Enabling Local Building and Cross-Sector Solutions Through the E2C Program

The Energy to Communities (E2C) program connects local entities, Tribes, and utilities with national laboratory experts and customized, cutting-edge analysis to achieve abundant, reliable, affordable, and secure energy systems that reflect local and regional priorities. E2C brings together innovative technologies, state-of-the-art modeling, and unique laboratory validation capabilities to help close the gap between energy ambitions and real-world action. This paper describes the E2C program's technical approach and highlights buildings-related affordability and reliability technical findings from the E2C In-Depth Partnership projects, where local partner teams work alongside national laboratory staff to apply robust modeling and analysis tools and validate hardware or system performance under local conditions. Examples of innovations include conducting advanced regional residential building stock analysis to identify opportunities for improved energy affordability (Delaware Valley), leveraging national laboratory evaluation and validation platforms to de-risk utility solutions (Colorado Springs), and applying innovative integrated distribution planning methods using national laboratory simulation capabilities to investigate the affordability and reliability of building-grid solutions (Pittsburgh). Finally, the paper discusses how the innovations piloted through E2C could be applied to address emerging challenges and opportunities, including enabling data center load growth through integrated cross-sector solutions that consider various objectives, such as reliability and affordability.