Neighbourhood retrofit paves way for a just, decarbonised future

A major challenge at the fore of the energy transition is the coordination of the many and varied aspects of society that need to come together to achieve a just, resilient and decarbonised future.  Our forthcoming Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program seminar will discuss one such exemplar, a retrofit of an existing neighbourhood in Oakland, California.

Ecoblock is an ambitious research, development and demonstration project that brings together an impressive array of leading experts in the fields of energy and water research, along with pioneering engineers, architects, designers, government officials, business professionals and community members.

The neighbourhood chosen for Ecoblock is in one of Oakland’s less wealthy parts, indeed it was chosen in part due to its social diversity, levels of pollution and position on the city’s electricity grid.

The scope of the project includes energy and water efficiency retrofits, solar PV installations, a microgrid and shared energy storage, a shared  electric vehicle (EV), EV charging stations – and a new approach to coordinating these resources among neighbours and a neighbourhood collective with a legal and financing structure that aims to be equitable and inclusive.

Join us to hear Phillippe Phanivong, Postdoctoral Scholar, California Institute for Energy and Environment, University of California, Berkeley, explain the project – its challenges and opportunities and lessons learnt.

What: BSGIP online seminar on Ecoblock project with guest speaker Phillippe Phanivong, University of California, Berkeley.

When: 10 – 11am AEST, Tuesday 7 May 2024

Where: Zoom

Funded by the California Energy Commission, Ecoblock is led by a team at the University of California, Berkeley. Find out more: EcoBlock – California Institute for Energy and Environment, UC Berkeley