This Sloan Foundation Project will identify and examine the social and technological barriers and opportunities for electrification in the rural northern region of the United States through three community-engaged case studies in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
About the Sloan Project
Rural areas are important, yet challenging, regions in which to advance electrification. In particular, the rural North is in a cold climate, has remote communities, has frequent need for back-up power and has been dependent on fossil fuels. At the same time, these regions are also becoming spots for renewable energy development given the abundant resources and sparse populations. The stud will be undertaken for five counties - Baraga (Michigan), Ashland and Iron (Wisconsin), and Beltrami and Clearwater (Minnesota).
Each case study involves surveys in the communities, a baseline and an endline to assess the heating and cooling options, barriers and opportunities to electrification. The study is collaborative, with the involvement of tribal community members in survey design. Technical assessments will involve analyses of the home conditions to install heating and cooling solutions.
The Project begin in December 2022. Learn more about the project here