Emphasizing Representation in Energy
Dr. Reames shared in his conversations with NCSEA that a crucial factor of energy justice is expanding representation of people across various backgrounds and races. Additionally, as a means to increase representation in the workforce, he explained that universities and colleges, especially Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), can train students for the clean energy jobs of the future. He added that some nonprofits also help historically marginalized groups prepare for jobs in the energy field. This way, as he put it, “We can create an ecosystem that builds the pipeline from the skilled trades jobs all the way up to the C-Suite jobs.” The US Department of Energy has a strong focus on building a clean energy workforce that looks like America through its new Office of Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Accessibility and its Clean Energy Corps hiring initiative, according to Dr. Tony Reames.
Dr. Reames shared an experience from his doctoral research to illustrate why diversity is important. It involved a program designed to help households in Kansas City, Missouri, learn about funding for energy efficiency. As part of the initiative, local university students, who were mostly white, went door-to-door in a majority African American community to share information about the available funding. The initiative experienced some challenges due to a lack of trust by the community. The program then paired students with local residents and found that households were much more open to talking about energy efficiency and how they could receive energy efficiency upgrades in their homes. “That was one of the clearest examples of how representation can increase access and participation,” said Dr. Reames. This lesson can also help increase participation of historically underrepresented communities in the energy transition— be that purchasing an electric vehicle or applying for a job in clean energy.
An Optimistic Outlook
Dr. Reames believes that it is possible to make energy access equitable in the United States, and he’s dedicated his career to this goal. “A just energy future creates wealth for communities that have yet to experience the benefits of equitable energy access,” he said.
Thinking back to one of the places that inspired this direction, Dr. Reames shared opportunities for North Carolina to expand the focus on energy justice. He said the community aspect is key. His idea is for the state to develop a five-year clean energy “capital improvement plan,” drawing on the way he created such plans as a civil engineer. The plan would focus on energy efficiency retrofits and electrification for low- and moderate-income households and should detail the steps taken each year for five years until every home receives the weatherization services it needs.
In his role at the US Department of Energy (DOE), he also foresees opportunities for the department to deploy additional clean energy infrastructure in disadvantaged communities.” For instance, Dr. Reames believes that integrating more renewable energy and battery storage into communities who suffer from energy outages after natural disasters would help them be more resilient to climate risk.
Dr. Reames has already seen change, with conversations around equity in clean energy increasing, as he put it, “100-fold” since entering the field. To continue this trajectory, he sees the importance of empowering people to reach out to elected officials to influence energy policy and justice.
Today, policy change is paving the way for increasing equity. Dr. Reames said the Inflation Reduction Act is “a major opportunity to spend government resources in a way that addresses disparities while supporting economic growth.”
Looking forward, Dr. Reames is most excited about his office developing a strategy to address energy poverty. His team is at work studying communities that face energy poverty to more effectively form comprehensive strategies to address the issue.
He’s optimistic about the DOE’s ability to tackle the issue of energy poverty, given the agency’s years of recognizing the intersection of energy and race. While there is certainly room for improvement, Dr. Reames pointed out that the DOE (founded in 1977) demonstrated a commitment to equity by establishing the Office of Minority Economic Impact (now Office of Economic Impact and Diversity) just a year later in 1978.
To carry out this incredibly important work, Dr. Reames is guided by numerous leaders and scholars of the environmental justice movement that inspire him every day. For instance, Drs. Beverly Wright, Robert Bullard, Dorceta Taylor, Paul Mohai, and Bunyan Bryant are leaders that he shares have each charted a path to addressing energy and environmental injustices that inform him along the way. He looks forward to seeing driven individuals join the movement to elevate energy justice efforts that can transform communities and change lives.