Renters comprise nearly two-thirds of California’s low-income population, yet structural barriers have long kept them on the sidelines of the clean energy transition. At the 2026 California Climate and Energy Collaborative (CCEC) Forum, The Energy Coalition (TEC) led an interactive workshop to change that status quo and accelerate equitable energy access across the state.
Panelists speak about programs they’ve developed for renters in their communities.
Bridging the Renter Equity Gap
The Energy Coalition organized and moderated the workshop, which featured leaders from California cities, energy providers, and community-based organizations to showcase how local agencies are designing Direct-to-Renter programs.
Direct-to-Renter provides portable, plug-and-play appliances like heat pump air conditioners, portable batteries, and induction cooktops directly to low-income tenants. These low-barrier interventions help families to keep their homes at a safe temperature, improve their indoor air quality, prepare for blackouts, and manage their energy use to save money on utility bills—all without requiring complex building modifications or landlord approval.
🔗 You can download our CCEC 2026 workshop slides here.
Helping Attendees Design Their Own Renter Energy Programs
We guided attendees through an interactive process to create the framework for a program tailored to their own community. Participants collaborated in small-group breakout sessions to hash out three core topics:
- Who they will serve (community outreach): Crafting inclusive eligibility criteria and partnering with local community-based organizations to reach underserved residents.
- What they will offer (appliance portfolio): Selecting low-voltage appliances and balancing investment-per-household with total participants served.
- How they’ll make it happen (operational strategies): Processing applications efficiently, managing ordering logistics, and coordinating deliveries.
A facilitator guides attendees through a small-group breakout session.
We provided decision matrices and other resources to equip participants with custom program designs and preliminary budgets ready for local deployment.
Leading the Renter Decarbonization Movement
TEC’s mission is to create a future where clean energy is affordable and accessible for everyone, so we are proud to be spearheading the movement to bring clean energy programs like Direct-to-Renter to California communities. By connecting local leaders, sharing open-source tools, and translating complex program logistics into actionable strategies, we are helping communities move clean energy plans off the shelf and directly into the homes where they are needed most.
Thank you to the clean energy leaders who shared their experiences creating Direct-to-Renter programs at the workshop:
- Elias Platte-Bermeo, City of Santa Monica
- Katie Martel, City of Alhambra
- Pranesh Venugopal, Orange County Power Authority
- Shelby Bush, WestLight Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy)
- Ashley Mercado, Day One
