
Blog
Incisive commentary from RAP experts
RAP experts keep their finger on the pulse of the energy sector and provide timely analysis of topics impacting stakeholders TODAY.
Filter >>
Content Filter:
November 14, 2023
Introducing RAP’s new look and improved website
- Richard Sedano
At the Regulatory Assistance Project, we have always been guided by a vision where clean, sustainable energy is a reality in our world. In many ways, this is a vision of a changing world. As RAP helps governments improve and… View Summary +

August 16, 2023
The IRA Includes a Big Push for Heat Pumps, But States Can Do Even More
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) became law one year ago, on August 16, 2022. Its billions in investment for the clean energy transition includes considerable resources to spur heat pump adoption across the country. But how much of an… View Summary +

June 23, 2023
From the Ground Up: Rural Electric Co-ops Can Lead on Decarbonization
- Megan Anderson ,
- Ken Colburn ,
- Camille Kadoch
With the Biden-Harris administration’s recent announcement of $11 billion for rural energy providers to electrify and decarbonize, rural electric cooperatives now have the boost they need to apply their nimble capabilities and lead the energy transition. Although energy… View Summary +

May 22, 2023
Navigating the Workforce Bottleneck
- Mary MacPherson ,
- Camille Kadoch
The workforce is the driving engine of the economy. This adage is equally true even when the engine is efficient and electric. Clean energy jobs in the fields of energy efficiency and electrification are increasing. While the U.S. workforce grew… View Summary +

May 15, 2023
Prudent Gas System Planning Can Minimize Risk
- Elaine Prause
According to the American Gas Association, from 2018 to 2020, natural gas utilities added an average of 753,619 customers and 20,724 miles of pipeline each year. This equates to adding more than one customer per minute and more than… View Summary +

May 8, 2023
In the Electrification Push, Familiar Tools Get Repurposed
- Jessica Shipley ,
- Camille Kadoch
Stephen King wrote, “Sooner or later, everything old is new again.” Many “new” regulatory approaches to encourage building electrification are actually just new applications of tried-and-true methods policymakers have been using for years. Take, for example, clean heat standards, which… View Summary +

May 1, 2023
To Save Energy, Cities Turn to Building Performance Standards
- Kim Cheslak ,
- Erin Beddingfield ,
- Camille Kadoch
When homes and buildings are first constructed, they must meet the building code in place at the time of construction. The median age of U.S. homes is 39 years, which means that most homes are decades out… View Summary +

April 24, 2023
Time for a System Update: Financing our Buildings’ Future
- Cliff Majersik ,
- Caitlin Caplinger
Buildings should last decades or longer, but to do so they must be periodically modernized — and that’s challenging when financing options are limited. This means we are missing opportunities to implement new technologies that support efficiency, health and productivity… View Summary +

April 17, 2023
A Chance to Transform Weatherization Programs
- David Smedick ,
- Camille Kadoch
Across the country, state and local governments are awaiting a windfall investment from the federal government to modernize infrastructure and ensure energy security. Everything from housing to bridges, airports and the electric grid will receive an injection of funds to… View Summary +

April 10, 2023
Opening the Door: How Officials Can Improve Access to Energy Decision-Making
- Chandra Farley ,
- David Farnsworth
In a representative democracy, all citizens have the right to access government services, to meaningfully contribute to government decisions and to share equitably in the benefits of government programs. The many decisions made in Washington, D.C., have important implications for… View Summary +
