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The portion of a household’s income spent on energy.
High energy burden is considered greater than 6% of income spent on energy costs. Households experiencing higher energy burdens are more likely to live in older, inefficient housing stock which may result in additional adverse health impacts. High energy burdens can also lead to negative mental health impacts due to uncertainty around heating and cooling costs. The likelihood that energy insecure households’ energy bills will exceed their ability to pay is determined more by the weatherization and condition of their home than household income.
1 in 3 U.S. households report difficulty paying their electricity bills
The median household energy burden is 3.1%, however, income-qualified communities experience energy burden as high as 8.1%
The average energy burden for Black and Latinx households is 43% higher than white households.
If the entire world transitioned to renewable energy today, we could cover the costs of the clean energy transition in 7 years. Not to mention the additional 28.6 million full-time jobs and $1.3 trillion saved annually in energy costs.
Energy burden can help policymakers identify which groups are being left out of energy-related policies and programs. Systemic racism and systems of oppression perpetuate inequities that impact the percentage of income households spend on energy costs. This ratio, known as energy burden, is significantly higher in climate-impacted communities. Households with higher energy burdens are more likely to stay in cycles of poverty.
Adam Mahoney, Grist
Even though energy-efficient homes are more often found in white neighborhoods, carbon emissions from these neighborhoods are significantly higher than those in majority Latino and Black neighborhoods
Department of Energy
Income-eligible households typically have an energy burden three times higher than households with moderate to high incomes
Alexandra Maxim and Emily Grubert
This research could facilitate a more just energy transition, focused on avoiding locking in extreme energy burdens and protecting people from extreme temperature events. Preemptive planning and targeted infrastructural investments can enable just transitions and community resilience.
Urban Institute
The financial health of cities depends on financially secure residents.
Zully Juarez, Just Solutions Collective
Without explicit action, income-eligible households and communities of color will experience higher energy burdens as we transition to clean energy. This report details how we can ensure these communities are prioritized and reap the clean energy and efficiency benefits they deserve.
Sierra Club
Try out the Sierra Club’s energy burden calculator to break down how energy bills affect your livelihood.
Energy bills are 3x higher in climate-impacted communities.
A movement to decentralize the energy system by centering communities.
The empirical and qualitative measurement of access to the energy system to prioritize the inclusion of climate-impacted communities.
Achieving just social and economic participation in the energy system, while remediating social, economic, and health burdens in climate-impacted communities.
A set of social, economic, and environmental principles established at the First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit.
A vision of quality, safe, and affordable housing combined with social programs to address houseless experiences to ensure everyone has a home, regardless of race, income, or citizenship status.