Argonne partners with Constellation to create tool ensuring equal access to all clean energy initiatives

By Beth Burmahl

Argonne to build framework for Constellation to help determine the impact of clean energy projects on the communities it serves. The tool will help evaluate equity in clean energy projects and guide future decisions.

To ensure no one is left behind in the clean energy transition, planning initiatives from a social equity perspective is critical.

In line with the United States’ goals to give all residents equal access to clean, affordable energy, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory is leading the way in developing tools to guide the planning and analysis of clean energy projects from an equity viewpoint.

Recently, Argonne partnered with Constellation, the nation’s largest producer of carbon-free energy, to develop a blueprint to incorporate equity into its clean energy projects at the community level. Constellation and Argonne entered into a cooperative research and development agreement for the project, which will be completed by the end of 2025.

In September 2022, Argonne launched a long-term agreement with Constellation to evaluate trends in the country’s energy system and develop technologies for more efficient, carbon-free power generation.

“Argonne’s collective expertise will help us tap into the innovation ecosystem and be intentional in how we deploy clean energy technologies.” — Colleen Wright, vice president for strategy at Constellation

By gathering metrics on factors like energy burden, job creation, air quality and water and health impacts, Argonne will build the framework to help determine the impact of clean energy projects on the communities Constellation serves.

Ultimately, Argonne’s goal is to convert the framework into an online dashboard Constellation can use to evaluate equity in clean energy projects and guide thoughtful decision-making on its investments.

Constellation’s fleet of nuclear, hydro, wind and solar generation facilities has the capacity to power approximately 16 million homes. Its retail arm serves businesses, homes, community aggregations and public sector customers, including three-fourths of the Fortune 100 companies.

“The project with Constellation is mutually beneficial,” said project leader Yan (Joann) Zhou, Argonne principal transportation systems analyst. ​“Constellation benefits from Argonne’s groundbreaking methods and tools that incorporate energy equity into clean energy planning to maximize community benefits. Argonne can apply its tools and research in a real-world setting for a company strongly committed to providing clean, reliable and affordable energy to all consumers.”

“This collaboration provides Constellation with a valuable tool that supports our commitment to foster access to an equitable clean energy transition across our customers, employees, business partners and the communities we serve,” said Colleen Wright, vice president for strategy at Constellation. ​“Argonne’s collective expertise will help us tap into the innovation ecosystem and be intentional in how we deploy clean energy technologies.”

Justice40 principles guide equity planning

Historically, disadvantaged communities have been overburdened by environmental hazards like pollution and underserved in terms of access to clean energy sources like wind, solar and nuclear power.

Argonne’s framework will align with DOE’s Justice40 Initiative, which ensures at least 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities.

Scientists will work with Constellation to develop priorities that align with the company’s vision for ensuring energy equity. The framework will help Constellation quantitatively analyze clean energy investments through a consistent equity lens in one platform, Zhou said.

“Developing clean energy projects in an underserved community can create many benefits, but it does not necessarily do so,” Zhou said. ​“Through the framework, we can assess the equity concerns and drawbacks as well as potential benefits of each project.”

Community goals, input are critical

Community engagement is critical to integrating equity into clean energy projects. By identifying and gathering metrics on factors that impact communities, the Argonne platform can help determine the community-level impact of clean energy projects.

Scientists will also draw on lessons learned from other community-driven energy efforts that integrate equity, including the Community Research on Climate and Urban Science (CROCUS) project. Led by Argonne, CROCUS studies urban climate change and its implications for environmental justice in the Chicago region.

Composed of research, community, educational and industry partners, CROCUS helps create equitable energy solutions that benefit all residents, especially those disproportionately affected by climate change. CROCUS is funded by DOE’s Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research program.

Among Argonne’s energy justice tools, the laboratory’s Geospatial Energy Mapper (GEM) helps identify areas suitable for wind, solar and other clean energy technology projects. Scientists will use GEM’s comprehensive, interactive online mapping tool, with more than 400 mapping layers, to drill down to specifics on energy resources, infrastructure and equity factors.

Argonne will work with Constellation to identify two to three disadvantaged communities that will serve as case studies for applying the framework. Case studies could potentially include nuclear, fossil and renewable technologies. In the final stage of the project, scientists will use their findings to develop the online dashboard to guide Constellation’s clean energy investments.

About Constellation
A Fortune 200 company headquartered in Baltimore, Constellation Energy Corporation (Nasdaq: CEG) is the nation’s largest producer of clean, carbon-free energy and a leading supplier of energy products and services to businesses, homes, community aggregations and public sector customers across the continental United States, including three fourths of Fortune 100 companies.

With annual output that is nearly 90% carbon-free, Constellation’s hydro, wind and solar facilities paired with the nation’s largest nuclear fleet have the generating capacity to power the equivalent of 16 million homes, providing about 10% of the nation’s clean energy. Constellation is further accelerating the nation’s transition to a carbon-free future by helping its customers reach their sustainability goals, setting its own ambitious goal of achieving 100% carbon-free generation by 2040, and by investing in promising emerging technologies to eliminate carbon emissions across all sectors of the economy. Follow Constellation on LinkedIn and X.

Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology by conducting leading-edge basic and applied research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://​ener​gy​.gov/​s​c​ience.