Overview

Bloom Energy makes fuel cells that convert natural gas are into electricity, a process that is better for the environment than traditional sources of electricity. However, the company had been criticized as not green enough by proponents of wind and solar. We worked with Bloom to change the public and policy conversation around its microgrids toward energy resilience—the idea that businesses need a more reliable electricity source than the aging electricity grid.

As PG&E shut down power to millions of California residents, we found stories that highlighted the impact on communities and businesses and brought them to life with photography, illustration and the written word.

Interactive map to make relevant data accessible

California utilities only report blackouts in aggregate. We used our reporting skills to find data for every power outage in the state for the last two years, designed a way to make that data interesting and accessible, and brought it to life.