Transforming our Energy System
But that is not the reality for many communities across the U.S.
Talia lives in Detroit Michigan, in a neighborhood suffering from frequent and prolonged power outages.
BIPOC communities are bearing the brunt of power outages –
Our current energy grid is outdated and rife with systemic inequities, disproportionately impacting low-wealth and BIPOC communities. The energy system of tomorrow cannot simply be a patchwork fix for a century of inequalities.
The History of Redlining and Its Impact on Electric Infrastructure
Redlining — a method of housing discrimination used to force Black and other disproportionately impacted communities into less desirable areas, often in closer proximity to pollution and industry — was banned by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, but its effects still linger today through ongoing segregation, economic inequality, poor public services, and worsening air quality from urban highways, factories, and landfills.
Understanding how redlining has shaped electricity access in our communities is about more than just identifying disparities in access to clean energy alternatives like solar—it reveals the deep intersections between race, class, and energy. The legacy of redlining has concentrated Black and other disproportionately impacted communities in areas with aging infrastructure, unreliable electricity, and disproportionately high utility bills, all while limiting access to the financial resources and programs that make clean energy more attainable.
Read more about the impact of redlining on our current energy system.
Digging in on Michigan & Illinois
In Illinois and Michigan, regulators are collaborating with organizations like Vote Solar to develop detailed outage analyses to better understand and address these inequities. A recent Midwest grid audit pulled power outage data that illustrates critical disparities that demand policy intervention.
How Do We Create an Equitable Energy System?
Clean, affordable energy is a right, not a privilege. Grid equity is about transforming our broken energy system into one that works for everyone—fairly, reliably, and sustainably.
Directly Address Systemic Disparities
Transforming the grid is about more than energy—it’s about justice, resilience, and building a system that uplifts all communities, not just those who can afford it. Utilities must be held accountable for delivering equitable service reliability across all communities they serve. Public utility commissions and stakeholders like Vote Solar play a critical role in ensuring utilities prioritize equity in regulatory dockets like Integrated Resource Planning (IRPs) and Rate Cases.
Integrate Local Energy Sources
Our outdated energy system wasn’t built for today’s challenges—but we can rethink and rebuild it to be cleaner, fairer, and more resilient. Modernizing the grid to support local solar and battery storage means lower costs, less pollution, and stronger communities. Vote Solar advocates for integrating more local energy sources, to give people more control over their energy, create economic opportunities, and make the grid more reliable for everyone.
Increase Access to Solar
Outdated, broken energy infrastructures not only impact how reliable a person’s energy sources are, but also their ability to adopt alternative energy solutions, like solar. In order to correct the inequities built into the energy system, grid infrastructure must be able to support these healthier, more affordable and resilient alternatives. That’s where an equitable hosting capacity pipeline comes in. It ensures that more solar and battery projects can plug into the grid without unnecessary delays or high costs.