Launching the Sustainable Energy Systems Integration and Transitions (SESIT) Group

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Our energy systems are undergoing rapid transformation, driven by technological advances, shifting economics, and national and international policy goals. Declining wind and solar PV costs and favourable policies have encouraged renewable energy deployment, introducing variability and uncertainty to the supply side of electricity systems. The increase in electric vehicle use poses a significant shift in the configuration of transport and electricity systems, which have historically been distinct; and the rise of the grid edge enabled by consumers' access to behind-the-meter generation, storage, and control technologies is changing the transactional order of our energy systems. These trends go beyond the fuel shifts observed historically, from biomass to coal to oil to natural gas; together they represent a wholesale transition to a sustainable energy system. The principal objective of this research program is the development and application of an innovative modelling platform that can effectively guide our decision-making during this transition. The proposed multi-sector, multi-scale, and multi-vector M3 Modelling Platform will consist of distinct but linked modules that span the energy system's spatial-temporal scales, physical infrastructure and various carriers. Such a platform represents the evolution of my expertise in modelling city-scale electrification, provincial renewable energy integration, and global storage technology trends. Over the next five years, I will focus on three research questions: How should the rise of the grid edge be leveraged? What are the most promising climate mitigation solutions considering a broad spatial-temporal scale? How can energy systems integration coordinating energy systems operation and planning across multiple pathways and scales - unlock flexibility? Near-term model development will prioritize adaptability and extensibility so that yet unforeseen research questions, arising from societal and technological shifts, can be explored. Enhancing Canada's energy system software and human capacity, my Sustainable Energy Systems Integration and Transitions (SESIT) Group will build on my recent experience at world-leading institutions in the United States (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) and Europe (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis). My approach will balance industry-led investigations with exploratory ideas to capture the breadth of drivers and solutions within the sustainable energy transition. The impacts of this capacity in Canada will be both direct through collaborative projects that inform policy and technology development as well as indirect by training the next generation of energy systems engineers, equipped with strong analytical skills and an interdisciplinary perspective. Such local capacity is critical as we chart Canada's transition to a sustainable energy system while positioning Canada as a leader in the energy system transition globally.