Abridged SP FINAL-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 7
Equity and Energy Justice
The steps we take to realize this vision must
result in affordable energy access for all and
equitable distribution of the benefits of those
energy and climate investments. Mindful that
research undertaken in the public interest must
meet high standards of Inclusion, Diversity,
Equity, and Accountability (IDEA), we have
incorporated these values into our culture and
our strategic planning in four ways:
• Fostering a diverse workforce
• Creating a culture of inclusion
• Being aware of equity and justice and
mindful of implicit bias in our research
• Conducting research via demonstration
projects in relevant communities
We are well positioned to continue to contribute
to DOE’s mission to advance Energy Justice via
our research in:
• Policy and financing
• Heat resiliency technologies and
strategies
• Technology integration: efficiency,
storage, and renewable energy
• Air pollution monitoring and mitigation
• Support of clean energy entrepreneurs
to bring to market innovative equitable
solutions
• Sharing of the expertise of our staff who
have researched and included equity in
their work through decades of research
This Strategic Plan’s Initiatives will expand
these efforts by developing technologies that
foster community resilience, increase equity in
transportation electrification, and decarbonize
manufacturing and the grid.
Oakland EcoBlock
Getting to carbon neutrality is only possible by
setting up real-world situations, where we can test
technologies at the site or neighborhood level —
ensuring equitable access and community support
— then using the lessons learned to implement
solutions at scale. In partnership with the California
Energy Commission, the City of Oakland, and UC
Berkeley, the Oakland EcoBlock project is validating
an integrated technical, legal, financial, and
community solution to decarbonize existing urban
communities, one block at a time. This innovative,
integrated approach combines many of the features
of urban living into a sustainable model: retrofits that
reduce energy and water consumption and improve
resilience. The EcoBlock also mitigates the impact
on the grid of electrifying buildings and personal
transportation.
Shining a Light
on Solar Financing
As rooftop solar prices have fallen, many households
at all income levels can now save money by
going solar. However, low- and moderate-income
households remain less likely to adopt solar than
high-income households. How do we know this? With
support from the DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies
Office, ETA’s Electricity Markets & Policy researchers
investigate questions of energy equity — access,
affordability, financing, and more. Researchers
employ a range of interdisciplinary methods and tools
appropriate to the topic at hand, including primary
data, economic, and statistical analyses; modeling;
and survey and interview-based research. EMP
researchers make a daily impact through rigorous
analysis of the policy, economic, and technical issues
that support a successful transition to a clean,
efficient, reliable, and affordable electricity sector.
ETA Strategic Plan 2021-2030 | 5
