Powering Justice: Navigating Trade-offs in New York's Energy Transition
FEATURE
By Jen Ventrella
Jen Ventrella holds a PhD in Public and Urban Policy from the New School, where she researched the politics and environmental justice dimensions of transitions away from fossil fuels to a cleaner power grid. With a unique background combining mechanical engineering and applied anthropology, her work bridges technical energy systems knowledge with environmental justice frameworks.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Transmission infrastructure for renewable energy creates complex environmental justice trade-offs
Connecting renewable energy to urban centers via transmission lines may create upstream impacts on Indigenous and rural communities while having the potential to reduce pollution in cities
Transdisciplinary approaches that bridge engineering, policy, and justice frameworks are essential for equitable energy transitions
Social-ecological-technological systems (SETS) framework provides an effective lens for analyzing grid infrastructure complexity
Community-academic partnerships enhance policy relevance in energy justice research
From Engineering to Environmental Justice
My path to studying environmental and energy justice began with a realization during my studies in mechanical engineering: technical solutions alone cannot address climate challenges without considering their social context. After working on energy access projects in Uganda and Honduras, I observed how technologies designed without community input often struggled to achieve their intended impacts.
This experience led me to pursue anthropology alongside engineering at Oregon State University, eventually bringing me to The New School's Public and Urban Policy PhD program to examine the political and justice dimensions of energy transitions.
Examining New York's Transmission Corridors
My dissertation focuses on New York State's transition away from fossil fuels, particularly examining the environmental justice implications of transmission infrastructure that connects renewable energy sources to areas of high electricity demand. The research centers on two case study transmission projects that emerged following the state's 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which set a target for 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040. Intended to address the “tale of two grids,” where New York’s downstate grid is heavily dominated by fossil fuels while its upstate grid is predominantly powered by renewables, these projects reveal tensions between climate goals and justice concerns, highlighting a complex system of pulleys and levers where addressing one issue can create unexpected consequences elsewhere.
One illustrative example involves the Champlain Hudson Power Express project connecting power from hydroelectric facilities in Québec, Canada to New York City. While this project may help to reduce urban pollution by phasing out fossil fuel plants, it creates upstream impacts on First Nation communities in Québec. Furthermore, the rerouting of electricity originally intended for Québec consumers to New York City may necessitate additional dams in Québec—potentially in First Nation territories that Québec has historically burdened with these facilities.
This case demonstrates how even renewable energy sources can perpetuate injustice when viewed through a broader systems lens. My research examines these environmental justice considerations along the full length of transmission corridors, from energy generation sources to the communities along the lines.
“Tale of two grids” in New York. Data from 2023 NYISO Power Trends. Image by Jennifer Ventrella.
Documenting Power Lines and Power Struggles
My research first provides a national context of electricity grid challenges in the United States, noting regional governance differences and infrastructure ownership patterns. This broader perspective situates the New York case studies within national trends.
The second component examines the transmission line case studies in depth, analyzing community impacts, governance processes, and environmental justice implications. My approach draws on established frameworks encompassing four key dimensions: distributional, procedural, recognitional, and restorative justice. I focused primarily on distributional impacts due to their breadth and visibility, then linked these findings to procedural justice by examining if and how community concerns were incorporated into decision-making.
The final section explores alternatives and potential paths forward, suggesting ways to create more equitable energy transitions.
Energy Justice in Action
My commitment to applied research led to engagement with organizations including the Tishman Environment and Design Center at the New School, NY Renews, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice. These collaborations allowed me to contribute to research that directly informed policy advocacy, such as a project at the Tishman Center that examined the environmental justice implications of carbon capture and storage in the power sector.
I also contributed to the Fourth New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC4), working on chapters addressing climate futures, equity considerations, and energy systems. This opportunity connected themes from my dissertation research to broader climate adaptation and energy transition efforts in New York City.
Yoon, L., Ventrella, J., Marcotullio, P., Matte, T., Lane, K., Tipaldo, J., Jessel, S., Schmid, K., Casagrande, J., & Elszasz, H. (2024). NPCC4: Climate change, energy, and energy insecurity in New York City. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, n/a(n/a). https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.15117
Balk, D., McPhearson, T., Cook, E. M., Knowlton, K., Maher, N., Marcotullio, P., Matte, T., Moss, R., Ortiz, L., Towers, J., Ventrella, J., & Wagner, G. (n.d.). NPCC4: Concepts and tools for envisioning New York City’s futures. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, n/a(n/a). https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.15121
Towers, J., Leichenko, R., Braneon, C., Balk, D., Yoon, L., Wagner, G., Ventrella, J., Tchen, J. K. W., Rosenzweig, B., Orton, P., Ortiz, L., Moss, R., Montalto, F., McPhearson, T., McComas, K., Marcotullio, P., Matte, T., Maher, N., Knowlton, K., … Baptista, A. (2024). NPCC4: Climate risk and equity—advancing knowledge toward a sustainable future | Conclusions. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, nyas.15150. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.15150
Transdisciplinary Research at the USL
The Urban Systems Lab provided crucial support throughout my research journey. The lab's social-ecological-technological systems (SETS) framework proved particularly valuable for conceptualizing complex systems like the power grid. Drawing from my work on climate resilient futures with the Growing Convergence research team, I applied this framework to understand the energy system as an interconnected whole. This comprehensive perspective allowed me to develop more nuanced understandings of the trade-offs involved in energy transitions, drawing from my background in engineering, anthropology, and policy.
Charting a Just Energy Future: Next Steps
Having completed my dissertation, I've published my first co-authored paper from this research, Transitioning the grid for climate change: power transmission futures and grid justice, in Environmental Research: Energy. This paper examines the environmental justice implications of transmission infrastructure, focusing on how New York State has become a high-profile arena for debates around grid congestion, financial sector ownership of transmission, and siting concerns. The paper investigates critical dimensions of transmission grid access, ownership, siting, and scale—issues that are increasingly relevant as we pursue decarbonization while facing growing climate impacts.
Looking ahead, I'm preparing several additional papers from this research and remain committed to work that bridges climate solutions with justice considerations and informs policy. My interdisciplinary background positions me uniquely to navigate the complex trade-offs inherent in energy transitions. Whether through academia, government, or advocacy organizations, I aim to ensure that the clean energy transition doesn't simply replace one form of injustice with another, but instead creates systems that benefit communities equitably and justly.
Visualization of extreme heat adaptation and resilience strategies in 2100. Designer: Eleanor Davol, Source: NYC Climate Adaptation Scenarios for 2100.
Edited by Valérie Lechêne
