Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy

Asian Society for Innovation and Policy (아시아기술혁신학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Evaluating Geographic Differences in Electricity Burdens: An Analysis of Socioeconomic and Housing Characteristics in Erie County, New York

  • Nolan W. Kukla (Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University at Buffalo)
  • Received : 2023.04.17
  • Accepted : 2023.05.15
  • Published : 2023.04.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The increasing cost, and demand for, household energy has increased attention to the phenomena of energy burdens. Despite this increased attention, a lack of consensus remains in pinpointing the strongest predictors, and geographic differences, that exist within the energy ecosystem. This study addresses this gap by utilizing a series of dummy variable regressions across cities, suburbs, and rural areas within Erie County, New York-a county noted to have particularly high energy burdens. Specifically, three types of predictor sets were incorporated into the methodology: a set of socioeconomic variables, physical variables, and a combination of both variable sets. The results of this study suggest that cities tend to have the highest electricity burdens. Despite the aging infrastructure in Erie County, high energy burdens were driven primarily by socioeconomic factors such as housing cost burden and poverty status. Lastly, this study explores various planning and policy implications Erie County can utilize to reduce energy burdens. In turn, this study highlights the importance of focusing policy efforts on existing social service programs to provide support to the region's neediest households.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

The Author would like to thank four anonymous peer reviewers who helped improve the paper for publication.

References

  1. Agbim, C., Araya, F., Faust, K.M., & Harmon, D. (2020). Subjective versus objective energy burden: A look at drivers of different metrics and regional variation of energy poor populations. Energy Policy, 144, 111616.
  2. Alagappan, L., Orans, R., & Woo, C.K. (2011). What drives renewable energy development?. Energy policy, 39(9), 5099-5104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2011.06.003
  3. Berry, C., Hronis, C., & Woodward, M. (2018). Who's energy insecure? You might be surprised. 2018 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Making Efficiency Easy and Enticing.
  4. Blatto, A. (2018). A city divided: A brief history of segregation in Buffalo. Partnership for the Public Good. https://ppgbuffalo.org/ files/documents/data-demographicshistory/a_city_divided__a_brief_history_of_segregation_in_the_city_of_buffalo.pdf
  5. Bohr, J., & McCreery, A.C. (2020). Do energy burdens contribute to economic poverty in the United States? A panel analysis. Social Forces, 99(1), 155-177. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soz131
  6. Borenstein, S., & Bushnell, J.B. (2022). Do two electricity pricing wrongs make a right? Cost recovery, externalities, and efficiency. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 14(4), 80-110.
  7. Brown, M.A., Soni, A., Lapsa, M.V., Southworth, K., & Cox, M. (2020). High energy burden and low-income energy affordability: Conclusions from a literature review. Progress in Energy, 2(4), 042003.
  8. City of Buffalo (2019, Feb.) Mayor Byron W. Brown Delivers His Thirteenth State of The City Address [Press Release] https://www.buffalony.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx? AID=342
  9. Chen, C.F., Feng, J., Luke, N., Kuo, C.P., & Fu, J.S. (2022). Localized energy burden, concentrated disadvantage, and the feminization of energy poverty. IScience, 25(4), 104139.
  10. CZB LLC. (2017). Buffalo Housing Opportunities Strategy. CZB LLC. https://www.czb.org/work/buffalo-housing-opportunity.
  11. Drago, C., & Gatto, A. (2023). Gauging energy poverty in developing countries with a composite metric of electricity access. Utilities Policy, 81, 101486.
  12. Elnakat, A., Gomez, J.D., & Booth, N. (2016). A zip code study of socioeconomic, demographic, and household gendered influence on the residential energy sector. Energy Reports, 2, 21-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2016.01.003
  13. Erie County, (2023). Weatherization Assistance Program Providers. HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program). https://www3.erie. gov/heap/weatherization-assistance-programs.
  14. Gabel, P., Swartz, G.N., & Zeitlin, R.D. (1974). Utility Rates, Consumers, and the New York State Public Service Commission. Alb. L. Rev., 39, 707.
  15. Gee, D., & Dewey, C. (2021). WNY's suburbs are diversifying, but at different rates. Buffalo News. https://buffalonews.com/news/local/wnys-suburbs-are-diversifying-but-at-different-rates/article_0929a68e-220b-11ec-b9a1-e75e95ddfc11.html
  16. Graff, M., & Carley, S. (2020). COVID-19 assistance needs to target energy insecurity. Nature Energy, 5(5), 352-354. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-020-0620-y
  17. Graff, M., Carley, S., Konisky, D.M., & Memmott, T. (2021). Which households are energy insecure? An empirical analysis of race, housing conditions, and energy burdens in the United States. Energy Research & Social Science, 79, 102144.
  18. Hernandez, D. (2015). Sacrifice along the energy continuum: a call for energy justice. Environmental Justice, 8(4), 151-156. https://doi.org/10.1089/env.2015.0015
  19. Huebner, G.M., Hamilton, I., Chalabi, Z., Shipworth, D., & Oreszczyn, T. (2015). Explaining domestic energy consumption-the comparative contribution of building factors, socio-demographics, behaviours and attitudes. Applied energy, 159, 589-600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.09.028
  20. Hutchens, K. (2021). Detroit-Upper Peninsula Energy Burden Survey: a research project report and initial analysis of results.
  21. Kawka, E., & Cetin, K. (2021). Impacts of COVID-19 on residential building energy use and performance. Building and Environment, 205, 108200.
  22. Kontokosta, C.E., Reina, V.J., & Bonczak, B. (2020). Energy cost burdens for low-income and minority households: Evidence from energy benchmarking and audit data in five US cities. Journal of the American Planning Association, 86(1), 89-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944363.2019.1647446
  23. Krarti, M., & Aldubyan, M. (2021). Review analysis of COVID-19 impact on electricity demand for residential buildings. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 143, 110888.
  24. Nolon, J.R. (2015). Mitigating climate change by zoning for solar energy systems: embracing clean energy technology in zoning's centennial year. Zoning & Planning Law Report.
  25. Lou, J., Qiu, Y.L., Ku, A.L., Nock, D., & Xing, B. (2021). Inequitable and heterogeneous impacts on electricity consumption from COVID-19 mitigation measures. Iscience, 24(11), 103231.
  26. MacDonald, S., Winner, B., Smith, L., Juillerat, J., & Belknap, S. (2020). Bridging the rural efficiency gap: expanding access to energy efficiency upgrades in remote and high energy cost communities. Energy Efficiency, 13(3), 503-521. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-019-09798-8
  27. Maxim, A., & Grubert, E. (2022). Anticipating climate-related changes to residential energy burden in the United States: advance planning for equity and resilience. Environmental Justice, 15(3), 139-148. https://doi.org/10.1089/env.2021.0056
  28. Michalski, J.C. (2019). Microgrids for Micro-Communities: Reducing the Energy Burden in Rural Areas. Mich. Tech. L. Rev., 26, 145.
  29. Moore, D., & Webb, A.L. (2022). Evaluating energy burden at the urban scale: A spatial regression approach in Cincinnati, Ohio. Energy Policy, 160, 112651.
  30. National Grid (Personal Communication, Sept. 22, 2022). Notice of price increase for National Grid Customers for Winter 2022.
  31. National Grid (2023). Service Territory Map. About Us. https://www9.nationalgridus.com/niagaramohawk/about_us/serviceterr_map_a.asp?county=Erie.
  32. New York State Climate Action Council. (2022). New York State Climate Action Council Scoping Plan. New York State. climate.ny.gov/ScopingPlan
  33. Poloncarz, M. (2018). Erie County Commits to Paris: How Erie County Can Meet US Target Reductions for Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
  34. Reames, T.G. (2016). Targeting energy justice: Exploring spatial, racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in urban residential heating energy efficiency. Energy Policy, 97, 549-558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2016.07.048
  35. Reames, T.G., Daley, D.M., & Pierce, J. C. (2021). Exploring the nexus of energy burden, social capital, and environmental quality in shaping health in US counties. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 620.
  36. Robinson, D. (2019). NSYEG Wants to Raise Electric Rates: Here is How Much You Would Pay. The Buffalo News. https://buffalonews.com/business/local/nyseg-wants-to-raise-electric-rates-heres-how-much-more-you-would-pay/article_521f0e7c-7aa9-5414-5b1054795464faa.html#:~:text=NYSEG%20noted%20that%20the%20company,with%20%2453%20for%20National%20Grid.
  37. Ross, L., Drehobl, A., & Stickles, B. (2018). The high cost of energy in rural America: household energy burdens and opportunities for energy efficiency. Washington DC: American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.
  38. Ruggles, S., Flood, F., Goeken, R., Schouweiler, M., & Sobek, M., (2022). IPUMS USA: Version 12.0 [dataset]. University of Minnesota, https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V12.0
  39. Schilling, J. (2008). Buffalo as the nation's first living laboratory for reclaiming vacant properties. Cities growing smaller. Kent State Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, 32-44.
  40. Shahbaz, M., Topcu, B.A., Sarigul, S.S., & Vo, X.V. (2021). The effect of financial development on renewable energy demand: The case of developing countries. Renewable Energy, 178, 1370-1380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.06.121
  41. Tonn, B., Rose, E., & Hawkins, B. (2018). Evaluation of the US department of energy's weatherization assistance program: Impact results. Energy Policy, 118, 279-290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2018.03.051
  42. University at Buffalo Regional Institute. (2020). Moving Clean Energy Forward: Case Studies of Buffalo Niagara Designated Clean Energy Communities in 2017-2019. University at Buffalo Regional Institute. https://regionalinstitute.buffalo.edu/wpcontent/uploads/sites/155/2020/10/MovingCleanEnergyForward_BuffaloNiagaraCEC_SRPING2020_FINAL.pdf.
  43. U.S. Census Bureau. (2019). 2014-2019 American Community Survey 5-year Public Use Microdata Samples [Data file]. Retrieved from: https://www.socialexplorer. com/explore-tables
  44. U.S. Department of Energy. (2021). Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool. https://www.energy.gov/eere/ slsc/maps/lead-tool
  45. Wang, Q., Kwan, M.P., Fan, J., & Lin, J. (2021). Racial disparities in energy poverty in the United States. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 137, 110620.
  46. Webb, A., & Moore, D. (2020). Understanding Cincinnati's multifamily housing stock: An analysis to improve access to energy efficiency for low-income households. University of Cincinnati.
  47. Webb, A.L. (2017). Energy retrofits in historic and traditional buildings: A review of problems and methods. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 77, 748-759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.01.145
  48. Winkler, H., Simoes, A.F., La Rovere, E.L., Alam, M., Rahman, A., & Mwakasonda, S. (2011). Access and affordability of electricity in developing countries. World development, 39(6), 1037-1050.
  49. Vaishnav, P., & Fatimah, A.M. (2020). The environmental consequences of electrifying space heating. Environmental Science & Technology, 54(16), 9814-9823. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c02705
  50. Zali, N., Ahmadi, H., & Faroughi, S.M. (2013). An analysis of regional disparities situation in the East Azarbaijan Province. Journal of Urban and Environmental Engineering, 7(1), 183-194.
  51. Zivin, J.G., & Novan, K. (2016). Upgrading efficiency and behavior: electricity savings from residential weatherization programs. The Energy Journal, 37(4).