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COMMUNITY BENEFIT Affordability, Empowerment, Energy reliability KEYWORDS Utility bills REGION State, Local AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY Household Protections/Utility Reform: Accountability OVERSIGHT Public utility commissions POLICY MECHANISM Legislation, Regulation Why This Matters The frequency and duration of utility outages has been increasing in recent years for several reasons, including: For example, the annual average number of major power […]

COMMUNITY BENEFIT Affordability, Empowerment, Transparency KEYWORDS Utility bills REGION State, Local AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY Utility Reform: Accountability OVERSIGHT Consumer Protection Agencies, Utility Commissions, Attorneys General, City Attorneys POLICY MECHANISM Legislation, Regulation Why This Matters The general lack of transparency in utility billing opens the door to deceptive billing practices and limited utility accountability. In the absence

COMMUNITY BENEFIT Affordability, Decarbonization KEYWORDS Clean energy, Financing, Decarbonization, Distributed energy, Efficiency, Electricity, Methane gas, Utility bills REGION State, Local AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY Funding/Financing, Residential Decarbonization OVERSIGHT Utility Commission POLICY MECHANISM Legislation, Regulation  Why This Matters Investments in clean energy measures in buildings, in particular energy efficiency measures, can reduce energy consumption, bills, and greenhouse gas

COMMUNITY BENEFIT Affordability KEYWORDS Utility Rates REGION State AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY Utility Reform: Cost Containment OVERSIGHT Utility Commission POLICY MECHANISM Legislation, Regulation Why This Matters Utility commissions authorize utility shareholders to earn a Return on Equity (ROE) on the money they put into capital investments. Utility ROEs typically exceed the market cost of capital, raising concerns

COMMUNITY BENEFIT Affordability, Decarbonization KEYWORDS Decarbonization, Efficiency REGION Federal, State AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY Residential Decarbonization OVERSIGHT U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, State Energy Agencies POLICY MECHANISM Legislation, Regulation Why This Matters Appliance efficiency standards, associated labeling programs, and enforcement are generally implemented at the federal level. Over 70 products, representing about 90% of

COMMUNITY BENEFIT Affordability, Energy reliability KEYWORDS Electricity, Distributed energy REGION State, Local AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY Decarbonization, Utility reform OVERSIGHT Utility Commission POLICY MECHANISM Legislation, Regulation Why This Matters In traditional electricity systems, the utility supplies electricity and customers consume it and pay the bills. Power is primarily sourced through centralized generation: primarily fossil fuel generation, complemented

COMMUNITY BENEFIT Affordability KEYWORDS Utility bills, Utility rates  REGION State AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY Household Protections OVERSIGHT Utility Commissions POLICY MECHANISM Legislation, Regulation Why This Matters About a quarter of U.S. households face high energy cost burdens, paying more than 6% of their income towards energy bills.1 An inability to pay for utility bills leads to difficult

COMMUNITY BENEFIT Affordability, Decarbonization KEYWORDS Clean energy, Decarbonization, Distributed energy, Electricity, Renters REGION State, Local AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY Residential Decarbonization OVERSIGHT State Energy and/or Environmental Protection Offices, Utility Commissions POLICY MECHANISM Legislation, Regulation Why This Matters Households unable to install rooftop solar because of cost considerations, roof condition, or renter status are typically denied access to

COMMUNITY BENEFIT Affordability, Decarbonization, Public Health, Workforce KEYWORDS Clean energy, Decarbonization, Distributed energy, Efficiency, Electricity, Electrification, Housing, Utility rates  REGION Federal, State, Local AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY Decarbonization OVERSIGHT State Social Service Agencies, Energy Agencies, Utility Commissions POLICY MECHANISM Legislation, Regulation Why This Matters Space and water heating account for approximately 60% of total residential energy use.1

COMMUNITY BENEFIT Affordability, Decarbonization, Workforce KEYWORDS Housing, Electricity, Decarbonization, Clean energy, Electrification REGION Federal, State, Local AFFORDABILITY STRATEGY Residential Decarbonization OVERSIGHT State Social Service Agencies, Energy Agencies, Green Banks POLICY MECHANISM Legislation Why This Matters In the transition to a clean energy economy, an estimated 60% of single-family homes are not electrification ready, with electrical