Sloan Rural Electrification Project

This project, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, aims to 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. 

Rural areas are important yet challenging regions in which to advance electrification. In particular, the rural North is a cold climate with remote communities, frequent need for backup power, and dependence on fossil fuels. At the same time, these regions are also able to host renewable energy development, given the relatively abundant land access and sparse populations. Each case study involves two surveys in the communities.

The study is collaborative, with the involvement of an advisory in survey design, community outreach, and data interpretation. Technical assessments will involve analyses of the home conditions to understand the economic and environmental impacts associated with installing electrified heating and cooling solutions in northern rural communities. The Project began in December 2022.