PNNL

Abstract

For the energy system to be truly equitable, it should provide affordable and reliable energy services to disadvantaged and underserved populations. Disadvantaged communities often face a combination of economic, social, health and environmental burdens, and may be geographically isolated (e.g., rural communities), which systematically limits their opportunity to fully participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life. Access to energy resources and enabling technologies would allow all communities to derive benefits from the energy system. Distributed energy resources (DERs) offer a unique opportunity to maximize accessibility and availability of energy resources to disadvantaged communities. DERs are small-scale energy technologies and systems (i.e., energy generation and storage technologies) that provide energy at or near the point of consumption. More than before, DERs are used in ways that provide benefits to low-income households and historically marginalized communities. Adoption of solar energy systems, electric vehicles, building electrification technologies (including heat pumps and water heaters), and energy storage all hold promise as equitable energy assets.