Publications

This research project investigated the effectiveness of low- and moderate-income (LMI) community solar programs in New Jersey, where we focused on their role in promoting energy justice in under-resourced communities. The research team recruited 158 participants from low- and moderate-income neighborhoods in open discussions to elaborate on their experiences with renewable energy adoption and community […]

By Sania Murtuza, Tai Vu, & Yao Sun, Ph.D This research project evaluates the effectiveness of New Jersey’s solar program and its impact on energy justice, focusing on community engagement. The project seeks to inform the development of solar programs, particularly in low-income areas, by leveraging AI analysis and Tableau to visualize solar access across New Jersey cities such as Jersey City, Newark, and Trenton.

With the intention of developing an interactive map for Jersey City, Newark, and Trenton, the research team first obtained zip code data for New Jersey from an online dataset.

Guided by the theoretical and practical frameworks from the literature, the research team led efforts to specify neighborhoods in New Jersey using zip codes for this research project on low-income communities’ access to solar energy.

As the global emphasis on sustainability grows every day, it is crucial to assess different alternatives for energy that do not require burning fossil fuels and nonrenewable energies in general. The research team conducted a review of relevant scholarly research in preparation for launching the community-based online crowdsourcing events.