Research Project
PSE Healthy Energy is working with the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) and Communities for a Better Environment (CBE) to identify opportunities to build solar+energy storage resilience hubs at schools and community centers across California. PSE is identifying sites statewide; evaluating the design parameters needed to meet critical electric loads in the event of earthquakes, wildfires, public safety power shutoffs, or other disaster-induced electricity outages; and analyzing demographic and vulnerability metrics for populations in proximity to these sites to inform deployment scenarios and priorities.
At the community level, APEN and CBE are working closely with environmental justice communities in Richmond and Wilmington to identify specific school and community center sites, develop community engagement strategies, and incorporate community-specific needs and priorities into project designs. These community findings will help inform PSE’s statewide analysis, enabling us to provide grounded recommendations for the development of resilient solar+storage systems at schools and community sites statewide. This project will provide a framework for State climate mitigation and adaptation efforts to advance clean energy, promote public health benefits, reflect community needs, and equitably provide resilience for communities throughout California.
The community resilience hubs project is supported by California Strategic Growth Council’s Climate Change Research Program with funds from California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities.
Analysis and Data Tools
Questions?
Contact the project team:
- Elena Krieger at PSE Healthy Energy (krieger@psehealthyenergy.org)
- Shina Robinson at Asian Pacific Environmental Network (shina@apen4ej.org)
- Laura Gracia at Communities for a Better Environment (laura@cbecal.org)
Fact Sheet: Resilience Hub Design Trade-Offs and Considerations 
