Skip to Main Content U.S. Department of Energy
Energy and Environment Directorate

Bethel Tarekegne

Bethel Tarekegne

(509) 372-4417

Biography

Bethel joined PNNL in 2021 and she is part of the Renewables team in the Distributed Systems group. Her work combines her electrical engineering training with her energy justice and policy PhD to imagine ways that energy storage solutions can address inequities in the U.S. power system. Due to its locational flexibility, energy storage assets and policies can be designed to benefit people in underserved communities. Bethel's first publication as a laboratory researcher set the framework for applying energy justice principles to storage technologies. She is currently investigating how storage can provide local non-energy benefits by developing fundamental data and metrics to measure these benefits.

Research Interests

  • Energy Justice
  • Energy Storage
  • Distributed Energy Resources
  • Energy Policy

Education and Credentials

  • PhD, Environmental and Energy Policy, Michigan Technological University, 2020
  • MPP, Energy Policy, University of Maryland, College Park, 2016
  • BSc, Electrical Engineering, Benedict College, 2013

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • Member of IEEE
  • IEEE Women in Engineering
  • IEEE Young Professionals

PNNL Publications

2024

  • Kerby J.R., T.D. Hardy, J.B. Twitchell, R.S. O'Neil, and B.W. Tarekegne. 2024. "A Targeted Approach to Energy Burden Reduction Measures: Comparing the Effects of Energy Storage, Rooftop Solar, Weatherization, and Energy Efficiency Upgrades." Energy Policy 184. PNNL-SA-187892. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2023.113867

2023

  • Bharati A., A. Singhal, R. Jinsiwale, K. Kazimierczuk, J. Yoshimura, and B.W. Tarekegne. 2023. "Advancing Energy Equity Considerations in Distribution Systems Planning." In IEEE Power & Energy Society Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference (ISGT 2023), January 16-19, 2023, Washington, DC, 1-5. Piscataway, New Jersey:IEEE. PNNL-SA-177447. doi:10.1109/ISGT51731.2023.10066350
  • Kazimierczuk K., C.D. Henderson, K.P. Duffy, S. Hanif, S. Bhattacharya, S. Biswas, and E.C. Jacroux, et al. 2023. "A socio-technical assessment of marine renewable energy potential in coastal communities." Energy Research & Social Science 100. PNNL-SA-178137. doi:10.1016/j.erss.2023.103098
  • Parker K.M., A.M. Fensch, K. Kazimierczuk, S.E. Barrows, and B.W. Tarekegne. 2023. Energy Equity Opportunities in Distributed Wind Hybrid Systems for Rural Loads. PNNL-34754. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Energy Equity Opportunities in Distributed Wind Hybrid Systems for Rural Loads
  • Taylor M.S., L.M. Miller, J.T. Barlow, R.L. Michaels, V.M. Sinnott, K. Kazimierczuk, and R.M. Tapio, et al. 2023. Using National-Scale Data to Inform Coal Power Plant Redevelopment and Coal Community Revitalization Planning. PNNL-34973. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Using National-Scale Data to Inform Coal Power Plant Redevelopment and Coal Community Revitalization Planning

2022

  • Barlow J.T., R.M. Tapio, and B.W. Tarekegne. 2022. "Advancing the state of energy equity metrics." The Electricity Journal 35, no. 10:Art. No. 107208. PNNL-SA-178292. doi:10.1016/j.tej.2022.107208
  • Tarekegne B.W., D.W. Powell, K. Oikonomou, E.C. Jacroux, and R.S. O'Neil. 2022. "Analysis of Energy Justice and Equity Impacts from Replacing Peaker Plants with Energy Storage." In IEEE Electrical Energy Storage Applications and Technologies Conference (EESAT 2022), November 8-9, 2022, Austin, TX, 1-5. Piscataway, New Jersey:IEEE. PNNL-SA-175289. doi:10.1109/EESAT55007.2022.9998034
  • Tarekegne B.W., K. Kazimierczuk, and R.S. O'Neil. 2022. "Communities in energy transition: Exploring best practices and decision support tools to provide equitable outcomes." Discover Sustainability 3. PNNL-SA-170152. doi:10.1007/s43621-022-00080-z

2021

  • Michener S.R., R.S. O'Neil, S. Atcitty, R. Jeffers, and B.W. Tarekegne. 2021. Energy Storage for Social Equity Roundtable Report. PNNL-31964. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Energy Storage for Social Equity Roundtable Report
  • Tarekegne B.W., R.S. O'Neil, and J.B. Twitchell. 2021. "Energy Storage as an Equity Asset." Current Sustainable/Renewable Energy Reports 8, no. 3:149-155. PNNL-SA-162218. doi:10.1007/s40518-021-00184-6

Energy and Environment

Core Research Areas

Contacts