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Inequitable access to distributed energy resources due to grid infrastructure limits in California

Author

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  • Anna M. Brockway

    (Energy & Resources Group, University of California
    Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences, University of California)

  • Jennifer Conde

    (Energy Engineering, University of California)

  • Duncan Callaway

    (Energy & Resources Group, University of California
    Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences, University of California)

Abstract

Persistent social disparities in the adoption of distributed energy resources (DERs) have prompted calls for enabling more equitable uptake. However, there are indications that limits inherent to grid infrastructure may hinder DER adoption. In this study we analysed grid limits to new DER integration across California’s two largest utility territories. We found that grid limits reduce access to solar photovoltaics to less than half of households served by these two utilities, and may hinder California’s electric vehicle adoption and residential load electrification goals. We connected these results to demographic characteristics and found that grid limits also exacerbate existing inequities: households in increasingly Black-identifying and disadvantaged census block groups have disproportionately less access to new solar photovoltaic capacity based on circuit hosting capacity. Our results illuminate the need for equity goals to be an input in the design of policies for prioritizing grid upgrades.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna M. Brockway & Jennifer Conde & Duncan Callaway, 2021. "Inequitable access to distributed energy resources due to grid infrastructure limits in California," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 6(9), pages 892-903, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:6:y:2021:i:9:d:10.1038_s41560-021-00887-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-021-00887-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Danlu Xu & Zhoubin Liu & Rui Shan & Haixiao Weng & Haoyu Zhang, 2023. "How a Grid Company Could Enter the Hydrogen Industry through a New Business Model: A Case Study in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, March.
    2. Zhou, Yuekuan & Lund, Peter D., 2023. "Peer-to-peer energy sharing and trading of renewable energy in smart communities ─ trading pricing models, decision-making and agent-based collaboration," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 177-193.
    3. Melita Van Steenberghe & Aislinn D’hulster & Johannes Weytjens & Marten Ovaere & Koen Schoors, 2024. "Tracking Demographic and Financial Trends in Renewable Energy Cooperative Membership in Belgium using Survey and Bank Transaction Data," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 24/1093, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    4. Siobhan Powell & Gustavo Vianna Cezar & Liang Min & Inês M. L. Azevedo & Ram Rajagopal, 2022. "Charging infrastructure access and operation to reduce the grid impacts of deep electric vehicle adoption," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 7(10), pages 932-945, October.
    5. Best, Rohan & Marrone, Mauricio & Linnenluecke, Martina, 2023. "Meta-analysis of the role of equity dimensions in household solar panel adoption," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    6. Cuenca, Juan J. & Daly, Hannah E. & Hayes, Barry P., 2023. "Sharing the grid: The key to equitable access for small-scale energy generation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 349(C).
    7. Maruejols, Lucie & Höschle, Lisa & Yu, Xiaohua, 2022. "Vietnam between economic growth and ethnic divergence: A LASSO examination of income-mediated energy consumption," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    8. Nepal, Rabindra & Best, Rohan & Taylor, Madeline, 2023. "Strategies for reducing ethnic inequality in energy outcomes: A Nepalese example," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    9. Akhatova, A. & Derkenbaeva, E. & van Leeuwen, E. & Kranzl, L. & Halleck Vega, S. & Hofstede, G.J., 2024. "Who invests in energy retrofits? Mining Dutch homeowners’ data," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    10. Lee, Zachary E. & Zhang, K. Max, 2023. "Regulated peer-to-peer energy markets for harnessing decentralized demand flexibility," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 336(C).
    11. Ruan, Zhaohui & Sun, Weiwei & Yuan, Yuan & Tan, Heping, 2023. "Accurately forecasting solar radiation distribution at both spatial and temporal dimensions simultaneously with fully-convolutional deep neural network model," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    12. Khan, Hafiz Anwar Ullah & Ünel, Burçin & Dvorkin, Yury, 2023. "Electricity Tariff Design via Lens of Energy Justice," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    13. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Barnacle, Max Lacey & Smith, Adrian & Brisbois, Marie Claire, 2022. "Towards improved solar energy justice: Exploring the complex inequities of household adoption of photovoltaic panels," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    14. Gan, Zhongying, 2023. "Do electric vehicle charger locations respond to the potential charging demands from multi-unit dwellings? Evidence from Los Angeles County," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 74-93.
    15. Baik, Sosung & Hines, Jeffrey F. & Sim, Jaeung, 2023. "Racial disparities in the energy burden beyond socio-economic inequality," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PA).
    16. Benjamin K. Sovacool & Paul Upham & Mari Martiskainen & Kirsten E. H. Jenkins & Gerardo A. Torres Contreras & Neil Simcock, 2023. "Policy prescriptions to address energy and transport poverty in the United Kingdom," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 8(3), pages 273-283, March.

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