Reducing Energy Burdens on Marginalized Communities

How can the clean energy transition be structured to promote the wellbeing of those communities with the highest energy burdens? Studies have shown that communities of color and low-income families pay a significantly higher share of their income on energy. Often, the transition to clean energy fails to promote better outcomes for marginalized/low-income individuals because energy alternatives are often cost-prohibitive and inaccessible. We hope to investigate and discuss the legal, political, and socio-economic forces that lead to great disparities in energy efficiency and energy costs, as well as legal, policy, and social measures that could be used to address the issue.