Projects & Programs
Advancing Equity in Grid Planning and Operations

The Grid Modernization Lab Consortium (GMLC) is developing solutions, strategies, and resources for better integrating equity and justice goals in electricity planning and operations. To this end, the GMLC will develop and maintain a comprehensive database on equity in grid planning and operations. Additionally, the project will also host a working group composed of representatives from public utility commissions, state energy offices, community groups, and utilities. This group will serve as a platform for idea exchange and as a resource for other Grid Modernization Initiative projects. Through this initiative, the GMLC will building a body of knowledge on emerging electricity equity and justice topics and provide direct technical assistance and training for states on these issues.
Energy Storage for Social Equity Initiative (ES4SE)

ES4SE, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity Energy Storage Program is designed to empower urban, rural, and tribal disadvantaged communities to consider energy storage technologies and applications as a viable path towards community prosperity, well-being, and resilience. Through this program, eligible communities have access to technical assistance and potential support for new energy storage project development and deployment. Learn More.
Environmental Justice Reviews

Environmental justice is achieved when everyone, regardless of race, culture, or income, enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and of equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work. PNNL partners with DOE, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, federal and state agencies, and industry to identify and engage minority, low-income, resource-dependent, or other historically disadvantaged populations in regulatory decision-making, environmental assessment, and impact estimation of large and complex polices and projects. Learn More.
Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project

DOE's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP) works alongside remote, island, and islanded communities seeking to transform their energy systems and increase energy resilience through strategic energy planning and solutions that address their specific challenges. ETIPP leverages the Energy Transitions Initiative's (ETI) proven framework to address community energy challenges, build capacity, and accelerate the sharing of best practices. Learn More.
Emerging Grid Objectives and Multi-Objective Decision Planning (MOD-Plan)

Traditionally, electric grid planning balances safe, reliable, efficient, and affordable service for current and future customers. As policies, social preferences, and the threat landscape evolve, power system planners must consider decarbonization, resilience, and equity. This project is a joint-lab effort led by PNNL and Sandia National Laboratory, focusing on advancing the analytic methods, metrics, capabilities, and tools for an improved system planning process. Learn More.
Renewable Energy Landscapes

Clean energy goals and policies have dramatically shifted commerce, resource portfolios, and technology innovation in the last 20 years. Yet, questions remain as to how this shift has contributed and been visible to communities, and how to foster a transformation to renewable energy technologies that delivers global climate goals along with a tangible local value. Researchers from PNNL, University of Oregon, University of Arizona, University of Pennsylvania, and DOE collaborated on a whitepaper that emphasizes the importance of place-based design with building clean energy at scale. Learn More.
Systems Technology Energy Equity and Justice Working Group (ST-EEJ)

Disadvantaged communities bear a bigger share of the burdens caused by the energy system, such as negative health impacts and high energy bills, without being afforded the benefits of clean energy RD&D projects, such as reduced energy costs, job creation, and improved health and safety. Focusing on fair energy policies and investments helps distribute the advantages and challenges of the energy system equally. It also helps alleviate the hardships faced by those disproportionately affected, giving them a say in how the energy systems are managed and technologies are developed and deployed. There are many efforts across the DOE's National Laboratories focused on addressing these issues. PNNL established a Systems Technology Energy Equity and Justice (ST-EEJ) Working Group of researchers from four National Laboratories working on Commercial Buildings Integration Programs to develop collaborative solutions. Email Kathryn Hickcox.
Grid Operations, Decarbonization, Environmental and Energy Equity Platform (GODEEEP)

PNNL is developing innovative decision support tools, data, and models to explore the implications of decarbonization for energy system expansion and operation on human well-being. Compared to other research to date, GODEEEP provides a more comprehensive and realistic understanding of the complex human–Earth interactions that must be accounted for to achieve safe, reliable, low-cost, and equitable decarbonization. Learn More.
Resources for Community Organizations

Are you a community organizer interested in learning more about launching a clean energy program? Would you like to launch a program, but aren’t sure where to start? PNNL—in collaboration with Launch Point CDC, Inc.—has created a central hub of resources to support a transformative approach to community engagement and workforce development, tailored to uplift disadvantaged communities as clean energy technologies are deployed. Drawing from PNNL’s extensive clean energy research and Launch Point’s 30 years of community development experience, these resources aim to aid community centers nationwide in launching their own clean energy technology programs. Resources include guidance on community engagement and workforce development, checklists, templates, online tools, and more. Learn More.