable access to programs so that renters, homeowners, or small businesses can participate. It saves participants money while reducing emissions and improving health. EESI helped develop and improve on-bill financing programs in 12 states: Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington.
In Colorado, EESI is working with multiple cooperatives and the City of Fort Collins as they all develop their individual on-bill financing programs. We are also working with the Colorado Energy Office as it develops a program to support on-bill financing in the state.
In Washington state, we've partnered with the cooperative Orcas Power and Light (OPALCO) to help them develop and launch the Switch It Up! on-bill program, which helps co-op members finance beneficial electrification projects and community solar installations. Launched in April 2019, the Switch It Up! program has financed more than 120 projects, for a total of $1.2 million in investments. We also helped OPALCO apply and successfully secure $15 million in no-interest loans through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP).
In Hawaii, we worked with the Hawaii Green Investment Authority (HGIA)—Hawaii’s Green Bank—to develop and launch the Hawaii Green Energy Money Saver (GEM$) on-bill financing program. GEM$ focuses on low-to-moderate income households and finances solar PV panels for homeowners, renters, businesses, and nonprofits. Launched in April 2019, GEM$ has financed more than $6.5 million in solar panel installations in nine months. GEM$ helps all Hawaiians, regardless of income, invest in clean energy projects to save energy, money, and reduce carbon emissions
4. Expanded our beneficial electrification efforts, to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
EESI continues its efforts on “beneficial electrification,” the switch from fossil fuel sources (such as propane, oil, and gasoline) to electricity in a way that financially benefits both electric utilities and their customers, while also reducing overall emissions. EESI, now considered an expert on the topic, helped write and research a major report, Equitable Beneficial Electrification for Rural Electric Cooperatives. In it, we showcase how beneficial electrification is as an ideal pathway for rural electric cooperatives to decarbonize their power grids equitably. EESI also held a Congressional briefing, Electrification: Options for Consumers and the Environment, to encourage federal policymakers to think about ways to incentivize and facilitate beneficial electrification initiatives. Making electric cooperatives more sustainable would have a significant impact on U.S. carbon emissions: about 900 co-ops nationwide provide power to 13 percent of all Americans. Fifty-six percent of the country’s surface area is served by co-ops.
EESI has deepened its partnership with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), which has made beneficial electrification a priority. EESI has provided critical technical assistance for NRECA’s statewide electrification events for electric cooperatives in Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. In Alaska, the City of Juneau asked EESI to help develop an on-bill financing program for beneficial electrification. We are now developing toolkits to make the move to electrification easier.
5. Redoubled our work on making U.S. communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
EESI has redoubled its work on promoting federal policies for resilience to climate impacts, with a particular focus on coastal communities and nature-based solutions. Such solutions include restoring wetlands and mangroves, building rain gardens and green roofs, and planting trees. Such “green" infrastructure, which is often cheaper than conventional “gray” infrastructure, can help capture and filter stormwater to reduce pollution run-off, mitigate the urban heat-island effect, revitalize neighborhoods and make them healthier, and create sustainable local jobs. (See our 2019 fact sheet, Nature as Resilient Infrastructure – An Overview of Nature-Based Solutions).
Throughout 2019, EESI conducted a series of briefings on resilience, including briefings on specific U.S. regions. EESI brought experts and community leaders to Congress to highlight initiatives and partnerships that are helping protect shorelines and communities from extreme weather events and other coastal hazards. We paid special attention to nature-based solutions, which can provide wildlife habitat and other co-benefits while protecting development. At our briefing on nature-based resilience for Gulf Coast communities, Congressman Charlie Crist (D-FL), who was previously the Republican governor of Florida, noted the importance of coastal resilience to his state, and emphasized that coastal resilience should not be a partisan issue.
We are providing input to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as they implement mitigation grant programs, like FEMA’s new Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. BRIC has been called a game-changer for shifting more federal funding to preventing and mitigating loss and damage from extreme weather and other climate change impacts. EESI is urging FEMA to ensure that the new grants fund projects that do not further contribute to GHG emissions and that prioritize nature-based solutions for hazard mitigation.
6. Launched Climate Change Solutions, a biweekly newsletter.
EESI designed and launched a new biweekly newsletter, Climate Change Solutions, to communicate key happenings in environmental science and policy. EESI is focused on news that offers solutions to climate change, recognizing that most climate reporting can be disheartening. The newsletter includes a curated climate headline round-up, a short video showcasing an EESI briefing speaker, articles about climate change actions being taken around the country and about federal climate legislation and action, a legislative tracker listing relevant bills introduced and passed as well as hearings held, and updates on EESI publications and briefings. Subscribe for free at www.eesi.org/subscribe.
7. Emphasized the importance of equity, such as the need to reduce housing and energy cost burdens for people in need.
In collaboration with Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA), EESI held a series of briefings on the benefits of federal housing and energy programs for low-income households, including rental assistance programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Weatherization Assistance Program at the Department of Energy, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) at the Department of Health and Human Services (see The Multiple Benefits of Federal Housing and Energy Programs, and How Do Communities Ensure Federal Energy Programs Help the Most in Need?). EESI and its partner EEFA want to protect and strengthen these federal programs, as reducing home energy use can lower utility bills and lighten the energy burden for low-income households; improve health, comfort, and quality of life; and reduce environmental impacts.
A third briefing in the EESI-EEFA series, Energy Efficiency Jobs Are Green Jobs, emphasized the large untapped job creation potential for minorities and women in the residential retrofit market, particularly when it comes to efficiency upgrades in affordable housing.
EESI’s on-bill financing work also has a critical equity component, as emphasized in our briefing, Equitable Solutions to Rural Energy Burdens. In pushing for more equitable solutions to advance clean energy programs, we have developed a fruitful partnership with NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program. On-bill financing is well positioned to reduce carbon emissions and reduce energy costs in an equitable way.
Recognizing the central importance of equity in responding to climate and energy challenges, EESI launched its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committee to formalize its long-standing but ad-hoc efforts to infuse DEI considerations into all aspects of its work, including its human resources, internship program, and programmatic work.
8. Launched a fact sheet series on aviation emissions and how to reduce them.
Air travel is receiving greater public attention as a rapidly growing source of climate change emissions. Globally, the industry accounts for approximately five percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. In the United States, the world’s largest commercial air traffic system, aviation contributes 12 percent of the country’s transportation emissions and three percent of the nation’s total greenhouse gas production. The projected growth of global air travel indicates passenger traffic could triple by mid-century, amplifying the serious climate change problem represented by this energy intensive transportation mode. The transition of aviation to a lower climate footprint will be especially challenging.
To help policymakers understand the challenges of creating a lower carbon aviation sector, EESI is publishing a series of fact sheets. The first of these, The Growth in Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Commercial Aviation, was released in October 2019. An upcoming fact sheet will describe mitigation strategies, including aircraft technology improvements, sustainable fuels, air traffic control efficiencies, the electrification of ground support equipment, the implementation of market-based offsets, and demand reduction policies. A third fact sheet will address threats to air travel from a warming climate, both for flight operations and for airports (many of which are vulnerable to sea-level rise and more violent weather).
9. Helped maximize the reach and effectiveness of USDA’s Rural Energy Savings Program.
Together with the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA), EESI is leading an effort to increase awareness of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), which helps capitalize innovative on-bill financing programs that alleviate the energy burdens faced by rural households. At our July 16 Congressional briefing, Equitable Solutions to Rural Energy Burdens, three Congressional leaders from rural Southeastern districts, Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (SC), Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Sanford Bishop (GA), and Rep. G.K. Butterfield (NC), celebrated RESP’s importance and successes.
RESP has more than $120 million in zero-interest loans available through 2020. RESP eligible entities now include rural electric cooperatives, rural electric municipal utilities, and other entities, such as green banks and states energy offices that serve rural areas. In 2019, EESI helped several rural electric cooperatives secure at least $25 million in RESP loans to capitalize on-bill financing programs that can help low-income households make their homes more energy efficient.
10. Had a record number of media hits, which increased the impact of our work.
Our media presence last year exploded, with 106 media hits, up from 55 in 2018. That’s almost twice as many articles and video reports mentioning EESI’s work or quoting our staff! Greater media coverage helps broaden our impact, as our articles, briefings, and fact sheets gain more exposure. The spike in press mentions was likely a result of our increasing online presence: 65 percent more visitors were directed to our site from search engines in 2019 than in 2018. Media outlets covering EESI's work included the Associated Press, BBC, Bloomberg, CQ Roll Call, C-Span, E&E News, Forbes, Fox, National Journal, New York Daily News, Newsweek, Science Magazine, U.S. News and World Report, USA Today, Voice of America, Vox, and the Washington Post. Highlights included:
• Our work on resilience and disaster aid was featured in three top-level outlets, the National Journal, U.S. News and World Report, and Vox. Bloomberg Environment referred to our briefing on the National Flood Insurance Program in two articles.
• Science Magazine and The Scientist both quoted our then executive director, Carol Werner, in articles about the release of the Fourth National Climate Assessment: “How many wake-up calls do we need? Every new National Climate Assessment has built on the previous one, confirming that climate change is already happening and that we need to act. Time is running out.”
• An in-depth BBC article, "Could Wooden Buildings Be a Solution to Climate Change?" was inspired by our October 2018 briefing, Wood: The Building Material of the Future?
• Our briefing on decommissioning nuclear power plants was broadcast live on C-Span, and our speakers were quoted in an-depth series of articles in USA Today.
Advancing science-based climate solutions
Top-Rated Climate Nonprofit – 4-Star Charity