ESC News

As electricity grids and supply chains become cleaner over time, the emissions low carbon technologies will decline. This Energy Science Spotlight highlights how energy planning could change if models use future emissions data instead of today’s.

Droughts, heatwaves, Dunkelflauten, and other weather events represent a real challenge for renewable-based energy systems. How do we make sure we have clean and affordable energy even when the sun is not shining, the wind is not blowing, and demand for heating or air-conditioning peaks? In this article, the authors show future climate patterns that could threaten energy security, and how to plan for a system that can properly face them.  

How much wood should Switzerland harvest, and how should that wood be used to cut climate impact? This Energy Science Spotlights highlights a study that compares different harvesting levels and wood uses to find out which combination is best for the climate.

Most energy models assume planners can see the future coming and that nothing changes along the way. In reality however, unexpected events – for example technology delays, disruptions in energy imports, or public resistance to certain technologies – are unavoidable. This Energy Science Spotlights identifies dealbreakers and robust policies for the energy transition amid unexpected events.

The energy transition depends crucially on firms’ incentives and abilities to develop new, cleaner technologies. Our research shows that mergers and acquisitions can help carbon-intensive, “dirty” firms break with established innovation trajectories by acquiring and building on clean technologies, offering new insights into how corporate strategy can support the transition to a greener economy.