We did not imagine it at the time, of course, but the platform is designed to preserve and remember discourse, policy, and experiences of household energy use during the pandemic. Our media briefs document what’s in the news each month, related to COVID-19, for example. The surveys especially are designed to capture how people were thinking about energy during this time. Interviews with Neighborhood Energy Center counselors and ECA staff really hone in on what the pandemic has done to social service work, of which energy assistance is a part.
I think we’re also hoping to document what I’m called ‘energy service disruptions’ caused by a range of factors; storms certainly but also routine maintenance issues and financial hardship, for example.
I think to a lesser extent we’re tracking developments and discussions around renewable energy in Pennsylvania.