Filter View All
A targeted approach to energy burden reduction measures: Comparing the effects of energy storage, rooftop solar, weatherization, and energy efficiency upgrades 
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2024
 A study comparing the effects of various energy efficiency upgrades to tailor energy burden reduction programs, policies, and spending to maximize local benefit.
About Community Benefits Plans
Category: Webpage
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Year: 2024
 A concise overview of Community Benefit Plans with links to templates and a FAQ.
Community Benefits Plan Template for Demonstration and Deployment Projects
Category: Template
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Year: 2024
 A guide for applicants as they develop Community Benefits Plans for demonstration and deployment projects.
Community Benefits Plan Template for FEED Study/Phase 1 Projects
Category: Template
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Year: 2024
 A guide for applicants as they develop Community Benefits Plans for Front End Engineering Design (FEED) studies or Phase 1 projects.
Community Benefits Plan Template for Research and Development Projects
Category: Template
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Year: 2024
 A guide for applicants as they develop Community Benefits Plans for research and development projects.
Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty TA Eligibility
Category: Tool
Author(s): U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Year: 2024
 The Distressed Cities and Persistent Poverty Technical Assistance (DCTA) map identifies communities eligible to receive technical assistance through HUD's DCTA program. Eligible communities include units of general local government serving populations under 50,000 that are either economically distrressed or serve at least one census tract experiencing persistent poverty.
Energy Community Tax Credit Bonus Map
Category: Tool
Author(s): Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization
Year: 2024
 This map shows the census tracts, metropolitan statistical areas, and non-metropolitan statistical areas that meet the Inflation Reduction Act's definition of an energy community. The tool can be used to help identify locations where the Energy Community Tax Credit Bonus may apply.
Energy Justice Mapping Tool - Disadvantaged Communities Reporter
Category: Tool
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Year: 2024
 This mapping tool allows users to identify census tracts that the U.S. Department of Energy has categorized as disadvantaged communities, pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 14008. DOE's working definition of "disadvantaged" is based on cumulative burden and relies on 36 indicators from exposure to environmental harms to socio-economic factors. The tool also identifies U.S. territories and Tribal Lands.
Engaging Stakeholders on State Clean Hydrogen Efforts: A Clean Hydrogen State Working Group Tool
Category: Report
Author(s): National Association of State Energy Officials
Year: 2024
 This tool aims to guide State Energy Offices in planning for, implementing, and evaluating stakeholder engagement efforts surrounding clean hydrogen activities by providing a framework, examples of successful strategies, and additional models and best practices to consult.
Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool (EJSCREEN)
Category: Tool
Author(s): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Year: 2024
 An environmental justice mapping and screening tool that provides a nationally consistent dataset and approach for combining environmental and demographic socioeconomic indicators.
Solar Energy Evolution and Diffusion Studies
Category: Report
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2024
 A series of industrywide studies that use data-driven and evidence-based methods to identify characteristics, motivations, and barriers to photovoltaic adoption.
A socio-technical assessment of marine renewable energy potential in coastal communities
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2023
 An article that uses tidal energy potenital in two coastal communities as a lens to explore how social perceptions and technical potential might be integrated to improve alignment between community values and energy development.
Advancing Energy Equity Considerations in Distribution Systems Planning
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2023
 A paper that proposes a framework for advancing energy equity as an objective of distribution system planning, showing how measurement strategies, or metrics (informed by conceptual foundations of energy justice), can be applied to benchmark equity performance at various stages.
Assessing the Current State of U.S. Energy Equity Regulation and Legislation
Category: Presentation
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2023
 A presentation of the status of energy equity legislation across the country.
Community Benefits Plan 101
Category: Presentation
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Year: 2023
 A webinar that introduces the purpose of Community Benefits Plans (CBPs) and presents a deep dive into each of the four CBP requirements.
Developing an Equity Framework for State Regulatory Decision-Making
Category: Report
Author(s): Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Year: 2023
 A literature review assessing how states have incorporated equity into regulatory processes and decision making.
Energy Equity Opportunities in Distributed Wind Hybrid Systems for Rural Loads
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2023
 A report outlining energy equity opportunities from distributed wind hybrid projects and proposes a framework that demonstrates how to advance equity in distributed wind hybrid systems.
Energy Justice Dashboard (BETA)
Category: Tool
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Justice and Equity
Year: 2023
 A data visualization tool that displays U.S. Department of Energy investments in communities across the country experiencing disproportionately high and adverse economic, human health, climate-related, environmental, and other cumulative impacts.
Equity Considerations in Electric Mobility Infrastructure Planning
Category: Webpage
Author(s): U.S. Department of Transportation
Year: 2023
 A resource providing equity considerations in electric mobility infrastructure planning.
Equity Considerations in Planning
Category: Webpage
Author(s): U.S. Department of Transportation
Year: 2023
 This site describes how to incorporate equity into planning to ensure that a project’s benefits and costs are fairly distributed throughout the community, including to low-income communities, communities of color, and the disability community.
EV Planning Resources: Equitable Planning
Category: Webpage
Author(s): U.S. Department of Transportation
Year: 2023
 Compilation of resources and tools for EV infrastructure planning and implementation.
Opportunities for Equity-Focused Building Energy Code Activities
Category: Report
Author(s): National Association of State Energy Officials
Year: 2023
 This resource identifies opportunities for State Energy Offices to leverage federal programs for advancing state and local energy codes and ensure more equitable outcomes in energy code adoption and implementation.
Realizing the Workforce Potential of Infrastructure Investments: State Strategies to Advance Job Quality and Build Inclusive Workforces in Transportation and Clean Energy
Category: Report
Author(s): National Association of State Energy Officials, Markle Foundation, Eno Center for Transportation
Year: 2023
 This report highlights federal funding opportunities that states can leverage to support workforce needs and offers a framework to help states navigate the array of options available to foster broad access to the benefits of good quality jobs in the clean energy and transportation sectors.
Tools for Building an Equitable Infrastructure Workforce: Gender Equity Strategies as a Model
Category: Report
Author(s): U.S. Department of Labor
Year: 2023
 Provides guidance on strategies and best practices for recruiting and retaining women in construction, manufacturing, and clean energy jobs.
Advancing Energy Equity in Grid Planning
Category: Presentation
Author(s): Sandia National Laboratory
Year: 2022
 A resource that identifies strategies to implement equity and environmental justice in the grid planning process.
Advancing the state of energy equity metrics  
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2022
 A paper that aims to advance energy equity metrics for use in regulation, planning, and operations of the electricity system within the United States.
Analysis of Energy Justice and Equity Impacts from Replacing Peaker Plants with Energy Storage  
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2022
 A paper that discusses the relationship between energy storage and social equity by assessing the use of energy storage to replace natural gas fired peaker plants.
Assessing the Energy Equity Benefits of Energy Storage Solutions 
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2022
 A study that aims to characterize the energy equity and community benefits of energy storage systems.
Assessing the Energy Equity Benefits of Mobile Energy Storage Solutions
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2022
 A study that aims to characterize the energy equity and community benefits of mobile energy storage solutions via a storage adequacy analysis of energy access.
Building a More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Energy Efficiency Workforce
Category: Report
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2022
 A study that identifies key factors to creating successful workforce development and inclusion programs that will support the future of the building industry.
Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)
Category: Tool
Author(s): Council on Environmental Quality
Year: 2022
 A tool that identifies overburdened and underserved census tracts across the country.
Communities in energy transition: exploring best practices and decision support tools to provide equitable outcomes
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2022
 A paper that looks at two tools—a decommissioning checklist and a redevelopment decision-making framework—that can be used to engage communities in power plant retirement decisions, the site reclamation phase, and redevelopment of the site and revitalization of the surrounding community.
Creating a Community and Stakeholder Engagement Plan
Category: Report
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Year: 2022
 A guide to create a engagement plan with community based organizations representing local residents and businesses, labor unions and worker organizations, local government, communities with environmental justice concerns, disadvantaged communities, Tribes, and Alaska Native Corporations.
Designing Equity-Focused Stakeholder Engagement to Inform State Energy Office Programs and Policies
Category: Report
Author(s): National Association of State Energy Officials, Facilitating Power, Minnesota Department of Commerce, Energy Division
Year: 2022
 This paper serves as a resource for State Energy Offices seeking to advance equitable policies and programs. It introduces and examines a range of stakeholder engagement tools, along with the potential benefits of fostering more inclusive and comprehensive stakeholder involvement.
Intersections of Disadvantaged Communities and Renewable Energy Potential: Data Set and Analysis to Inform Equitable Investment Prioritization in the United States
Category: Report
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2022
 A research paper intended to inform national and state-level energy assistance programs, economic development efforts, and infrastructure programs seeking to prioritize investments in disadvantaged communities.
Looking Beyond Bill Savings to Equity in Renewable Energy Microgrid Deployment
Category: Report
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2022
 A research paper that describes a methodology for quantifying costs and benefits including utility bill savings, value of resilience, social cost of carbon, public health costs, and jobs associated with the construction and operation of microgrids.
Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)
Category: Tool
Author(s): Center for Disease Control, Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry
Year: 2022
 The SVI is a place-based tool that can help users identify communities experiencing social vulnerability, which refers to demographic and socioeconomic factors (such as poverty, lack of access to transportation, and poor housing quality) that negatively affect how communities are impacted by natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and other hazards and community-level stressors.
Summary Report of Responses to a Request for Information on Inclusive Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Climate Technology
Category: Report
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Year: 2022
 A summary of comments on how to improve awareness of U.S. Department of Energy funding opportunities, expand the applicant pool, address barriers to applying to solicitations, and improve general support for the innovation ecosystem.
Advancing Equity in Utility Regulation
Category: Report
Author(s): Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Year: 2021
 Provides perspectives on advancing equity in electric utility regulation from representatives of energy justice advocates, consumer organizations, and a utility.
Energy Justice: Key Concepts and Metrics Relevant to EERE Transportation Projects
Category: Report
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2021
 A discussion guide on environmental justice as it relates to energy efficient transportation projects.
Energy Storage as an Equity Asset
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2021
 A study that offers a discussion on how energy storage deployment advances equitable outcomes for the power system.
Environmental Justice & Systemic Racism Speaker Series
Category: Presentation
Author(s): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Year: 2021
 A resource exploring how systemic racism and the roots of disproportionate environmental and public health impacts is key to integrating environmental justice in the policies and programs of EPA and other environmental agencies.
Increasing Diversity in Energy Efficiency Professions: JUMP into STEM
Category: Report
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2021
 A paper that presents the JUMP into STEM approach to fostering diversity and creative ideation on technical challenges in the building and energy efficiency space.
Intersections of Disadvantaged Communities and Renewable Energy Potential: Analyses to Inform Equitable Investment Prioritization
Category: Presentation
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2021
 A slide deck intended to advance understanding of social, economic, environmental, and land use impacts of clean energy transition and map pathways for sustainable, equitable transitions, with a focus on rural and disadvantaged communities.
Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool
Category: Tool
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Year: 2021
 A tool that communicates housing and energy characteristics at the census and county level.
National Environmental Justice Community Engagement Calls
Category: Presentation
Author(s): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Year: 2021
 Meetings meant to inform the public about EPA's environmental justice work and maintain an open dialogue with environmental justice advocates.
Review of Energy Equity Metrics
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2021
 A literature review of energy equity and energy justice metrics which was performed to support efforts to develop an energy equity metrics framework.
The Solar Influencer Next Door: Predicting Low-Income Solar Referrals and Leads
Category: Presentation
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2021
 A resource intended to identify strategies to scale up solar adoption among low-and-moderate income communities across the U.S.
Incorporating Equity in Disaster Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Programs 
Category: Presentation
Author(s): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Year: 2020
 Descriptions of state programs addressing disaster mitigation and climate adaptation.
Enhancing Community Involvement in the Regulatory Process
Category: Presentation
Author(s): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Year: 2019
 Principles and tools to ensure meaningful community involvement in areas with environmental justice issues.
Evaluating Energy Efficiency Potential in Low-Income Households: A Flexible and Granular Approach
Category: Report
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2019
 A study that presents an approach to evaluating energy efficiency potential with an accurate, granular, and flexible estimate of the cost-effective energy efficiency potential in households of various income ranges.
Grid Modernization: Metrics Analysis (GMLC1.1) – Affordability
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Year: 2019
 A study on the affordability of grid modernization efforts.
Identifying and Prioritizing Environmentally Impacted and Vulnerable Communities
Category: Presentation
Author(s): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Year: 2019
 Factors and data sources states are using to identify areas of environmental justice concern and prioritize agency attention and resources.
Using Comprehensive Area-Wide Planning to Promote Equitable Development
Category: Presentation
Author(s): U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Year: 2019
 A resource explaining area-wide planning as a useful methodology for promoting community revitalization and equitable development.
Income Trends of Residential PV Adopters: An Analysis of Household-Level Income Estimates
Category: Presentation
Author(s): Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Year: 2018
 Describes income trends among U.S. residential solar adopters, highlighting trends related to low- and moderate-income households.
Rooftop Solar Technical Potential for Low-to-Moderate Income Households in the United States
Category: Report
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2018
 This report expands upon previous NREL research investigating the technical potential of rooftop solar in the United States and aims to improve the understanding in the residential sector, particularly for low-to-moderate income households.
Unlocking Solar for Low- and Moderate-Income Residents: A Matrix of Financing Options by Resident, Provider, and Housing Type
Category: Report
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Year: 2018
 A report that identifies promising strategies to finance solar for low- and moderate-income customers across three housing types: single family, multifamily, and manufactured housing.
Better Buildings Workforce Accelerator Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fact Sheet
Category: Factsheet
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
A fact sheet which distills insights and resources to support green building trainers and employers onboarding and retaining a diverse workforce.
Clean Energy for Low Income Communities (CELICA): Stakeholder Engagement
Category: Webpage
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
A brief explaining how partnering with a diverse array of stakeholders on energy efficiency and renewable energy projects can help ensure benefits to low-income communities.
Clean Energy for Low Income Communities Accelerator (CELICA): Community Assessment and Barriers Analysis
Category: Webpage
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
Options and examples of conducting a barrier analysis to identify gaps in available services and understand underlying conditions influencing clean energy programs for low-income households.
Connecticut Environmental Justice Screening Tool
Category: Tool
Author(s): Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Connecticut Institute for Resilience & Climate Adaptation at the University of Connecticut
The Connecticut EJ Screening Tool is an interactive map that integrates community input with data on environmental burdens and demographics. It allows users to explore environmental health and socioeconomic conditions within various regions, towns, cities, or the entire state.
Delaware Department of Natural Resource and Environmental Control EJ Area Viewer
Category: Tool
Author(s): Delaware Department of Natural Resource and Environmental Control
DNREC developed this map-based tool to help agency staff identify communities disproportionately affected by environmental issues and agency actions. It utilizes data from both DNREC programs and external partners.
Energy Community Resources
Category: Webpage
Author(s): Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization
Interagency Working Group's compiled resources from various federal agencies to identify funding opportunities for energy communities.
Good Jobs Initiative: Project Labor Agreements as Tools for Equity
Category: Factsheet
Author(s): U.S. Department of Labor
Explains Project Labor Agreements and their role in advancing equity outcomes.
Guidance for Integrating Energy Justice and Equity in Building Technology Deployment Programs: Tracking, Reporting, and Maximizing the Flow of Benefits from Building System Technology Deployment Activities to Disadvantaged Communities and Target Sectors
Category: Report
Author(s): Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
A resource for building technology deployment teams in tracking, reporting, and maximizing the flow of benefits from U.S. Deparment of Energy Building Technologies Office activities to disadvantaged communities and underinvested buildings.
Issue Brief: Using Data to Set Priorities and Track Success of Low-Income Energy Programs
Category: Report
Author(s): U.S. Department of Energy
A brief outlining ways Clean Energy for Low Income Communities Accelerator (CELICA) partners measure program progress.
Massachusetts Environmental Justice Populations
Category: Tool
Author(s): Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
The environmental justice map viewer is an interactive map that displays the 2020 environmental justice block groups, based upon demographic criteria developed by the state's Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
Michigan MiEJScreen
Category: Tool
Author(s): Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
MiEJScreen is an interactive tool that highlights stressors and demographic factors in communities that may influence environmental conditions and public health. The map enables users to examine environmental, health, and socioeconomic conditions within a particular area or across the state.
New Jersey Environmental Justice Communities EJMAP
Category: Tool
Author(s): New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
The EJMAP tool enables users to visualize New Jersey’s overburdened communities, identify polluting facilities regulated by the Environmental Justice Law, and analyze what existing environmental and public health stressors currently impact these communities.
NYSERDA Disadvantaged Communities Map
Category: Tool
Author(s): New York State Energy Research and
New York's Climate Act tasked the Climate Justice Working Group (CJWG) with creating criteria to identify disadvantaged communities, ensuring these areas benefit from the state’s transition to clean energy. The CJWG finalized the criteria in 2023, and communities meeting these standards can be identified using this interactive map, which allows users to check if a specific address falls within a disadvantaged community.
Pennsylvania Environmental Justice Mapping and Screening Tool (PennEnviroScreen)
Category: Tool
Author(s): Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
PennEnviroScreen enables the Department of Envrionmental Protection to more precisely identify communities experiencing environmental justice challenges by analyzing over 30 environmental, health, and socioeconomic indicators.
Project Labor Agreement Resource Guide
Category: Webpage
Author(s): U.S. Department of Labor
This guide provides resources on Project Labor Agreements (PLAs).
State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) platform
Category: Tool
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
An online platform where users can compare scenarios for the future of energy, costs, and emissions for counties and states as well as explore city, county, and state data on renewables, efficiency, and transportation.
State Opportunities and Challenges in Supporting a Just Energy Transition: Incorporating Equity into Clean Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration
Category: Report
Author(s): National Association of State Energy Officials
This report explores opportunities and challenges associated with incorporating equity into clean energy research development and demonstration (RD&D) and potential roles of State and Territory Energy Offices in supporting this process.
Tribal Energy Atlas
Category: Tool
Author(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
An interactive mapping tool with data to conduct energy analysis for tribal lands.
Virginia EJScreen+
Category: Tool
Author(s): Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality developed the Virginia EJScreen+ in collaboration with GeoDecisions with the goal of expanding access to and increasing awareness of Environmental Justice-related data and information throughout the Commonwealth.
Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map
Category: Tool
Author(s): Washington State Department of Health
The Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map is an interactive tool that compares communities statewide based on environmental health indicators. It highlights pollution levels, such as diesel emissions and ozone, along with factors like proximity to hazardous waste sites, poverty rates, and cardiovascular disease prevalence.