
Affordability, Access, and Resiliency
Inclusive Strategies, Measurable Progress, Sustainable Impact.
At ILLUME, we are dedicated to advancing impactful policies and solutions that foster inclusion, accessibility, and resilience in our energy systems. Our consulting services integrate comprehensive and rigorous qualitative and quantitative analyses with community-centered practices to ensure that your programs, services, regulatory priorities, and policies meet the needs of your constituents and achieve measurable success against your goals.
Our Services
Priority Population Strategic Consulting and Research
We help you identify how to prioritize your investments to achieve the greatest impact against your goals and in service of priority populations. By leveraging data analytics and engaging directly with stakeholders, we craft actionable criteria, strategies, and solutions that address systemic barriers and advance an equitable clean energy transition.
Please note that many different words are used to describe people or communities that may experience disproportionate impacts related to climate change and/or energy service delivery. At both the national and state level, there is no singular term to encompass these communities, and terms have specific meanings in certain contexts. We broadly reference “priority populations” to encompass the myriad of indicators that may result in people or communities facing obstacles to an equitable clean energy transition.
Baseline Assessment and Metric Development
We support you by creating actionable baseline assessments to identify gaps and measure progress in achieving greater reach, inclusivity, and accessibility across your energy investments and programs. Our metrics frameworks help you track outcomes and refine programs to maximize impact for priority populations.
Community-Integrated Policy Design and Strategy
We support you in designing policy frameworks that integrate community perspectives and directly address energy access and affordability disparities. By aligning community priorities and policy mandates, we create strategies that are effective, sustainable, and adaptable to your evolving goals and priorities.
Outcomes Assessment
Our team analyzes your policies and programs to ensure they effectively meet your goals and generates actionable, targeted strategies to achieve your intended outcomes. We translate your investments into strategic, concrete insights that help you meet regulatory requirements and achieve your goals.
Affordable Energy Solutions Design and Strategy
We develop strategies to improve energy affordability and reduce cost burdens for your customers. Through innovative affordability analysis and careful program design analytics, we support you in addressing the economic challenges your customers face.
Resilience Metrics and Strategic Planning
Our expertise in resilience planning ensures communities can adapt to energy challenges and climate impacts. We develop robust metrics and strategies that focus on strengthening community preparedness and infrastructure, fostering sustainability and long-term growth.
EXPLORE Our Work
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Podcasts
Women Leaders in Energy
Podcasts
In this episode of Current, An Energy Podcast, we talk with inspiring women leaders and business owners in Energy. You’ll hear…
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Podcasts
Powering Partnerships
Podcasts
Listen to our new podcast episode where team members from ILLUME and Encolor discuss our new strategic partnership.
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Webinars
Energy Changemakers
Webinars
Regional Energy Efficiency Organizations (REEOs) play a pivotal role in enabling energy efficiency initiatives across the United States. In this webinar,…
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Conferences
ACEEE Summer Study 2024
Conferences
Let’s Connect at ACEEE in Pacific Grove, CA, August 4-9, 2024. ILLUME will have multiple team members attending and presenting at…
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White Papers
In this whitepaper, written for ACEEE Summer Study 2024, we share promising practices around how jurisdictions can approach measuring equitable processes…
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White Papers
This paper, written for ACEEE Summer Study 2024, will share the results of an expansive study focused on language-focused barriers and…
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Presentations
NECC: Inclusive Energy Codes
Presentations
In this talk given at the National Energy Codes Conference (NECC) 2024, Bahareh van Boekhold talks about Inclusive Energy Codes: Bridging…
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Presentations
Building Trust and Demonstrating Value
Presentations
In this presentation—given at the Utility Energy Forum (UEF) 2024 in Cambria, California—Executive Vice President, Jes Rivas will be speaking about…
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Presentations
Building Energy Codes: An Equity Framework
Presentations
Bahareh van Boekhold gave this presentation at NBI’s Getting to Zero Forum 2024. She presents on an equity framework for building…
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Presentations
NEUAC: ILSFA Small Residential Barriers
Presentations
Mallika Jayaraman, and co-presenters from Elevate and Illinois Power Agency (IPA), presented Removing Barriers to Residential Solar: Illinois Solar for All…
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Case Studies
The ILLUME team led a research study to support the launch of SoCalREN’s new Food Desert Energy Efficiency Equity (FDEEE) program.
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Articles
Embracing Complexity
Articles
The future of equitable service will require new modes of collaboration between utilities, communities, stakeholders, and government. Coordination around common terminology…
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Webinars
Crack the code to transform federal, state, and local policies into tangible, equitable impact during this webinar with ILLUME Directors, Dr.…
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Presentations
This session will present best practices on how decision-makers at the state, agency, and utility levels can translate oftentimes opaque policy…
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Case Studies
Many states, agencies, and utilities are entrusted with translating equity policies and goals into actionable strategies in their policies and programs.…
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Articles
We are living in a moment of transition as people are interacting with the grid, their utilities, and their energy use…
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Magazine Articles
The Great Decarbonization
Magazine Articles
Our fourth volume of the ILLUME Magazine, “The Great Decarbonization,” is an inspirational collection of articles, interviews, and ideas we believe…
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Articles
Balancing Your Equity Framework
Articles
A groundswell of energy equity and justice legislation contain guidelines for more equitable processes and outcomes. What are states considering in…
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Articles
Reorienting Toward Equity
Articles
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White Papers
Unlocking Just Transportation Electrification
White Papers
Unlocking Just Transportation Electrification: Addressing Barriers and Promoting Access in Underserved Communities
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Reports
In response to the goals outlined in Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), ComEd is developing initiatives for workforce development,…
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Case Studies
Connecting with Communities
Case Studies
Expanding engagement to create more inclusive programs. With a novel and engaging research approach, ILLUME identified strategies for an electric utility…
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Reports
In this evaluation of the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) Program for San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) ILLUME took…
Sharing Their Knowledge
Meet Our Experts
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Leigh Michael
Senior Director
Leigh Michael offers more than 10 years of experience in energy policy and programs with a focus on addressing disparities in access, participation, and resilience. She excels at foundational projects that help clients understand the ‘current state’ of their initiatives…
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Alexandra Dunn
Senior Director
Dr. Alex Dunn is a cognitive scientist and psycholinguist with more than a decade of experience helping clients understand human behavior and its impact on energy programs and services with a focus on rate design, market transformation, equitable access, economic…