Energy Burden
Understanding Energy Inequity in Virginia
“Energy burden” is the measure of a household’s income spent on energy or utility costs - presented as a percentage. Energy burden is determined by dividing a household’s average annual energy costs by its average annual income. These costs usually include electricity, natural gas, and other common heating fluids such as propane.
C3 is committed to advocating for those impacted by high energy costs and energy burden throughout Central Virginia.
Many of the same communities who have been historically discriminated against and disenfranchised are actively navigating hardship to pay utility bills.
Energy Burden Studies
C3’s energy burden studies analyze energy burden and its drivers at a local level, seeking to understand the relationship between energy and housing affordability in Central Virginia.
Our goal is to not only identify key drivers of energy burden, but also actively map disparities between households based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to race and ethnicity, income level, home ownership vs renting, and the age of someone’s building.
