My research focuses on the intersection of environmental and energy policy, economics, technology and society. I am interested in just transitions of energy and social systems, and how these are affected by emerging technologies, policy development and human behavior. By combining engineering, data science and social science methods, I aspire to develop interdisciplinary scientific tools to effectively guide energy, climate and technology policy towards a reliable, sustainable and just energy future for all. Examples of methods I use include, but are not limited to, artificial intelligence simulation models (machine learning and fuzzy logic), energy systems modeling, econometrics, behavioral experiments and surveys.
My work can be best described on the basis of the following themes:
*Theme 1: Equitable and just energy transitions
My research objectives within this theme include i) deciphering the social, economic and environmental effects of energy transition policies with a particular focus on vulnerable households and communities, and ii) identifying optimal policy designs for accelerating the transition while alleviating energy poverty and correcting injustices. My first objective serves the cause of recognition energy justice, while my second objective serves the causes of distributional, procedural and restorative energy justice.
*Theme 2: Energy behaviors and technology adoption.
With this theme, I aim to understand how individual and collective behaviors concerning investment in new technology and demand side management are shaped within specific policy and technology contexts. Furthermore, I explore socially-acceptable decarbonization pathways and designs for behavioral change interventions based on information, social influence and incentives.
*Theme 3: Interdisciplinary models of socio-technical energy systems.
While the previous two themes focus on understanding the behavioral, equity and justice aspects of the energy transition, this third theme concerns innovative methods to integrate these findings into quantitative models of socio-technical energy systems. The target is to develop interdisciplinary policy-informing models that go beyond the state-of-the-art and take into account consumer behavior heterogeneity and equity considerations in energy technology projects. This will enable more realistic projections of the transition’s pace, effectiveness, and equitability.
