Energy Infrastructure

  • How does the transition of electric power systems toward decarbonization and electrification impact the vulnerabilities of rural communities? 
  • How can multi-sector models incorporate regional-scale climate modeling results and local-scale geohazard identification to facilitate the planning of resilient energy services?

The vulnerability of energy infrastructure to climate change and geohazards will be quantified using physically-based models for events like flooding, extreme heat, and snow that affect the supply of electricity (reducing the capacity of transmission and generation) and the demand for electricity (increasing the magnitude or changing the timing of peak demand events). We illustrate energy vulnerabilities through a set of scenarios, selected based on community input, to describe the vulnerabilities of electricity infrastructure created or mitigated by energy transitions, regional climate change, and local geohazards.