Principal Investigators Randall Field , Louis Carranza
The MITEI Future Energy Systems Center serves as a single point of entry into MITEI and the MIT energy research community at large. As a member-supported consortium, the Center manages a portfolio of projects grounded in the interests and needs of our members as they seek to anticipate potential opportunities and challenges arising from the energy transition. Member companies will include both energy suppliers and consumers since decarbonization will have important impacts on a wide range of industries. Our activities are organized around focus area working groups reflecting member and faculty interest. These will initially include carbon capture, utilization and storage; mobility; the electric power system; energy storage and low-carbon fuels; industrial processes; and the built environment. Members are invited to participate in all working groups without limit.
Work rests on two pillars: MITEI’s world-class range of capabilities in energy system modelling and analysis; and the cutting-edge campus-wide energy technology research program overseen by MITEI that spans all of MIT’s departments, as well as our affiliated policy research centers including the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEPR), and the Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change. Combining our deep knowledge of technology and modeling enables us to investigate the potential for emerging supply and demand side technologies, along with policy to impact the energy system of the future – exposing new opportunities and threats within in a host of industries, as well as unmet research needs.
The mission of the Center is to enable broad energy system analysis to provide timely answers to tough energy transition questions from a system perspective. Goals of the Center are:
(*) By making “systems” our core rather than technology areas, break down stove pipes and enable movement between focal areas reflecting the rapid evolution of the system.
(*) Provide a platform for presenting results from the low-carbon energy centers and other parts of MITEI to encompass the rapidly evolving energy System.
(*) Enable more active member engagement in shaping energy systems agenda, including via multi-member projects within and across focal areas.
(*) Collectively identify key areas of consortium research and basis for focused individual and/or joint sponsored research programs, including rapid “Future of” studies
(*) Broaden and enlarge membership base to diversify representation of the value chain in the energy system… from energy sources to end-use applications and climate and sustainability implications
(*) Engage faculty in key technology fields via Focal Area workshops, MMITEI member events, sponsored research and frequent webinars
Companies benefit from membership in five primary ways. In addition to helping shape the research agenda, members are able to engage with the research teams during the periodic workshops, access findings and insights from the projects via presentations and working papers available via a members-only website, and learn about emerging technologies, energy policy, and sustainability issues via regular member-only seminars and symposia. Members are also invited to attend our exclusive MITEI Annual Research Conference, and have the option to participate in sponsored research facilitated by MITEI. In addition, the convening of members for workshops and conferences brings together industry representatives into a neutral setting focused on solving tough decarbonization challenges. This will enable energy suppliers and consumers to find mutually beneficial opportunities to work together.