Energy justice at the utility scale: Insights from Los Angeles's path to decarbonization

Decarbonization of our energy systems is key to alleviating environmental injustices and enabling a more sustainable, livable planet for all. Yet, without careful planning, the costs of this transition are likely to fall most heavily on those least equipped to bear them. To address this challenge, research in the growing field of energy justice has advanced guiding theoretical frameworks and principles. While these frameworks have been widely analyzed and applied to small-scale sustainability projects, far fewer efforts have applied an energy justice framework at scale or in direct collaboration with energy providers. This article examines one such prominent case: Los Angeles's LA100 Equity Strategies (LA100 ES) effort. Over two years, the city of Los Angeles convened its local electrical utility, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP); national and local researchers; and local community-based organizations to develop strategies for achieving a 100 % renewable, equitable electricity grid by 2035. Drawing on participant observation and document analysis, this case study highlights both the promise and the limitations of applied energy justice in the context of large-scale grid decarbonization. While demonstrating the feasibility of community-engaged planning at scale, the effort also highlights the challenges of turning research into action – as the bulk of identified strategies have not yet been implemented. Ultimately, the case emphasizes that broad frameworks may be insufficiently subtle to address entrenched barriers to energy justice, and should be complemented by place-based strategies that acknowledge the structural and moral components of the modern energy system.