Energy burden is a measure of how much of a household's gross income is spent on their energy bills, including electricity, gas and home heating. A family is considered energy burdened if they pay more than 6% of their income on these services.
Rural electric cooperatives serve 92% of persistent poverty counties, making them a crucial service provider for families who are more likely to be energy burdened. Cooperatives should be taking full advantage of low-cost wind and solar to protect their member-owners in a changing energy environment.
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Analyzing counties and cooperative coverage...