Keeling Curve

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Clean Energy Works’ mission is to accelerate inclusive investments that open the clean energy economy to all. We envision a world with a 100% clean energy economy that provides opportunities and benefits to everyone, regardless of income level, credit score, or social status. 

Clean Energy Works partners with community, utility, and policy champions to catalyze inclusive utility investments. Inclusive utility investments enable utility companies to pay for clean energy upgrades for all of their customers. The customer pays no upfront costs on cost-effective upgrades and instead pays a fee on their monthly bill that is less than their annual estimated savings from the upgrades. Inclusive utility investments for building energy upgrades have seen high uptake for upgrades that have no upfront cost with high customer satisfaction in areas recognized by the federal government for persistent poverty.

When inclusive utility investments are applied to transportation, the utility pays the upfront cost for the charging infrastructure and the battery of the bus, reducing the upfront cost of the electric buses and new infrastructure for the commercial customer. Similarly to building upgrades, the utility uses a service charge on the electricity bill of the bus owner to recover costs that are less than the estimated savings from switching from diesel buses to electric buses. Utility’s capital is necessary to ensure investments in electric mobility for all transport users, especially at this time when  unprecedented federal funding programs such as the Inflation Reduction Act can be leveraged to get more electric buses on the road. 

To date, we have worked with stakeholders and utilities in more than 10 states to introduce inclusive utility investment, with most of the first-mover utilities choosing to base their design on the Pay As You Save® system for site-specific investment.  The total deployment from all utilities with experience exceeds $50 million, and pending proceedings in Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, and California are poised to increase the pace of deployment.  

Our approach with partners in multiple states and sectors not only accelerates the transition to clean energy but also addresses the pressing need for equitable access to its benefits. Ultimately, Clean Energy Works' efforts have the potential to significantly impact the field of clean energy by breaking down financial barriers, advancing equity, and fostering a more sustainable and inclusive future for all.

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Inclusive utility investments make it easier for communities to finance and implement essential upgrades, leading to more efficient and sustainable utility systems. This not only ensures equitable access but also indirectly results in a reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions over time. As part of our commitment to sustainability, we're formulating plans to quantify this impact in future evaluations. While our primary aim is inclusivity, these investments invariably contribute to a reduction in emissions, underlining the dual benefits of our approach.

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Equity is foundational to Clean Energy Works’ mission which seeks to overcome the clean energy divide created by historical legacies of exclusion resulting in communities that lack resources to pay for upgrades. 

Inclusive utility investments aim for more people to benefit from clean energy upgrades, not just those who can afford it or are able to access traditional financing programs (loans and leases). Underwriting requirements are common barriers for renters, people with no or low credit scores, or low income households. New debt obligations have low acceptance rates across income levels as households choose to prioritize healthcare, education, or housing. 

Because of this, loan programs have not reached these most vulnerable communities at scale, and instead primarily reach households that have prime or higher credit scores. In contrast, inclusive utility investments have seen high uptake for upgrades that have no upfront cost with high customer satisfaction in areas recognized by the federal government for persistent poverty. 

We seek to strengthen the equity frameworks used by key inclusive utility investments stakeholder groups, especially energy regulators and utility managers, to refine how decision makers understand and apply equity in the regulatory and programmatic space, promoting equitable outcomes and stronger community engagement between utilities and the local communities they serve.

Our daily work with organizations and networks connected to communities on the frontlines deeply informs our analysis and application of equity principles. We are deeply invested in building more capacity to support those leaders in learning more about inclusive utility investments and mobilizing allies to seek adoption.

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