An energyshed, similar in concept to a watershed, considers all the energy demand in a given region as well as local energy generation. Looking at energy from this perspective can help bring better understanding of energy needs and shed light on opportunity for locally driven solutions including clean energy projects. Focusing on an energyshed can also help show how the costs and benefits of an energy system are distributed within and between geographic communities. 
 
The Energyshed: Exploring Place‐Based Generation funding program helps develop tools to help communities understand the impacts and benefits of consuming energy that they generate locally. 

Results from these tools aim to be accessible to all audiences and consistent whether considered from the perspective of utilities, government agencies, local communities, or individual consumers. 

The U.S. Department of Energy announced the Energysheds funding opportunity on June 6, 2022 and the three selected projects on November 2, 2022.   

Awardees

  • University of Vermont ($4.3 million): This project aims to identify the specific energy demand, available and potential energy supply, and other priority community needs in three distinct rural areas of Vermont with different socio-economic characteristics, and then based on that data develop an accessible model and tool that provides local decision makers with specific information on the economic, health, environmental, and other impacts of various energy decisions. After refining the models, this tool will be made available for use across the country. 
     
  • Launch Alaska ($3.4 million): This project will combine and streamline existing tools and use them to gain consensus for three priority large scale local energy projects in collaboration with Alaska communities, regional Native corporations, and technical advisors. This project would primarily engage and benefit Native Alaska communities, but also benefit other energy burdened communities in the area.  
     
  • Georgia Institute of Technology ($2.3 million): This project would create a new metropolitan energy planning organization to evaluate the social, economic, as well as technical impacts of various future energy scenarios within the Atlanta area energyshed. With the help of detailed local data, including from underserved communities, this project aims to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in regional energy planning. 

Additional Information