Understanding Experiences of Energy Services Access in Rural Northern US Communities: A Comparative Case Study on Recognition Justice

Nelly Aghaei, Chelsea Schelly, Ana Dyreson · 2026 · Rural Sociology

Summary. Rural households in three northern U.S. states face high energy burdens, with 26% spending over 10% of income on energy costs. Most heating relies on fossil fuels while cooling systems remain inefficient; only 4.6% use heat pumps. Low-income households suffer disproportionately from high costs, poor insulation, and frequent outages. The study argues that energy policy must recognize the distinct post-extractive histories and vulnerabilities of these rural communities.

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@article{aghaei-2026-understanding-experiences-energy-services-access,
  title   = {Understanding Experiences of Energy Services Access in Rural Northern US Communities: A Comparative Case Study on Recognition Justice},
  author  = {Nelly Aghaei and Chelsea Schelly and Ana Dyreson},
  journal = {Rural Sociology},
  year    = {2026},
  doi     = {10.1111/ruso.70057},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1111/ruso.70057}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Understanding Experiences of Energy Services Access in Rural Northern US Communities: A Comparative Case Study on Recognition Justice
AU  - Nelly Aghaei
AU  - Chelsea Schelly
AU  - Ana Dyreson
JO  - Rural Sociology
PY  - 2026
DO  - 10.1111/ruso.70057
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1111/ruso.70057
ER  - 

Details

DOI

10.1111/ruso.70057

Countries

United States

Regions

North America

Categories

energy, policy, regional-innovation-systems, general-innovation

Added

2026-09-01