The persistence of high energy burdens: A bibliometric analysis of vulnerability, poverty, and exclusion in the United States

Using bibliometric methods, we examine the persistently high energy bills borne by low-income households in the U.S. This is a mystifying problem in today’s age of abundant and low-priced electricity and fossil fuels. After decades of energy-efficiency programs and targeted policies, the average low-income household still spends a disproportionately large percentage of its income on energy bills. Issues of equity, race and justice are increasingly linked to the problem of persistent energy burdens. In the complex ecosystem of stakeholders that influence energy burden, key gaps still exist in the understanding of causes and solutions. In particular, limited research has examined the role of landlords and property managers in multifamily housing. Over the past decade, research has increasingly illuminated (1) the link between energy burden and health, (2) promising pathways to democratize energy efficiency and rooftop solar, and (3) issues of equity, justice, and African-American populations. Sustainable and affordable household energy is critical today as Covid-19 and climate change introduce new layers of stress that challenge the transition to a clean energy future.