Rural and Indigenous Solutions for an Inclusive Natural Gas Transition (RISING)

The RISING initiative, led by the California Energy Commission, aims to empower rural and tribal communities to transition away from natural gas-dependent infrastructure through community-driven techno-economic analyses, planning tools, and targeted outreach efforts. The project focuses on identifying and advancing cost-effective, reliable, and equitable clean energy alternatives that align with local needs, priorities, and cultural values, ensuring that the energy transition is inclusive and justice-centered. By centering community leadership, the initiative seeks to enable the retirement or decarbonization of gas infrastructure while maintaining energy access and affordability for underserved populations. Efforts will be coordinated from Livermore, California, with primary oversight from Emily Field, a Mechanical Engineer, and Dr. Kimberley Mayfield, the Project Manager, who will guide technical implementation and stakeholder engagement. The initiative is designed to build local capacity, foster resilience, and support data-informed decision-making by providing communities with the tools and resources necessary to evaluate and implement clean energy solutions tailored to their unique contexts. This work is critical to advancing California’s climate goals while addressing disparities in energy access and environmental burden across rural and Indigenous regions.