PSE researchers are developing publicly-available tools to evaluate potential climate resilience solutions, particularly in disadvantaged communities. In 2023, our researchers released a series of publicly-available interactive maps and educational resources to provide Californian’s with in-depth data on a range of factors on local climate risk, including energy reliability and population vulnerability. In collaboration with the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) and Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), PSE scientists led a series of public workshops and webinars to engage climate-vulnerable communities—and their local and state governments—with the information and tools needed to understand local risk factors and explore the potential for solar+storage powered resilience hubs.
Our Work
Resilience hubs are physical institutions that offer space for community members to gather, organize, and access resilience-building social services on a daily basis, and provide response and recovery services in disaster situations. With support from the California Strategic Growth Council’s Climate Change Research Program and funded by California Climate Investments, PSE Healthy Energy is working with the APEN and CBE to identify opportunities to build solar+energy storage resilience hubs at schools and community centers throughout California. Through this work, PSE is engaging and educating relevant stakeholders on the core concepts and research-based strategies surrounding equitable resilience hub design.
- Candidate Resilience Hub Mapping Tool: In June 2023, PSE Healthy Energy released a beta version of the Candidate Resilience Hub Mapping Tool which allows users to explore over 18 thousand potential resilience hub locations across California, as well as in-depth data on local populations and climate risks.
- Public Safety Power Shutoff Map: The Public Safety Power Shutoff Map was released in May 2023 as a tool to display the frequency and duration of Public Safety Power Shutoff outages in California from the State’s six investor-owned utilities.
- In addition to these tools, PSE has also published blogs to further promote the importance of climate resilience as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities.
Our Impact
- PSE scientists helped facilitate a series of public workshops, conference presentations, and webinars that engaged over 100 representatives from community based organizations, state agencies, and local governments on equitable resilience hub design.
- Our interactive tools were featured in the California Strategic Growth Council’s newsletters, as well as in news coverage in the LAist and the Orange County Register.
- Our Candidate Resilience Hubs Mapping Tool website gained 2,300 page views in 2023, with over 20 community centers throughout California requesting to be added to the resilience hub mapping tool.
Looking Ahead
Our scientists continue to lead research on climate resilience, providing decision makers and the public with science-based solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts. Learn more about our climate research.