Programs and Strategies for Energy Equity

Energy Efficiency Program Sponsors are seeking to advance energy equity for individuals and communities facing economic, racial, ethnic, and geographic challenges. Their innovative programs and strategies increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the clean energy transition, and in doing so help reduce the negative impact of climate change in overburdened and underserved communities. Below is a selection of efforts illustrating the actions program sponsors are taking, from changing operations and strategy to promoting workforce development, reducing the upfront cost of energy efficiency upgrades and electrification, and engaging with diverse communities. These examples work to reduce energy usage, serve overburdened or underserved communities, and are replicable.

Programs

Residential

Residential programs help customers to identify areas of inefficiency in their homes and to access energy-efficient upgrades at low or no cost to improve comfort and energy performance.

Commercial

Commercial programs help improve business operations while reducing energy usage or inefficiency and advancing decarbonization efforts at a reduced cost.

Workforce and Enterprise Development

Workforce and Enterprise Development programs help train professionals in the energy industry and connect potential employees and employers.

Uncovered Costs

Some residential or commercial programs may have costs that are not covered by an energy efficiency program. Programs incorporating inclusive utility investment and external funding streams may offer customers a way to get upgrades with non-debt models or no upfront costs.

Strategies

Internal planning can help identify needs and create solutions in underserved communities. Incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts into organization operations and strategies helps align staff, projects, and stakeholders on clear goals and metrics. 

Defining Underserved Communities 

How underserved communities are defined can vary based on region, priorities, and more. The White House developed a tool that considers a variety of environmental factors to help unify the definition of environmental justice communities. The Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool uses an interactive map that identifies communities experiencing burdens within eight categories: climate change, energy, health, housing legacy pollution, transportation, water and wastewater, and workforce development. The tool uses census tracts as the geographical unit. Census tract boundaries for statistical areas are determined by the U.S. Census Bureau once every ten years. The tool currently utilizes the census tract boundaries from 2010. 

Definitions

Environmental justice is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. 

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Environmental Justice | US EPA

Fair treatment means no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Learn about Environmental Justice | US EPA

Means:

  • People have an opportunity to participate in decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health;
  • The public's contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision;
  • Community concerns will be considered in the decision making process; and
  • Decision makers will seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.

 

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) Learn about Environmental Justice | US EPA

Energy equity recognizes that disadvantaged communities have been historically marginalized and overburdened by pollution, underinvestment in clean energy infrastructure, and lack of access to energy efficient housing and transportation.

Source Department of ENERGY | Energy Equity and Environmental Justice

Disadvantaged communities are communities that experience disproportionately high and adverse economic, human health, climate-related, environmental, and other cumulative impacts

Source: Office of Economic Impact and Diversity | Energy Justice Dashboard (BETA) FAQs