The economics of the energy transition

The problem

To solve the climate crisis, we need to rapidly transition to a clean energy future. This is a complex and global challenge, and we need new tools and techniques to plan for it.

What we’re doing about it

We’re building an international network of energy modelers, policymakers, planners, and advocates to help us understand the opportunities and barriers to decarbonizing energy grids around the world. Using cutting-edge, open-source planning tools, this network will use economic modelling to help plan a cost-effective and equitable clean energy transition.

Our work to drive the clean energy transition

• The U.S. Model Intercomparison Project (MIP) brings together creators of the leading open-source planning models to identify the most cost-effective path forward for the U.S. power system. We are also extending these models to better understand effects of the U.S. energy transition on communities of color and workers.
• The Multi-Country Electricity Transition Potential and Challenges Project (MCET) aims to work with middle-income countries to assess the opportunities and barriers to decarbonize their electricity sectors. Bringing together modelers, policymakers, and planners from eight countries (China, India, Colombia, Chile, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand), we will develop advanced planning models for their electricity sectors using open tools and data.
• The International Network on the Economics of the Energy Transition brings together participants from the MIP and MCET projects and other international experts in energy modeling and policymaking to share lessons learned, identify challenges, and support new participants who wish to shape the energy transition in their country or region.