The vast majority of theses in this collection are open access and freely available. There are a small number of theses that have access restricted to the WWU campus. For off-campus access to a thesis labeled "Campus Only Access," please log in here with your WWU universal ID, or talk to your librarian about requesting the restricted thesis through interlibrary loan.

Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department or Program Affiliation

College of the Environment - Environmental Studies Masters

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Environmental Studies

First Advisor

Neff, Mark W.

Second Advisor

Darby, Kate J.

Third Advisor

Sifuentes, Froylan

Abstract

Increased policy commitments in the U.S. and across the globe are necessary to transition the electricity system towards renewable energy and reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, a United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) goal to reach the Paris Agreement and keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius, 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. Along with a need for urgent action is the importance of considering energy affordability, among other equity considerations, in policy decisions. Distributed solar is a renewable energy technology with potential to contribute to a just renewable energy system yet it comes into conflict with many aspects of the current energy regime, including utility business models and current infrastructure. The role this technology will play in a just and renewable energy future remain unclear. In this thesis research, I conduct a comparative case study of distributed solar adoption in Bellingham, WA and Burlington, VT, to understand the factors influencing current adoption patterns to provide recommendations for each state to work towards the dual outcomes of reaching renewable energy goals and ensuring energy affordability and equity. I combine city level solar adoption data from 2010-2023 with semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders to understand factors influencing adoption in and between case studies. Primary takeaways are that state policy details, utility operations, and unique geographic characteristics are factors influencing current distributed adoption patterns and rates in these case studies. In Washington and Vermont, aligning outdated utility business models with new needs for renewable energy, ensuring ratepayer protections, and strategically incentivizing different forms of distributed solar will be key policy pathways towards ensuring Washington and Vermont meet current energy goals. These findings are also relevant for other states looking to meet commitments towards a just energy transition, particularly in light of backtracking progress towards renewable energy at the federal level.

Type

Text

Keywords

Energy policy, just energy transition, distributed energy, distributed solar, utility regulation, community solar, residential solar, renewable energy transition

Publisher

Western Washington University

OCLC Number

1520428073

Subject – LCSH

Energy policy; Distributed generation of electric power--Washington (State)--Bellingham; Distributed generation of electric power--Vermont--Burlington; Solar energy--Washington (State)--Bellingham; Solar energy--Vermont--Burlington; Renewable energy sources

Geographic Coverage

Burlington (Vt.); Bellingham (Wash.)

Format

application/pdf

Genre/Form

masters theses

Language

English

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Download

Share

COinS