Grid Resilience for Vulnerable Communities

Designing an equitable, climate-friendly grid for California’s communities

We are using cutting-edge survey techniques to better understand community preferences, needs, and barriers to electrification. Then, we are using this data to model the adoption of electric technologies and project how different policies could make these technologies more accessible. Finally, we will design community microgrids to keep the lights on as California electrifies. 

This work is critical to address systemic barriers that prevent low-income and disadvantaged communities from electrifying. These barriers not only impact the transition away from fossil fuels, but also magnify inequities and prevent vulnerable communities from preparing for climate-fueled disasters. We need to ensure these communities are not left behind during the clean energy transition. We are working closely with community-based groups across the state, including the California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA).