Power lines and people: Mapping how distribution grid constraints shape resilient and equitable energy transition

California aims to be carbon-neutral by 2045 largely through electrifying the grid. Distributed energy resources (DER) are small-scale energy generation and storage technologies, such as rooftop solar or electric vehicles, that play a significant role in the rapid decarbonization of the energy system. The integration of DERs and the electrification of residential buildings require grid infrastructure capacity, which is inequitably distributed across communities. There has been no previous streamlined method for determining these inequities that considered both grid infrastructure and sociodemographic data at the household level. Through this project, the capstone team created a reproducible workflow that automates the linkage between the data sources to assess gaps between electrification needs and grid infrastructure hosting and load capacity. These analytical tools and data products will help utility grid planners, state energy regulators, and community advocacy groups ensure a more equitable decarbonization process.