In an effort to mitigate climate change, many communities and the transportation and energy systems that serve them, are transitioning to renewable sources.
However, not all communities are able to equally participate in this transition. Underserved communities, in particular, often encounter barriers when shifting to newer, electrified energy and transportation systems. Many of these neighborhoods already experience various, socioeconomic challenges and exposure to existing pollutants and potential, adverse health outcomes.
Researchers at The Ohio State University are working to alleviate some of these inequities and improve the quality of life for residents in these communities.
The Facilitating Local Electrified Energy and Transportation Services for All (FLEETS for All) project will engage citizens in 15 underserved, Central Ohio communities to address specific challenges these neighborhoods face during this energy transition. The project will seek to understand needs and opportunities for electrified energy and mobility options to improve health, environmental, and social conditions within these populations. Learn more >>
School of Environment and Natural Resources faculty member Jeffrey Jacquet is part of the interdisciplinary team of collaborators at Ohio State. Jeffrey Bielicki, associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering and the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, serves as principal investigator for the project.
The FLEETS for All project is part of an $11 million grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Bielicki and his collaborators at Ohio State received $1.1 million to conduct their research, joining ten other institutions to investigate drivers and environmental impacts of energy transitions in underserved and Tribal communities nationwide.