Framing
According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7, everyone should have the right to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy. Globally, access to electricity continues to increase, reaching 91% in 2021, yet 675 million people still remain without access. In the United States, energy access is widespread, but energy affordability is a persistent challenge, especially for low-income groups. California is no exception, with high energy costs that disproportionately impact low-income communities. Additionally, California is contending with more frequent extreme events, particularly wildfires, which impact energy reliability. The state has demonstrated a commitment to transition to renewable energy, but still faces significant challenges modernizing the grid while keeping energy affordable and reliable. Renewable energy data is included in the Climate Change category, so we focus on affordability and reliability data for this Energy category.
Policy spotlight
* California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance Program (FERA) provide discounts on energy bills for income-qualified households. Households that qualify for CARE or FERA can also receive the Energy Savings Assistance Program, which provides no-cost weatherization to increase home energy efficiency. * The Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program is a federally funded program aimed at assisting low-income households in meeting their energy needs.
Justice lens
* Across the U.S., Black, Latino, and Native American households, as well as families residing in low-income multifamily housing, experience disproportionately high energy burdens. These communities also tend to live in less energy-efficient housing stock, are underrepresented in energy efficiency programs, and lack the resources and infrastructure to install solar, battery storage, and efficient appliances, which can improve energy affordability and reliability. * Low-income households in California are also more likely to have their power shut off after a heatwave due to inability to pay. Additionally, vulnerable and historically marginalized communities are also disproportionately impacted by power outages. Relatedly, scholars are highlighting structural "thermal insecurity." * As California continues to deploy renewable energy and modernize the grid, Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) are becoming the gold standard to provide ownership and wealth-building opportunities, and empower local communities. CBAs aim to counteract extractive, tokenizing, or even colonial processes that can shroud new renewable energy development and negatively impact local low-income, marginalized, and Indigenous communities.
Source & citation
Content on this page draws from The California Doughnut Snapshot and Report, used under CC-BY 4.0.
Aritza, A. and Kraus-Polk, J. et al. (2025). The California Doughnut Snapshot and Report. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17540639