Racial disparities in the energy burden beyond socio-economic inequality

The consequences of climate change are known to be more damaging to historically minoritized groups. Ironically, recent measures to mitigate carbon emissions often negatively influence these groups to a greater extent. Racial and ethnic minorities are one of the well-documented energy vulnerable groups in the residential energy sector. Existing studies primarily attributed the racial and ethnic minorities’ greater energy burden to socio-economic inequality, such as low income and inefficient housing, while other possible sources have received little empirical attention. Analyzing nationally representative U.S. households, we provide evidence that Blacks bear a greater energy burden than others unexplained by socio-economic inequality, and this additional energy burden is primarily driven by Blacks’ extra demand for space heating. Specifically, after controlling for regional, housing, demographic, and appliance/device characteristics, Blacks’ annual energy expenditure exceeds that of the other groups by US$1.6 billion. Examining this gap by end-use type and climate region, we reveal that this extra burden is primarily explained by Blacks’ additional needs for space heating. Further evidence shows that self-reported needs for health services due to low indoor temperature are closely associated with the racial difference in space heating needs. Our results highlight a blind spot yet to be covered by existing energy policies and point to possible recognition injustice.