Listed below are all documents and RMI.org site pages related to this topic.
23 Items
http://www.rmi.org/RFGraph-Electricity_scenarios
In
Reinventing Fire, Rocky Mountain Institute investigates the implications of four radically different future electricity scenarios - from a “business-as-usual” case to a network of intelligent microgrids powered largely by distributed renewables.
http://www.rmi.org/RFGraph-tractive_load_formulas
Powertrain efficiency from tank to wheels can't exceed 1.0, and is around 0.17 in a typical modern car or 0.35 in a good "full hybrid," but the energy needed to move the car can be reduced severalfold by making it lighter and more slippery.
http://www.rmi.org/RFGraph-new_transmission_required
Rocky Mountain Institute’s four scenarios for the future U.S. electricity system (
detailed here ) all have very different requirements for an expanded transmission infrastructure.
http://www.rmi.org/RFGraph-building_energy_use_sq_footage
Both building energy use and total square footage have steadily increased in the United States since 1950. Total building energy use has almost quadrupled, due to increases in building number and size, as well as the adoption of such energy-intensive technologies as color televisions, computers, and air conditioning.
http://www.rmi.org/RFGraph-residential-building-energy-efficiency-supply-curve
To determine how much residential building energy can be saved at what cost we created efficiency supply curves.
http://www.rmi.org/RFGraph-Commercial_building_energy_efficiency
To determine how much commercial building energy can be saved at what cost, we created efficiency supply curves.
http://www.rmi.org/RFGraph-US_renewable_energy_potential
Considering budding technologies that could be commercially available in the future, the potential U.S. generation capacity from renewables is overwhelming. Wave and tidal generators, offshore deep-water wind farms, and enhanced geothermal power (which uses the Earth's heat but doesn’t require a natural steam source) are all in development and represent a huge potential energy resource.
http://www.rmi.org/RFGraph-standard_practice_vs_CHP
Buildings or industrial facilities with both heating loads and electricity demand can typically benefit from combined heat and power (CHP) generation. This technology allows both heat and electricity to be produced at a marginal cost less than that of both produced separately.
http://www.rmi.org/RFGraph-US_projected_electric_vehicle_stocks
By 2050, 50% of the U.S. vehicle fleet will be electrified —more than 150 million cars and light trucks in all. With an average battery pack size of 18.4 kWh, this would amount to nearly 2,900 GWh of energy storage capacity. The addition of such a large and potentially unpredictable load could present problems for grid management if electric vehicle charging is not handled effectively.
http://www.rmi.org/RFGraph-US_installed_wind_solar_power_capacities
Together, wind and solar will account for 71% of total U.S. installed capacity in 2050 in Rocky Mountain Institute’s Transform case, up from 4.4% in 2010. Along with hydro, geothermal, and biomass, renewables will meet more than 80% of 2050 U.S. electricity demand.