ERG is a collaborative community of graduate students, core faculty, over 150 affiliated faculty and researchers across the campus, and over 500 alumni across the globe. Our students work across disciplines and departments to create potentially transformative knowledge for the planet. ERG is a world-renowned program with a 40-year history of outstanding research, education and […]
HOW TO APPLY Criteria for Graduate Admission to ERG Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Graduate Division Admissions Requirements International Applicants Admissions Process Application Materials Faculty Advisors ERG Admissions FAQ CRITERIA FOR GRADUATE ADMISSION TO ERG The Energy and Resources Group seeks students who have excelled academically, whatever their discipline; who show an ability […]
ERG has a small core faculty but a much larger group (100+) of affiliated faculty. Affiliated faculty are based in other departments on campus or at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and share ERG’s commitment to shared learning and interdisciplinary work. They are advisors, mentors, or employers to ERG students, and serve on master’s project, […]
Elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates, Evan Hansen now serves on the House Energy committee and leads his own environmental consulting company.
Fall 2016 Application Deadline: December 4, 2015 It is not necessary to write to the Chair or any member of the ERG faculty in order to submit an application. Please apply using the U.C. Berkeley online application, available in mid-September. All information about the program is available on the Energy and Resources Group website. Application […]
The research mission of the Climate & Carbon Sciences Program is to advance the understanding and prediction of multiscale climate dynamics, abrupt and extreme climate events, terrestrial feedbacks to climate change, and their impacts on energy and water resources.
Public Policy & Energy Resources Group Energy and Resources Group (ERG) and the Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP) offer a concurrent degree program that integrates the strengths of public policy analytical tools with the interdisciplinary knowledge and expertise in energy and resources. The intersection of ERG and Public Policy disciplines is the nexus for training […]
Energy & Resources Group 310 Barrows Hall University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-3050 Phone: (510) 642-1640 Fax: (510) 642-1085 Email: ergdeskb@berkeley.edu (or use the form below)
The faculty of ERG currently consists of seven core professors of Energy and Resources (David Anthoff, Duncan Callaway, John Harte, Dan Kammen, Lara Kueppers, Catherine Koshland, and Isha Ray), one adjunct professor (Margaret Torn), and more than one hundred affiliated faculty members holding appointments in a wide range of departments across the Berkeley campus. ERG’s […]
Please note: This is a full list of ERG course offerings; not all courses are offered each term. For current course offerings, please refer to the online Schedule of Classes. ENERES 98/198 – Energy DeCal Daniel Kammen (Instructor of Record); class conducted by undergraduate students Introduction to energy topics and explore the social, environmental and […]
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at ERG Equity and inclusion are at the heart of our mission to provide education and research for a sustainable and just society. We aspire to be an inclusive community with diverse ideas, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We celebrate diversity in scholarship, teaching, community […]
Equity and inclusion banners in Sproul Plaza — a project initiated, designed, and temporarily installed by the ERG Diversity Student Committee. (C. Hyun, January 2017) Equity, inclusion, and diversity (EID) planning at ERG The mission of ERG is a sustainable environment and a just society. ERG actively promotes intellectual, racial, ethnic, and gender inclusion. […]
The Energy Modeling, Analysis and Control (EMAC) group addresses the engineering and techno-economic challenges to decarbonizing electric power systems. Our work ranges from applied to theoretical. Much of our work focuses on building new control and optimization frameworks to facilitate the operation of low carbon grids.
ERG Admissions FAQ Deadlines and Timeline Letters of Recommendation Standardized Tests Which Degree Admissions Assessment and Decisions Essays ERG Program Contacts with Faculty Advisors and ERG Students Fees and Funding International Applicants Deadlines and Timeline When does the application open? First week of September 2020 What is the application deadline? Tuesday, December […]
Energy and Resources Group is an interdisciplinary program that attracts students with many different interests and backgrounds. Our Masters and PhD students find job positions in a variety of industries following graduation from ERG.
Monday, March 16th, 2020 “After several years of professional experience, ERG has given me a new lease on life. Because of the incredible latitude ERG gives its students to explore, I’ve had the opportunity to take classes in law, business, public policy, and data science, above and beyond the core requirements in social science, […]
Areas of Interest Climate Change Ecology Energy Governance Water International Climate Change ERG CORE David Anthoff David Anthoff is an environmental economist who studies climate change and environmental policy. He co-develops the integrated assessment model FUND that is used widely in academic research and in policy analysis John Harte John Harte’s research interests span ecological […]
Give Big to ERG on Thursday, March 12 during UC Berkeley’s annual Big Give fundraiser! Big Give is UC Berkeley’s annual fundraising blitz—24 hours when we celebrate all of the moments that make Berkeley such a big deal by sharing the love on social media, supporting all of our favorite schools and programs, and competing […]
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The purpose of the ERG Master’s program is to educate the next generation of interdisciplinary leaders. Specifically, students are taught the range of methods and subjects they should be able to understand, advance, and critique to address critical issues stemming from the interaction of humans and the environment. To that end, the requirements for the […]
Summer 2021 Curriculum ERG’s minor and certificate require a minimum of five courses and 15 total units of coursework, typically completed over two summers (or for a UC Berkeley student, a summer and a fall semester). All minor or certificate students must take EITHER Energy and Society or Climate Change Economics. UC Berkeley undergraduates may […]
ENERGY AND RESOURCES GROUP PROGRAMS Ph.D. – Doctor of Philosophy in Energy and Resources Master’s Degree – Two-year program in Master of Science (M.S.) or Master of Arts (M.A.) in Energy and Resources Concurrent ERG/Public Policy Master’s Degree – Three-year program in Energy and Resources (M.S. or M.A.) and Master’s Degree of Public Policy (M.P.P.) […]
“Biodiversity Scales from Plots to Biomes With a Universal Species-Area Curve” John Harte, Adam B. Smith, and David Storch “Carbon Cycle Uncertainty Increases Climate Change Risks and Mitigation Challenges” Paul A. T. Higgins and John Harte “Insight from Integration” John Harte and Lara Kueppers “Deep Carbon Reductions in California require Electrification and Integration Across Economic […]
ERG's newsletters featuring updates on faculty, commencement speakers, awards and ERG Ph.D., Master's and minor students.
RAEL is engaged in projects to develop the science, technology, policy needs and to foster engagements that explore the future of energy, specifically the transition to a low-cabon, environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable energy system.
Through teaching, mentorship and research projects, ERG supports a diverse suite of basic and applied projects. The goal of this engagement is to understand, inform, and transform the knowledge and practical components of the approach to sustainability. The ERG research approach is highly interdisciplinary, and ties together work at the local to global level. Particular […]
The Society, Environment and Economics Lab works on the economics of a wide range of environmental, energy and resource issues. Our work spans theoretical, empirical and numerical modeling approaches. We engage in rigorous academic research and actively participate in current policy debates.
ERG faculty and staff released the following statement May 31: “All of us at the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) at the University of California, Berkeley, mourn the tragic loss of the lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, and the racism directed at Christian Cooper, to name just a few of the […]
ERG’s sixty plus graduate students are geographically and ethnically diverse. About half are in the masters-degree program and half in the PhD program. The students come from a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds in engineering, natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities; the characteristics they have in common are an ability to cross disciplinary boundaries, […]
The Energy and Resources Group summer instructors understand the complex and interdisciplinary nature of sustainability. All have significant experience teaching and/or professional experience in the subject areas of their courses. For course descriptions and schedule, visit our Summer Curriculum and Schedule page. Instructors listed may be subject to change. SAMUEL EVANS Course: Climate Change Economics […]
ERG students and faculty work across disciplines and departments to create transformative knowledge for the planet and its people. Forty years of ERG research has advanced the fields of global change ecology, renewable energy deployment, efficient energy systems, ecological economics, and equitable and affordable access to water and energy. Donate now to support ERG's unique culture of interdisciplinary research and teaching for a sustainable environment and a just society!
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Learning Minor vs. Certificate? Enrollment and Course Logistics UC Berkeley Graduating Seniors Financial Aid & Scholarships Housing High School Students Career Applicability Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Learning What is the difference between synchronous vs. asynchronous instruction, and online courses vs. remote instruction courses for Summer 2020? Courses originally offered online (i.e. […]
The Minor and Certificate in Sustainability provides a comprehensive understanding of the most pressing issues facing the world today. The program offers a practical and relevant interdisciplinary approach at the intersection of environmental, economic, social, political, and cultural issues. Students complete courses in: Global and local environmental change The science, engineering, economics, and policy […]
ERG is a collaborative community of graduate students, core faculty, over 150 affiliated faculty and researchers across the campus, and over 500 alumni across the globe. We award MA, MS, and PhD degrees to students working across disciplines and departments to create potentially transformative knowledge for the planet and its people. ERG is a world-renowned […]
A Brief History of ERG For thirty years, the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) at the University of California, Berkeley has provided its outstanding graduate students and exceptional faculty the scholarly conditions in which to: study the environmental sciences, analyze the social causes of our energy and environmental problems, undertake field research in a variety […]
David Anthoff is an environmental economist who studies climate change and environmental policy. He co-develops the integrated assessment model FUND that is used widely in academic research and in policy analysis.
Dr. Callaway’s teaching focuses on power systems and energy efficiency. His research can be categorized in three areas: modeling and control of aggregated storage devices; power management; and system analysis of energy technologies and their impact.
Youjin Chung is Assistant Professor of Sustainability and Equity with a joint appointment in the Energy and Resources Group and the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management.
John Harte is a physicist turned ecologist. His research interests span ecological field research, the theory of complex systems, and policy analysis. Current interests include applying insights from information theory to the analysis of complex ecosystems and empirical investigation of climate-ecosystem feedback dynamics.
Dr. Jones is an Earth scientist who works at the interface of human and environmental systems. His research uses quantitative models and data analysis to understand climate change and human-Earth system interactions at decision-relevant scales. He also collaborates with social scientists and interacts closely with stakeholders to understand how science can effectively provide actionable insight […]
Daniel Kammen is the Class of 1935 Distinguished Professor of Energy with appointments in the Energy and Resources Group, The Goldman School of Public Policy, and the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.
Dr. Koshland’s research is at the intersection of energy, air pollution and environmental (human) health emphasizing mechanistic approaches as well as a systems perspective. It is conducted at multiple scales, from mechanistic analyses of combustion products in flow reactors to control strategies in urban airsheds to studies of human health.
Lara Kueppers is an Associate Professor in the Energy and Resources Group, with a Faculty Scientist appointment at Berkeley Lab. She is an interdisciplinary environmental scientist, whose research focuses on ecological responses and feedbacks to climate change.
Professor Ray’s research interests are water and development; technology and development; common property resources; and social science research methods. Her research projects focus on access to water and sanitation for the rural and urban poor, and on the role of technology in improving livelihoods.
The focus of my work is carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and trace-gas flux between soil and atmosphere. I conduct research on soil carbon, global change, and the impacts of human activities on ecosystem processes.
My interests range from the integration of renewables into existing grids,the possibility of indigenes (especially women) in rural communities producing their own power or at least understanding its workings and the interaction between science and policy making in developing countries. I would love to study in the Renewable & Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) or the […]
Exploring Linkages Between Development Finance and Conflict Over Hydropower in Guatemala’s Indigenous Highlands (MA ’20) Kelsey is interested in how global economic and climate policies influence national environmental governance and impact vulnerable communities, particularly in developing economies and conflict environments. At ERG she looks forward to exploring interdisciplinary approaches to developing energy policies and project […]
Operation, Cost, and Environmental Impact of Self-Driving Electric Taxi Fleets (MS ’18) Transportation has long been dominated by the personal gasoline-powered automobile, but breakthroughs in electric vehicles, shared mobility, and automation promise to disrupt the sector. Gordon’s research focuses on leveraging these disruptions to maximize both social and environmental sustainability, drawing on insights from a […]
Dennis has focused his career on technology and sustainability policy in emerging and developing economies. His research interests include technology and innovation policy and impacts to resource and rural development, technology transfer and the political economy of land use management. He has led programs with the Paris based International Energy Agency, as an official of the […]
Monitoring and Projecting the Impacts of Climate Change with Emerging Environmental Datasets and Machine Learning (PhD ’20) Ian works to provide decision-makers with quantitative, high-resolution projections of the socioeconomic impacts of climate change, focusing on damaging extreme events like tropical cyclones. His research blends dynamic modeling, large socio-environmental datasets, and emerging econometric and machine learning […]
Anna Brockway is a graduate student in the Energy and Resources Group and Electrical Engineering at UC Berkeley. Anna studies how electric power systems are changing—and how they must change—in response to existing and emerging stressors. Her work has focused on stressors to conventional power system operation including climate change, renewable energy, electrification, and public […]
Beyond Energy Access: Understanding the Household Dynamics of Modernizing Cooking in Rural Karnataka, India (MA ’18) Bodie uses interdisciplinary approaches to understand land-based solutions to climate change and how innovative technology can enable beneficial land management. At present, he is working on understanding forest carbon outcomes, both in California and East Africa, and the impacts […]
Integrating Fuel-Based End Uses Into a Clean Electric System: Quantifying the Trade Off Between Electrification and Electrically Synthesized Fuels (MS ’20) Jess Carney is interested in understanding how sustainable energy integration impacts power grids and electricity markets. She received her undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University in 2018, where she majored in Environmental Science and […]
I’m Nabig Chaudhry. I’m an MS candidate at UC Berkeley, where I’m studying energy science, climate change, and environmental data science. Previously, I spent 3+ years working in data and operations for mission-driven tech companies and health tech startups in San Francisco and New York City. I grew up in Missouri and graduated from Harvard […]
My research focuses on the intersections between renewable energy, gender, and rural life in northern Tanzania. Informed by critical social theory and political economy and ecology of energy, my work pivots around the gendered dimensions of rural energy use in a region where more and more large-scale ‘energy grabs’ are throwing social relations in the […]
Cristina is a Spanish Fulbright scholar, MS student at ERG and Graduate Student Research Affiliate at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Through her graduate coursework, she focuses on facilitating renewable energy integration in the electricity markets through inclusive, innovative and citizen-centric solutions. As an Affiliate at LBNL, she is working on market valuation and […]
John’s research is primarily concerned with macro-energy systems analysis. He is interested in the life cycle characteristics of renewable energy systems, with a current focus on the carbon drawdown potential of BECCS and other product pathways in the bioeconomy. He is also interested in the qualitative changes implied by future energy pathways by way of […]
Payment for Watershed Ecosystem Services: Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Equity (MS ’20) Micah Elias earned his B.S. in International Agricultural Development from UC Davis in 2012. After graduating he worked with international development organizations and non-profits working to connect small farmers to markets and technical resources. Later, he served in Peace Corps Panama and worked as […]
Characterizing Fairness, Transparency, and Openness in US Wind Project Panning (MS ’19) Salma is interested in the distributional impacts of electrification and of decision-making surrounding energy infrastructure planning. Currently, she is interested in understanding the access and affordability impacts of residential electrification policies and measures across different geographies, demographics, and housing and infrastructure characteristics. Previously […]
Decentralized Solar Energy Systems for Energy Access: Institutional Arrangements and Comparisons of Reliability (MS ’18) Isa is a MS/PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group. She is interested in the impact of renewable energy on rural electrification, global development, and the domestic energy sector. Previously, Isa gained experience on both the technical and applied […]
Taryn Fransen is a PhD student with the Energy and Resources Group and a Senior Fellow at the World Resources Institute. Her research interests center on the design and implementation of deep decarbonization strategies. Taryn came to Berkeley from a career in climate policy, during which she served most recently as an advisor to the […]
Annelise’s research focus is the intersection of energy issues at the rural household level in East Africa. She is interested in how social infrastructure and outreach (e.g. training local workers) can help overcome barriers to adoption of technology. Annelise is also interested in the design and implementation of microgrids in remote areas. Prior to starting […]
Effects of Electricity Consumption and Rate Design on Solar Plus Storage-enabled Grid Defection (MS ’19) Will’s primary research interests involve assessing the opportunity for distributed energy resources to participate on the electric system while investigating their technical impact on the grid. Prior to joining ERG, he worked for the Brattle Group’s utilities group in Boston […]
Modeling Organic Waste Management for Soil Carbon Sequestration in California (MS ’19) Anaya is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) at UC Berkeley. Prior to joining ERG, Anaya attended the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University where she earned a Master of Science in Agriculture, Food and […]
Learning and Control Systems for the Integration of Renewable Energy into Grids of the Future (PhD ’20) Patricia is a Ph.D. candidate at UC Berkeley co-advised by Daniel Kammen and Claire Tomlin. She obtained an M.S. from the Energy and Resources Group, UC Berkeley (2016). She graduated with highest honors as an Industrial and Electrical […]
Stephen is a PhD Candidate at UC Berkeley’s Energy & Resources Group and a Researcher at the Energy Institute at Haas. His work lies at the intersection of economics, public policy and data science. His research interests are centered on the energy sector and the environment, with a particular focus on electricity markets. His primary […]
I intend to research the intersection of renewable energy technology, education, and specifically prison education programs focused on STEM. Ultimately, my goal is to work with formally incarcerated citizens as they prepare for re-entry into society. I aspire to work with renewable energy projects in Africa to fulfill my goal as developing into a World […]
Siting Renewable Energy in a Changing Climate: A Reimagining of BLM’s Solar Energy Zones (MS ’20) At ERG, Jessica is focusing on learning advanced methods to comprehensively evaluate the ecological, economic, and societal impacts of development pathways in and beyond the energy sector. She joins ERG from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where she has […]
Jess Kersey is a second-year master’s student with the University of California Berkeley’s Energy and Resources Group. She is broadly interested in decentralized and innovative energy technologies for energy access and climate resilience in developing cities. She has a particular geographic interest in the Caribbean and Latin America. Jess is also a research affiliate of […]
Jose Daniel was born in San José Costa Rica, received his B.Sc. and Licentiate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Costa Rica in 2009 and 2012 respectively, his M.Sc. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada in 2014, and his M.S. in Energy and Resources from the University of […]
The Cost of Reliability in Decentralized Solar Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (MS ’18) Jonathan studies transitions in electric power systems and electricity markets, specifically microgrids and distributed energy resources, the role of new technologies in grid planning, and the effects of the physical structure of power systems on social equity. He is interested in both […]
Arthur is interested in using sustainable innovation as a framework for designing new businesses, services, and products that help tackle climate change. He is particularly interested in promoting sustainability through energy and resource efficiency, solar power deployment, and sustainable mobility, as well as bringing clean water, sanitation, and electricity to the rural and urban poor. […]
Joyceline is a Tanzanian who holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Rochester. Her research interest lies in energy decentralization, diversification, economics and policy making to empower women and improve the standard of living in East Africa. She currently works at the Renewable & Appropriate Energy Laboratory on Off grid systems […]
Margaret is pursuing an MS/MPP with ERG and the Goldman Policy School. At Berkeley, she hopes to focus on demand flexibility (a key aspect of greening the power grid) and electric vehicles (the future of transportation), and ideally on how the two intersect. She is coming to Berkeley from Rocky Mountain Institute, where her interest […]
Sam Miles is a Ph.D. student in the Energy and Resources Group, and in the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Lab at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focus is at the intersection of the scalability challenge for electricity mini-grids and the socio-economic characteristics of urbanization in Africa, particularly for the artisans and entrepreneurs who […]
Priyanka is a first-year Masters of Science Student with the Energy and Resources Group. At ERG, she plans to identify and quantify the economic benefits of just transition policies and explore issues at the nexus of international economic development and climate action. Prior to coming to ERG, she worked with the New Climate Economy (NCE), […]
Jill is interested in studying market outcomes, reliability concerns, and community planning objectives as they relate to electric grid decarbonization. Specifically, she’s interested in understanding how valuing community-level costs and benefits of zero-carbon energy options in investment models could better inform potential solutions. Prior to joining ERG, Jill worked for the Brattle Group’s energy practice, […]
I am applying to the joint degree so that I can upgrade my pre-existing knowledge of climate policy and environmental economics through the MPP, while adding new knowledge of other disciplines through the MS in Energy and Resources that bolster my effectiveness as an analyst for, advocate against, and advisor on climate change. I am […]
Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Assessment in California’s Electric Power Sector (MA ’18) Adam Orford is a Ph.D. candidate at U.C. Berkeley’s Energy & Resources Group (ERG). He is currently focused on understanding the early development of conservative anti-environmental politics in the United States, including especially with respect to legislative developments during the 1940s, 1950s, […]
Managed Workplace Charging of Electric Vehicles as a Grid Asset (MS ’18) Phillippe is an MS student at ERG. His research interests are in the integration of distributed energy resources and the decarbonization of the electricity sector. In 2005, Phillippe enlisted in the US Navy where he worked on an aircraft carrier as a nuclear […]
Reem is a concurrent MPP/ERG student at UC Berkeley. She is broadly interested in leveraging energy policy toward the decarbonization of transportation and transit systems in urban settings. Previously, Reem consulted on energy and climate policy at National Journal, in Washington, DC. She is a native of New Jersey, and is in constant search of […]
The Impact of Data Access on Academic Research: Evidence from the Land Remote-sensing Commercialization Act of 1984 (MS ’18) Esther researches how climate change will impact the financial sector and how the private sector and regulatory agencies are responding to climate-related financial risks. She is interested in the assessment and valuation of these risks, as […]
Development for the Stateless: the Displacement-Development Nexus and Implications for the Future (MS ’19) Samira is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group and researcher at the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory. Her research focuses on development for stateless people and migrants, most recently on energy access and the development priorities of UN […]
Evaluating the Role of Labor Unions in the Politics of Decarbonization: Insights from Political Economy and Socio-Technical Transition Studies (MA ’19) Jesse is a student in the concurrent Master’s degree program at ERG and the Goldman School of Public Policy. His research focuses on the political economy of energy transition. He graduated from Brown University […]
Julia studied economics and Spanish at UC Berkeley as an undergraduate, and realized her interest in energy and environmental issues while a research assistant at the UC Energy Institute. After consulting in the energy and finance sectors, she worked at Pacific Gas & Electric forecasting electric generation and its cost for customer rates. For the […]
Who Governs a Sustainable Neighborhood? Planning a Community-scale Retrofit in Oakland, California (MS ’18) Emma’s interests are at the intersection of climate change adaptation, environmental justice, and science and technology studies, with a focus on renewable energy technology adoption in under-resourced communities. She received her B.A. in Geography and B.S. in Environmental Sciences at UC […]
Valeri Vasquez is a third year PhD candidate in the Energy and Resources Group. She has a Designated Emphasis in Computational Data Science and Engineering, and is a Moore/Sloan Fellow at the Berkeley Institute for Data Science. Valeri Vasquez is a PhD candidate in the Energy and Resources Group. She has a Designated Emphasis in […]
The Role of Stakeholder Networks in Urban Water System Innovation (MS ’20) Tzipora’s is interested in water resources and the role of technology in promoting sustainability, especially in the developing world. Prior to ERG, she worked as a process engineer at Cambrian Innovation Inc, a clean-tech wastewater treatment startup based in the Boston area, where […]
Liyang’s research goal is to accelerate clean energy technology adoption for a sustainable and equitable energy future through an interdisciplinary approach. For the past several years, Liyang is a researcher at Berkeley Lab, where she plans to be part of as she pursues her studies at ERG. Previously, Liyang worked at Eversource and completed a […]
Edem received his B.S in Environmental Science and Technology, with a concentration in Ecological Technology Design and minor in Geographic Information Science (GIS) from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2019. Edem is interested in sustainable energy development and natural resource management, in particular, exploring solutions to renewable energy integration and energy access in […]
Mining Data on Reclaimed Coal Mines: a Machine Learning Approach to Assessing Habitat Suitability (MS ’18) Hilary received her B.A. in Government and Biological Sciences, with a concentration in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the latter, from Cornell University, where she graduated in 2015. At ERG, Hilary is interested in exploring the science-law nexus and […]
Greater than the Sum of Their Parts? Political Impacts of State Climate Policies in the Face of Partisan Polarization (MA/MPP ’17) Dan completed concurrent degrees at the Goldman School of Public Policy and the Energy and Resources Group. He came to Berkeley after working for seven years in energy consulting at Tetra Tech and philanthropy […]
Taking the Man Out of Manufacturing: Drivers and Components of Industrial Sector Low-Carbon Transformation (PhD ’17) Nate Aden completed his PhD at the Energy and Resources Group at UC Berkeley and is a Research Fellow with the World Resources Institute’s Climate and Energy Program. Nate’s research is focused on industrial energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in […]
Peter’s research focus areas are information technology approaches to energy development, understanding markets for demand-side energy technology, and energy technology policy. Outside of academics, he contributes to the Lighting Global program, which supports the market for modern off-grid lighting in the developing world. Peter’s work for Lighting Global includes technical and engineering support, policy development, […]
Energy and Materials Implications of Passive Solar Heating Technologies (77 M.S.) Conservation vs. Energy Supply: An Economic and Environmental Comparison of Alternatives for Space Conditioning of New Residences (87 Ph. D.)
Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles, Climate Change, and Energy Security: The Cost-Effectiveness of an Emerging Technology (’07 MS)
Designing and Adapting Appropriate Socio-Technical Systems for the Renewable Energy Transition (PhD ’18) Nkiruka has expertise in solar grid integration and climate policy in California, and in electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. She draws from engineering and urban planning disciplines to envision how the renewable energy transition could lead to equitable socio-technical […]
Designing and Adapting Appropriate Socio-technical Systems for the Renewable Energy Transition (PhD ’18) Anne-Perrine is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group and a research fellow within the energy company Areva. In the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory, her research focuses on long-term capacity expansion planning for the power sector in China, and […]
Changing Strategies in Utility Regulation: The Case of Energy Conservation in California (87 PhD)
A Framework for Characterizing the Health Footprint of our Energy Choices (’11 MS)
Dipti got her Masters at ERG in 2008. Since then, she went back to India working with communities displaced by dams. She also fought for water justice in California, working with Native American tribes on access to water for traditional ceremonies and with Latino farmworkers across the California Central Coast on access to clean drinking […]
The Road from Kyoto Begins in The Home: Energy Indicators for Households (00 MA)
Targeted Efficiency: Using Customer Meter Data to Improve Efficiency Program Outcomes (PhD ’14) Sam’s works focuses on tools to scale up and improve the performance of energy efficiency programs in support of renewable energy integration and climate mitigation goals. His work combines insights from building science, behavioral sciences, and engineering to interpret patterns in building […]
The Health and Safety Implications of Increased Coal Production and Utilization Under the 1978 National Energy Act: An Assessment Two Years After Passage (80 MS)
Energy Conservation Through Daylighting of Buildings (79 M.S.)
Energy Price Increases and Low-Income Americans (80 MA)
Renewable Energy Systems in Rural Eritrea – Concepts for Three Wind-Powered, Village-Scale, Clean Development Mechanism Projects (MA ’05) Building an International Administrative Law of Expertise: Law and Science in the International Regulation of Trade, Health and the Environment. (PhD ’13)
Samuel Carrara holds a Bachelor Degree and a Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering (Major: Energy and Mechanical Plants) and a PhD in Energy and Environmental Technologies, all from the University of Bergamo, Italy. After working as an engineer in the gas turbine field, he is now a researcher at Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), Milan, […]
Farm-level Agricultural Energy Technologies in an Egyptian Village: Engineering and Socio-Economic Characteristics and Consequences in the Context of the Political Economy of Food Security (94 PhD)
Energy and Economic Optimization of Conduction-Dominated Buildings (86 PhD)
Mind the Gap: Bridging Strategies for Universal Energy Access (PhD ’19) Since graduating as an electronics engineer in 2004, JP Carvallo has been working, studying, and researching different aspects of the energy field. His current interests relate to varied topics in sustainable development for less industrialized economies, with a geographical focus in Latin America and Asia. […]
Wind generation: A step towards energy independence on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua (MS ’08) Exploring the role of information in development policy and practice in the fields of rural electrification, climate change mitigation, and fishing economics on Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast (PhD ’12)
On Rate Regulation in Modern Electricity Sectors (PhD ’17) Felipe was a Ph.D. Candidate with ERG. His research seeks to improve the understanding and organization of energy systems, leveraging methods, and concepts developed in fields including operations research, microeconomics, and industrial organization. Felipe’s work puts a particular emphasis on the development and application of data […]
Dr. Chafe works at the intersections of public health, air pollution, climate change, and energy use. She holds a PhD from the Energy and Resources Group (ERG), as well as an MPH from UC Berkeley. She has been a researcher/consultant for entities such as the World Health Organization, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, […]
Municipal Energy Production in California (85 MA)
Economic Assessment for the Donghan Village-scale Biomass Gasification Energy Supply System in China (03 MS)
A Discrete-event Simulator to Determine if Public Transit Buses Go Battery Electric Today (MA ’20) A native of Utah, Nick holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Westminster College in Salt Lake City. He has focused his career on real-time environmental monitoring, previous working at Oberlin College and Lucid on energy and resource monitoring. Prior […]
Assessing Instream Flow Standards Under Climate Change Implications for State-Level Policy in the U.S. (MS/MPP ’17) Rebecca completed a Master’s degree in both the Energy and Resources Group and the Goldman School of Public Policy (MA/MPP). Her research interests focus on the sustainable use of water resources, integrating work in ecology, equity, and climate change […]
Michael Cohen puts the power and complexity of the grid into students' hands via a video game. We asked Michael about his innovative project and his unique experience at ERG. "In addition to developing the game itself, I am working with teachers at local high schools to develop curriculum around it and try it out with their students this year. I hope to not only create a solid educational product but also gain some insights into how technology can be used to support learning about complex systems in general."
Measured Energy Savings and Economics of Retrofitting Existing Single-Family Homes: An Update of the Beca-B Database (91 MA)
Sustainable Finance for Sustainable Energy: Private Sector Solar Rural Electrification (MA 01)
Comparison of the Capabilities of the ORNL and CEC Residential Energy Consumption Forecasting Models (81 MS)
The Effect of Exterior Surface Absorptivity and Emissivity on Energy Use in Residential Buildings (81 MS)
Implementing Building Standards for Energy Efficiency: An Inter-Organizational View with Examples from Jamaica (91 MS)
California Building Energy Standards: A Local Perspective (81 MA)
Zubair is a Master’s student who researches water policy and management of international river basins, and is particularly focused on hydro-politics of the Indus basin. He has researched the relationship between water discharge and land use patterns in upper Jhelum watershed, international water agreements (especially the Indus Waters Treaty), and conflict over distribution of water […]
Appliance Standards Transplantation: Applicability of a United States-based Energy Efficiency Standards Model in Costa Rica (’01 M.A.)
India’s Low Carbon Electricity Futures (PhD ’17) Ranjit’s research efforts largely focus on addressing the clean energy and energy access challenges in developing nations. As part of both the International Energy Studies group at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and ERG, Ranjit is developing models of the Indian national power system to analyze policies and […]
A Computable General Equilibrium Model of Energy in the California Economy (’84 Ph.D.)
The Industrial Ecology of Household Refrigerators: Product Life and the Demand for Materials and Energy (’99 MA) Public Policies, Private Choices: Consumer Desire and the Practice of Energy Efficiency (’08 PhD)
REDD Hot: How One Community Defends its Forest One Carbon Credit at a Time (MS ’14) Tanya was born and grew up in Bulgaria. She came to ERG after a career in Army medicine and an environmental science degree from University of London. For her masters project, she is interested in how environmental protection laws […]
Climate and energy policies; the science of climate change and the relationship between happiness and consumption.
Planning a Bioenergy Future: Understanding uncertainty in biomass resource assessment in China (MS ’08)
Economic, technological, and policy aspects of integrating renewable energy into existing electricity systems using innovative demand response strategies.
Lowering Energy Bills in American Indian Households: A Case Study of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe (’98 M.A.)
Energy in a Developing Country: The Peruvian Case (’80 M.A.)
A Renewable Energy in Vehicles (REV) Mandate: Establishing a Zero Carbon Energy Standard for California Automobiles (MS ’08)
Transportation Energy Use in Bolivia: Environmental Implications, Policy Perspectives (MS ’96)
California Building Energy Standards: A Local Perspective (81 MA)
Enabling Investments in Energy Efficiency: A study of energy efficiency programs that reduce first-cost barriers in the residential sector (’09 MA)
Julian’s interests lie in the relationships between water use and economic development, focusing on modeling and governance. Mr. Fulton’s previous research includes water use in the transportation sector, conservation strategies among California utilities, and European flood management policy. He recently completed a Fulbright Fellowship in the Netherlands and holds an M.S. in Civil and Environmental […]
Dimitry currently works as a Program Manager on Facebook’s Global Impact Partnerships Team. Prior to Facebook, Dimitry was a graduate student at ERG where he worked on market assessment for off-grid energy in Kenya, microgrid finance in developing economies, and public-private partnership development for universal electrification in South Sudan. Overall, Dimitry has nearly a decade […]
Questioning Inevitability of Energy Pathways: Alternate Energy Scenarios for California (’02 MA) Public Service or Commodity Goods? Electricity Reforms, Access, and the Politics of Development in Tanzania (’08 PhD)
Renewable Energy Certificates and Project Development: A Case Study of the Rosebud Wind Turbine’s Success (’09 MS)
Residential Energy Demand Analysis: Theory and Practice (85 MA)
Achieving Long-term Climate Goals in the US: Unlocking the Potential of High-Efficiency Electric Technology in Our Homes and Buildings (MS/MPP ’16) Rachel is interested in advancing policies that can help integrate large amounts of renewable energy and electric vehicles onto the grid. As such, she studies mechanisms that increase flexibility on the load and resource […]
Measuring Energy Efficiency: A Critique of the Energy-GNP Ratio (95 MA) Avant Le Deluge: An Investigation on Some Neglected Dimensions of Electricity Restructuring in California (’06 PhD)
Life of Sugar: Developing Lifecycle Methods to Evaluate the Energy and Environmental Impacts of Sugarcane Biofuels (PhD ’11)
Investigating Innovation Practice: Cross-disciplinary Studies in International Development (PhD ’18) As a NSF, Chancellor’s, and InFEWS Fellow in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG), Pierce investigates frameworks, methodologies, and contexts for evaluating innovation for social change. By understanding how socially-minded organizations integrate, support, and channel innovation-incentivizing processes to generate value for end consumers, he characterizes […]
Energy Conservation Retrofits in Public Housing: An Analysis of Their Energy Savings and Cost-Effectiveness (85 MS)
Renewable Energy Technology Systems for Remote Area Electrification in Indonesia: A Critical Review of Technology Transfer (’00 M.A.) Power Games: The Political Use of Solar Technology in Northern Thailand (04 PhD)
Policies for an Ecological Civilization: China, Carbon, and Economic Reform (PhD ’19) Cecilia is a PhD candidate at ERG. Her dissertation uses economic modeling and social science to critically analyze several of China’s flagship energy and climate policies. She is a research affiliate at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s China Energy Group, where she works […]
Cultivating Partnerships: Pest Control and The Use of Integrated Pest Management on Small Farms in San Joaquin County, California (MS ’97) Contact: ehansen@downstreamstrategies.com ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: What have you been working on recently that most excites you? Please describe your work. In 2018, I was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates, and my first […]
Decision Support for Multi-benefit Urban Water Infrastructure (PhD ’18) Sasha Harris-Lovett received a PhD from the Energy and Resources Group in 2018. Her dissertation research focused on urban water and wastewater management, decision analysis for socio-environmental problems, and collaborative environmental planning. She is dedicated to making science accessible to students, policy-makers, and community members. She […]
Understanding and Reconciling Global Temperature Records (PhD ’19) Zeke is an energy systems analyst and data scientist with a strong interest in climate science and policy. He is currently the VP of Energy Science at Essess, Inc, an energy efficiency startup that develops vehicle mounted thermal imaging systems, a research scientist at Berkeley Earth, and […]
Gang’s research work focuses on energy modeling, energy economics, energy and climate policy, coal and power sectors and their key role in both the global energy supply and in international climate policy framework. He also studies the interdisciplinary aspects of global climate change and the development of lower-carbon energy sources. He was a research associate […]
Renewable Energy Landscape of Indigenous Nations in the United States, Canada, and Australia (MS ’12) Lindsay is from Teec Nos Pos, Arizona located on the Navajo Nation. She’s interested in developing renewable energy projects for economic development that adheres to core philosophies by a Nation. Lindsay’s research work includes effective regional electricity planning in the […]
With 10+ years of international field experience, 5+ in water and sanitation, as well as project management and professional development in higher ed, I aim to create a better society and environment for all.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: ARNE JACOBSON Ph.D. 2004 Professor in the Department of Environmental Resources Engineering at Humboldt State University From his post at Humboldt State University, Arne Jacobson passionately extends his PhD research addressing the real-world barriers to providing clean energy for poor people in developing countries. In so doing, he plays a critical role […]
Reshaping the relationships in Ungula’s electricity sector: the advent of the prepay meter (MS ’15) Presumptions and Precarity: Probing Electricity Infrastructure (PhD ’20) Veronica Jacome is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) and holds a BS in Engineering Physics from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At ERG, Veronica focuses on the […]
Worldwide Status of Energy Standards for Buildings (’93 M.S.) Building Change: Effects of Professional Culture and Organizational Context on Energy Efficiency Adoption in Buildings (’98 Ph.D.)
Energy Efficiency Codes for Commercial Buildings (’90 M.S.)
Chris Jones is lead developer at the CoolClimate Network, an applied research consortium at UC Berkeley’s Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory that supports the development of comprehensive, socially integrated carbon footprint management tools and programs for individuals, schools, businesses and communities. His primary research interests intersect the fields of industrial ecology, environmental psychology, and climate […]
China’s Carbon Challenge (MS ’07) Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in China: Growth, Transition, and Institutional Change (PhD ’11)
Joe’s broad research interests include sustainable consumption and pro-environmental behavior change. His dissertation explores the linkages between psychological well-being and the environment, arguing that happiness and sustainability are synergistic concepts and that delving into how people use their time is a practical means of concurrently pursuing both goals. Joe’s own happiness has historically been pursued […]
Can Energy Markets Work for Rural Development? An Analysis of World Bank/GEF Rural Electriciation Projects in Sri Lanka (’03 MA) Developments after a Disaster: The Tsunami, Poverty, Conflict and Reconstruction in Sri Lanka (’08 PhD)
Analysis of the Performance and Cost Effectiveness of Nine Small Wind Energy Conversion Systems Funded by the DOE Small Grants Program (’82 M.S.)
Continuous Demand Response: Using Loads to Manage Real-Time Energy Imbalance on the Electricity Grid (’11 MS)
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Ann Kinzig Ph.D. ’94 Professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University Perhaps more than most alumni, Ann Kinzig’s intellectual path has traversed ERG’s interdisciplinary bounds, grappling with the physical, life and social science aspects of the world’s ecological and social problems during, and especially after, her time at ERG. […]
How Important is Modern Energy for Micro-Enterprises? Evidence from Rural Kenya (’06 MS) Expanding Access to Off-grid Rural Electrification in Africa: An Analysis of Community-based Micro-grids in Kenya (’09 PhD)
Energy Systems Integration and Innovation for a Clean Energy Transition (PhD ’18) Noah is an MS/PhD student at ERG. After graduating with a BS in Environmental Science from UNC-Chapel Hill, Noah was a Fulbright Fellow at the Joint Graduate School for Energy and the Environment in Thailand researching technical and policy aspects of solar electricity […]
Energy policy wonk trying to craft and institute economically efficient policy to promote the use of renewable energy technologies and reduce our emissions.
A Simplified Spreadsheet Model for Assessing the Load and Energy Impacts of Demand-Side Programs for Selected Residential Appliances (’86 MS) Energy Efficiency Choices in New Office Buildings: An Investigation of Market Failures and Corrective Policies (’90 PhD)
Reduce, Reuse, Regulate: Repurposing the Clean Air Act to Limit Power Plants’ Carbon Emissions (MS ’14) Alison will graduate in Spring 2014 with an ERG M.S. and a J.D. from Berkeley Law. She’s interested in using legal tools to instigate the clean energy revolution, including novel applications of existing law (especially the Clean Air Act […]
Preliminary Report on an Inventory of Energy Conservation Potential in California: The Cement Industry (MS ’79)
Large Commercial Firm Investment in Energy-Efficient Buildings Retrofits (’97 M.S.)
Modeling Adaption to Sea Level Rise Under Uncertainty (MS ’19) Catherine received a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College, with a minor in Environmental Studies. Prior to coming to ERG, she worked on issues related to U.S. energy policy and integrated assessment modeling at the Joint Global Change Research Institute. At ERG, she is interested […]
Harnessing Financial Motivation to Drive Transportation Electrification: a Resource for Electric Utility Regulators (MA ’19) Michelle is a concurrent degree student at the Goldman School of Public Policy and the Energy Resources Group. Prior to graduate school, she worked in political, legal, and regulatory advocacy at the Natural Resources Defense Council and NextGen Climate America. […]
Morgan’s research focuses on hydrology and water resources, the effects of land use and climate change on human health and the environment, human-environmental system dynamics, and environmental data science. Her background includes training in physical hydrology and eco-hydrology, environmental and earth system science, and applied statistics, including causal empirical methods and spatiotemporal data analysis and […]
What Is a Low-Energy House and Who Cares? (’94 M.S.)
Energy Use and Conservation in China’s Residential and Commercial Sectors: Patterns, Problems, and Prospects (’92 M.A.)
Hongyou is a concurrent MS-MPP student in ERG and the Goldman School of Public Policy. She also works at the China Energy Group of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her research focuses on industrial energy assessments, industrial energy efficiency, low carbon policies, and introducing international best practices to China. Her previous work also include tool […]
Jason is interested in optimization and control of distributed energy resources to support renewable energy integration into the electricity grid. He works at Lawrence Berkeley National lab researching wholesale electricity market integrated demand response and electric vehicles, particularly to provide fast reliability services. He graduated with from University of Michigan with an MS in Natural […]
Saving Energy with Information Technology: Tools for Affecting Human Behavior (’08 MS)
Minding Electron Leakage: How Utility Regulation Can Improve Upstream Energy Efficiency (MS ’14) Ben is a concurrent MS-MPP degree student in ERG and the Goldman School of Public Policy. His primary area of focus is the spread of technologies and policies that promote energy efficiency. Ben also works in Berkeley Lab’s Heat Island Group, which […]
Local Governments and Solar Energy: The San Francisco Example (’83 M.A.) Organizing for Rural Energy Development: Improved Cookstoves, Local Organizations, and the State in Gujarat, India (’90 Ph.D.)
A Rural Energy Survey and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Renewable Energy Technologies for a Philippine Island Community (’82 Ph.D.)
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT This ERG alumni spotlight features one of the first ERG graduate students, David Marcus (MA’77), and is written by ERG alumna, Sarita Sarvate (MS’78). The piece is the first of a series of stories on the achievements and journeys of alumni, showcasing their life after ERG. Small is Beautiful by Sarita Sarvate (MS’78) One summer […]
Peter Marsters is a Master’s candidate at ERG focusing on the environmental impacts of unconventional fossil fuel developments. He came to ERG from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado where he focused on water issues related to unconventional fossil fuel development. His previous experience includes several years at the Woodrow Wilson Center’s China […]
Wind-Generated Electric Power in the Soviet Union: Geographical and Technical Prospects (’91 MA) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Russia: Perspectives and Problems of International Technology Transfer and Investment (’95 Ph.D.)
Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier: Modeling of Electrolytic Hydrogen Production Systems (’04 MS)
Sustainable Energy Scenarios for Rural Mexico: An Integrated Evaluation Framework for Cooking Stoves (’90 M.S.) Socioeconomic and Environmental Implications of Fuelwood Use Dynamics and Fuel Switching in Rural Mexico (’95 PhD)
Electricity Load Management in Bolivia: Background and Prospects (’92 MS) Solar Adoption and Energy Consumption in the Residential Sector (’12 PhD)
En La Tierra de Los Gigantes: The Mexican Energy Monopolies and Their Impact on Electricity Privatization (’97 M.S.)
Supply Curves of Conserved Energy (’82 PhD)
Andrea graduated from UC Merced with a BS in Applied Mathematics on Engineering Mechanics and a minor in Writing. During her time at UCM, Andrea interned for UCM Facilities as a Building Efficiency Intern aiding in UCM’s goal to meet a Triple Zero Challenge of zero net energy, emissions, and waste by 2020. Since graduation, […]
A High Technology-Low Energy Demand for Western Europe (’81 M.S.)
Residential Energy Use and Conservation in the United States (’82 M.A.)
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions, System Flexibility Requirements, and Drivers of Storage Deployment in the Western North American Power System through 2050 (PhD ’14) Ana’s PhD research is in modeling electricity systems with high penetration levels of intermittent renewable energy to identify technological and policy alternatives for cost-effective emission reductions. While her work focuses on the […]
Measuring California’s Energy Service Affordability (MS ’19) Christian is fascinated by energy end-uses’ effect on communities’ economic and political well-being. While his formal scientific background is in biorenewable resources, his focus is on the sustainable development of holistic energy solutions based on socioeconomic, geographic, and natural resource characteristics for communities both domestic and developing abroad. […]
Wind Energy in Indian Country: Turning to Wind for the Seventh Generation (MS ’06)
Overcoming Deterrents to Energy Conservation Investment in Public Housing (’87 MS)
Reducing Photovoltaic System Costs by Use of Energy-Efficient Appliances (’85 M.A.)
Energy Needs in an Internet Economy: A Closer Look at Data Centers (’01 MS)
Everyday Transformations of Food to Waste: What and Why Food is Discarded in U.S. Households (PhD ’19) From digging through trash to looking inside of people’s refrigerators, Laura researches household-level food waste in the United States with a focus on measurement and behavior. In addition to examining the questions of “what?” and “how much?,” her […]
Biomass as an Energy Resource: An Economic and Environmental Investigation (’82 PhD)
Sustainable Energy Options for Kosovo – An Analysis of resource availability and cost (MS ’13)
Battery Energy Storage Technology Adoption & Electric Utility Structure (MS ’19) Sara is an architect who delved into distributed generation while developing fuel cell projects for Bloom Energy. She became interested in the energy industry in general, and specifically the regulatory and finance conditions that make markets more open to uptake of innovative technologies. While […]
Scenarios for Deep Carbon Emission Reductions from Electricity by 2050 in Western North America Using the SWITCH Electric Power Sector Planning Model (PhD ’14) Jimmy Nelson is a graduating Ph.D. student in the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California at Berkeley and a Link Energy Fellow. His graduate work was performed in […]
Can Policy Stimulate Innovation in Low–Carbon Energy Technologies? The Case of Wind Power in California, 1975 through 2001 (04 MA) Policy and Innovation in Low-Carbon Energy Technologies (07 PhD)
Erica’s niche is fire, particularly in the ecologically sensitive region of French Polynesia. She has already been trained as a physicist, but her curiosity draws her to ecology. ERG has become a unique place for Erica to explore her aspirations in the biological sciences alongside those who have successfully trekked through similar transitions. Read in her own words how Erica has fine-tuned her fascinations while at ERG.
A Framework for Energy Policy Decisions in Less Developed Countries (’82 MA)
Monkgogi (who goes by MK) was born and raised in Botswana and recently graduated cum laude with her BA from Scripps College in Environment, Economics, and Politics. Personally, MK has worked extensively with and for underrepresent students in higher education through numerous leadership roles, mentorships, and volunteering opportunities. Access to and visibility of underrepresented students […]
State-Level Regulations Effectiveness in Addressing Global Climate Change and Promoting Solar Energy Deployment (PhD ’17)
Feasibility of Competition in a Developing Country Electricity Market: A Case Study of Maharashtra State (India) (’03 MS) Competition, regulation, and Energy Efficiency Options in the Electricy Sector: Opportunities and Challenges in Developing Countries (’06 PhD)
Demand-side Knowledge for Sustainable Decarbonization in Resource Constrained Environments: Applied Research at the Intersection of Behavior, Data-mining, and Technology (PhD ’18) Links: Personal Website Life at ERG Blog Posts ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Ph.D. 2017 During his time as an ERG Ph.D. candidate, Diego worked on developing information and communication solutions and ubiquitous data products for reducing […]
Autumn Petros-Good received her B.S. in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College in 2009, and her M.S. from ERG in 2011 and her PhD from ERG in 2015. She worked on characterizing the potential for energy storage to change the electricity landscape, and has previously worked with the Nature Conservancy on investigating the relationship between large-scale […]
Global Environment and Energy End Use in China (’93 MS)
An Evaluation of the Triple Bottom Line Business Case For Reshoring Manufacturing (MS ’14) Emily Quesada received her B.A. in Communication from the University of Pennsylvania in 2003. She subsequently served as Marketing and Graphic Design Manager at 3 Phases Energy, now known as 3Degrees. In that capacity, she helped businesses and utilities communicate their environmental […]
The Role of Renewable Energy in Global Warming Mitigation: A Critique of Trusted Assessments (’92 M.A.)
Berkeley Energy Market Analysis Phase I: The Demand for Energy Conservation and Renewables (’81 M.A.)
Energy Storage Systems to Support Increased Wind Penetration in California (05 MS)
Environmental, Economic, and Social Trade-Offs of Hydropower Relicensing (MS ’16) Joseph is interested in the social, environmental, and economic trade-offs in energy development, and in particular the social conflicts arising around utility-scale wind farm siting and hydropower relicensing. His master’s research focuses on the relicensing of the Yuba River Development Project, a large hydropower project […]
Can Co-ops become Energy Producers too? Challenges and Prospects for Efficient Co-Generation in India’s Co-Operative Sugar Sector (’05 MS) Fluid Hegemony: A Political Ecology of Water, Market Rule, and Insurgence at Bangalore’s Frontier (’10 PhD)
Jess studies the impact of and adaptation to climate change on Latin America’s coasts. Currently, she travels on her 39-foot sailboat, Oleada, down the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America, through the Panama Canal, and into the Caribbean to document local climate knowledge through GIS mapping and personal narratives. You can follow her journey […]
Point-of-Use Ultraviolet Water Disinfection: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Safe Water for Rural Households of Baja California Sur, Mexico (MS ’07) From Efficacy to Sustained Use. A Comprehensive Evaluation of an Ultraviolet Water Disinfection System for Rural Households in Mexico (PhD ’14) Fermin Reygadas is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Fundacion Cantaro Azul, a non-profit organization […]
Disincentives for Energy Conservation in the Electric Energy Sector of Djibouti, East Africa (85 MS) Markets, States and Environmental Policy: The Political Economy of Charcoal in Senegal (’90 Ph.D.)
Some Thoughts on Innovation in Energy Technology (’82 M.S.)
John Romankiewicz is an MS/MPP candidate in the Energy & Resources Group and Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. He is the VP of Membership for the Berkeley Energy and Resources Collaborative and a leader of the Cleanweb Berkeley community, through which he has organized clean energy hackathons on campus. Prior to grad […]
Creating a Smooth Pathway From Innovation to Commercialization within the California Public Interest Energy Research Program (’01 M.S.) Research Interests: Performance of policy and technical analyses to increase awareness of global warming in a solutions oriented campaign to reduce energy use in California. We are pressuring public entities to increase the use of energy efficiency, […]
Formerly a freelance writer and founding director of the Vietnam Green Building Council (2007-2009), Jalel remains a board member and international coordinator for Green Cities Fund (its NGO parent). In 2012 he co-founded the Southeast Asia – Renewable and Adaptive Energy (SEA-RAE) group at Berkeley. At ERG he has designed a class on ecological economics; […]
Daniel L. Sanchez holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Energy and Resources. He is interested in quantitative analysis to inform public policy, focusing on bioenergy and climate policy. His past research focused on design, deployment, and commercialization of bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS) technologies. Daniel has previously held positions with the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), Green for All, and the California Public Utilities Commission.
Exploring the Impacts of ASEAN Energy Cooperation on the Renewable Energy Development and Policy Implementation of the ASEAN Members (MS ’14)
Predicting the Impact of Transportation Control Measures on Pollutant Emissions and Energy Consumption (’93 M.S.)
The Potential of Wind Power and Energy Storage in California (’06 MS)
Landing on the Sun! How to Make Residential PV Price-Competitive in the U.S. with Lessons Learned in Germany (MS/MPP ’12) Socio-Economic and Engineering Assessments of Renewable Energy cost Reduction Potential (PhD ’17) Joachim (Jo) Seel completed his Ph.D. at UC Berkeley’s Energy and Resources Group. His research focuses on electricity market design and on the integration […]
At ERG, I am exploring the barriers to renewable projects that are stalled or abandoned in emerging markets and potential solutions. By striving to answer that question, I hope to help move electricity sector development forward — especially in East Africa.
Decarbonizing Residential Space and Water Heating in California (PhD ’17) Imran Sheikh is interested in creating business-led solutions to environmental problems, with a particular focus on energy efficiency. His current research interests are around using smart meter and internet-connected thermostat data to better target energy efficiency investments. Prior to graduate school he was a consultant for […]
An Empirical Assessment of the California Utilities’ Energy Efficiency Programs (’09 MS)
Rebekah Shirley believes that there is more than one path to a bright, energy secure future. Developing nations strive to connect more and more of their communities to energy. Many have emulated the fossil fuel intensive model of developed nations, but Rebekah believes that this is not necessarily the only way.
Growing Environmental Literacy: On Small-Scale Farms, in the Urban Agroecosystem, and in School Garden Classrooms (PhD ’20) Alana Siegner graduated from Tufts University in 2012 with a double major in Environmental Studies and International Relations. She was the Local Outreach Chair of the Tufts-Engineers Without Borders chapter, and spent 3 summers traveling to Uganda to […]
The world is witnessing a rapid advance in renewable energy with China as one in the forefront. However, adding enough renewable energy to satisfy China's growing power needs is quite complex. ERG Ph.D. candidate, Froy Sifuentes, focuses on the challenges of integrating wind power to help make China's grid cleaner. Read on and learn more about Froy and his work (and fun) at ERG.
Indoor Air Pollution in China (Compilation of a Database of Results of Research 1982-1991; with an Application to Residential Energy Supply Options in Shenyang, Liaoning Province) (’92 M.S.) Energy Efficiency in Chinese Industry: Positive and Negative Influences of Economic System Reforms (’96 Ph.D.)
Energy for the Development of Sierra Leone (’82 M.S.)
Ida Sognnaes is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group. She is originally from Norway and came to Berkeley for the first time as part of her five year MSc in Applied Mathematics and Physics where she focused on Renewable Energy and Climate Science. She wrote her Master thesis with John Harte in […]
The Water and Energy Nexus: Estimating Consumptive Water Use from Carbon Capture at Pulverized Coal Plants with a Case Study of the Upper Colorado River Basin (’10 MS)
The Renewable Robin Hood: How Taking from Natural Gas Producers and Giving to Energy Consumers Softens the Economic Impact of a Renewable Portfolio Standard (03 MA)
Data Center Energy Efficiency: Granular Monitoring and Organizational Communication (’08 MS)
Legislative Incentives and Energy Technologies: Government’s Role in the Development of the California Wind Energy Industry (’87 M.A.) Regulating Innovation and Competition in Emerging Technology Markets: The Effects of Utility Participation in the Market for Remote Photovoltaic Systems (’96 Ph.D.)
Accuracy of Home Energy Rating Systems (’97 M.S.)
Greenhouse Gas Abatement Supply Curves for California’s Transportation Sector (MS ’08) Interactions of Water and Energy Mediate Responses of High Latitude Terrestrial Ecosystems to Climate Change (PhD ’12)
Michaelangelo Tabone (MS 2012) is a PhD student in ERG advised by Dr. Duncan Callaway. His research focuses on applying novel statistical methods to topics in energy analysis. Most recently, he completed a project for the CPUC predicting the flexibility needs of power systems that contain significantly large amounts of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation. He […]
Energy and Society: Beyond the Bounds of Conventional Analysis (’88 PhD)
Monica obtained her Masters in 2015 from the Energy and Resources Group. She is interested in electric vehicle adoption, alternative energy policy, and sustainable energy development. Her research involves modeling the dollar value of grid services provided by electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging equipment infrastructure markets. Monica works part-time at the California Public Utilities […]
Appropriate Technology and Soft Energy as Perspectives on Technology – Society Interactions (’86 MA)
Turkey: A Perspective from the Energy Point of View (’88 M.S.)
Transfer of State-Owned Energy Resources in California (’87 M.A.)
Improved Cookstoves in Michoacán, México: A Search for an Integrated Perspective that Promotes Local Culture, Health, and Sustainability (’04 MS) Missing Links: Demystifying Alternative Energy Use and Improving Decision Making for Increased Off-grid Electrification in Colombia (’08 PhD)
"In a sense, we’re going through a transition here. The industry is going through a transition that we’re only seeing the beginning of,” says Dr. Cyrus Wadia (PhD’08). Cyrus knows about transitions. He has been a policy advocate, business entrepreneur and scientific innovator for clean energy and human welfare prior, throughout and since his time at ERG. He has not only observed but has been part of the change in the world’s switch to solar. His multiple hats and his work on the frontline edge of policy, economics and science made him a perfect fit for the interdisciplinary program at ERG.
The Zuni Sustainable Energy Project: Implementing a Photovoltaics Credit Program in a Traditional Economy (’01 M.A.)
Comparison of Constraints on Coal and Biomass Fuels Development in China’s Energy Future (’97 Ph.D.)
Case Study of Energy Efficient Building Retrofit: 40 West 20th Street–Headquarters of the Natural Resources Defense Council (’90 M.S.)
The Hands that will Build our Energy Future: Administrative and Labor Capacity for Building Energy Efficiency Policies In China and India (MA ’11)
M.S. 1986 – A Vehicular Power Plant Application of the Monolithic Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Ph.D. 1995 – Fan-Lizhi’s Big Bang: Science and Politics in Mao’s China ERG alumnus Jim Williams, now a professor at the University of San Francisco, is a global thought leader in the area of low-carbon energy systems. At USF his focus is on […]
Government Policies and Programs for the Promotion of Residential Energy Conservation, An International Perspective (87 MS)
Maggie’s research focuses on reducing the environmental impacts of transportation by decreasing both the amount that people drive and the per-mile emissions of personal vehicles. Her work focuses on California’s ground-breaking laws to cut the greenhouse gas impacts of driving. Maggie holds an M.S. in Energy and Resources and a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College. […]
Impacts of Student-Led Service Learning Water Project in Rural Cameroon (MS’16) A graduate of Georgia Tech with a B.S in mechanical engineering. A selection of her work includes drilling water wells in Central America, designing solar systems for Yellowstone National Park, and water distribution systems in Cameroon. She began her work in fecal sludge as […]
Ohio Industrial Electricity Rates: Is the Price Right? (MS ’19) Peter is interested in investigating the market and regulatory barriers to technological solutions to renewable energy generation, net-zero buildings, and sustainable manufacturing. He is a research assistant at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab contributing to projects on electric grid load forecasting and commercial building demand […]
Supply Curves of Conserved Energy for California’s Residential Sector (’80 M.S.)
Land Use in Renewable Energy Planning (PhD ’18) Inspired by the possibility of ecologically-bounded growth, Grace is interested in water and land use impacts of energy technologies; water management that sustains agriculture, energy production, and biodiversity; and the role of policy analysis in decision-making. She is currently merging life cycle assessment, GIS, and optimization methods […]
Urbanizing China: Residential Energy Implications and the Role for Energy Efficiency Standards (MS, ’09)
Delivering Energy Efficiency to Middle Income Single Family Households (MA ’11)
Recently, President-elect Joe Biden has nominated UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP) faculty member Jennifer Granholm to lead the U.S. Department of Energy and Haas School of Business Professor Emeritus Janet Yellen to serve as secretary of treasury. Two campus alumni are also expected to serve within the administration, with Alejandro Mayorkas selected to lead the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, and Adewale Adeyemo picked for deputy treasury secretary. ERG professor Dan Kammen expressed enthusiasm for the candidates in multiple news sources, stating that “The Department of Energy is going to be central to almost everything in the Biden-Harris plan, from energy transformation to re-entering the Paris Climate Accords. We’re also going to need a huge infusion of attention and effort to be put into creating jobs. That fits Jennifer Granholm to a T. I’m just so impressed that they made this choice. I think she’s ideal for the job at this time.” Read the Berkeley News article on Jennifer Granholm here, the San Francisco Chronicle article here, and the Daily Californian article on all four Berkeley scholars here.
In a recent Sustainability Times article, ERG professor Dan Kammen explains how pandemic lockdowns resulted in historic drops in our CO2 emissions. Additionally, Kammen's previous study on how exactly COVID-19 lowered said Co2 emissions was featured in a Berkeley News article, arguing that a move towards greater usage of electric-powered vehicles would "reduce the major greenhouse gas responsible for climate change and global warming". "The greatest reduction of emissions was observed in the ground transportation sector. Largely because of working from home restrictions, transport CO2 emissions decreased by 40% worldwide,” Kammen stated. Read how the pandemic lockdowns decreased Co2 emissions here, and what this means for the future usage of electric vehicles here.
ERG professor Dan Kammen recently published an op-ed on the Daily Californian, discussing the powerful impact the Biden-Harris victory has on addressing the issues of COVID-19 and climate change. Kammen further states that the new leadership's energy and climate platform can be a game-changer for achieving social and climate justice. "Science, social justice and both domestic and global partnerships to address climate change are now back on the agenda in the United States," Kammen writes. "More than any one specific action, the commitment Biden has already shown to a science-driven administration is critically important domestically and worldwide."
ERG professor Dan Kammen was featured in the latest episode of the My Climate Journey (MCJ) Podcast. Kammen discussed numerous topics, including the feasibility of carbon pricing in the US, the implications of switching a fossil fuel economy to a renewable economy, and much more. "There's no question that 100% renewables is possible. I've done a lot of research, my lab works on scenarios to get the U.S., China, Mexico, Kenya, Bangladesh, Morocco to 100% renewables. And in many cases where the technology mix is improving enough, the climate favors that you can do that. It's also a case that we are not today ready to think about a solar and wind only world, but solar and wind plus storage, plus geothermal, plus potentially nuclear," Kammen states.
In a new Berkeley study “2035 – The Report: Plummeting Solar, Wind, and Battery Costs Can Accelerate Our Clean Energy Future,” ERG professor Dan Kammen comments that its findings of the U.S. being able to achieve 90% carbon-free, “clean” electricity could become a reality. "That goal – 90% carbon-free electricity by 2035 – can be achieved without increasing consumer electricity costs 'at all,'" Kammen states. "Solar, wind, and storage costs have fallen so significantly that even conservative leaders, conservative states, districts, countries can legitimately look at renewables, and actually economically need to look at renewables, as their next purchases.”
ERG professor Dan Kammen was recently quoted in AP News regarding California's power grid operator cancelling rolling blackouts. These scheduled widespread blackouts were averted after regulators warned that the electric grid would not have enough power to meet demands in the midst of a heat wave. Kammen commented that the state needs to do more to store and sell clean energy sources, and he hopes this week’s blackouts will prompt officials to act. “This is kind of a stress test on the system,” he said. “We have not built up enough of a smart enough system to take advantage of all the renewables we have in place.”
ERG Professor Dan Kammen was recently featured on U.S. News explaining the severity of California's energy shortages. Despite pandemic restrictions that have somewhat reduced overall electricity demand in California, Kammen points out the rising demand for electricity due to heat waves. "Investments in electricity storage and distribution would [allow California avoid future rolling blackouts]. But those could be expensive, and even harder to budget for at a time when the state faces huge deficits amid the pandemic-related slowdown," Kammen stated.
ERG Professor Dan Kammen was featured on a recent Al Jazeera article, discussing America's progress towards building a greener economy. "The 2020 election in the United States is absolutely critical, because we know on the climate side that we have very few years left to get on an innovative green energy path," Kammen stated.
ERG Alumnus Christopher Jones was recently featured on a New York Times article depicting communities facing a "double spikes of risk" from the Coronavirus and heat waves.
Following a recent UC Berkeley study showing how the United States can achieve 90% clean electricity by 2035, ERG Professor Lara Kuepper commented on the importance of reducing harmful emissions. This report, featured on The Daily Californian, found that by "prioritizing energy generated from wind, solar and battery storage, decarbonizing electricity at a rapid rate is possible."
"Health of People, Health of Planet and Our Responsibility" is a recently published, fully open-access book that came out of discussions at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences with the Pope and members of the joint Pontifical Academies of Science and Social Science. ERG Professor Dan Kammen contributed his own chapter, "Defeating energy poverty", which is included in a section on taking action from a scientific basis.
ERG PhD Jess Carney has recently been awarded by the Berkeley Graduate Division an Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Award for her work in Dan Kammen's Energy & Society. Carney not only acted as Head GSI, but she also worked with Kammen to develop and improve the course. She also took charge of steering the summer Energy & Society online course, which presented its own unique challenges.
ERG professor Dan Kammen and ERG PhD student Valeri Vasquez have recently spoken alongside a live panel of UC Berkeley experts in the live broadcast "Climate Change and COVID-19: Can this crisis shift the paradigm?".
ERG professor Dan Kammen was recently featured in a CNN interview discussing the effects of COVID-19 on pollution levels around the world.
ERG Professor Dan Kammen was recently featured on Global Minima, a podcast by Sustainabilist, in an episode titled "Dan Kammen on Energy, Data, and Canned Air (GM101)".
Anushah Hossain, a Ph.D. student in the Energy & Resource Group, has recently been awarded two different fellowships. Hossain was awarded the Peter Lyman Graduate Fellowship for "her dissertation on a multi-lingual internet", as well as the Subir Chowdhury Fellowship on Quality of Life in Bangladesh to "support her research on open access software communities in South Asia".
ERG professor Dan Kammen has recently joined a group of progressive policymakers to create green policy proposals that includes an economic stimulus package. The bill aims to help the nation recover from the coronavirus pandemic while simultaneously combating climate change.
ERG PhD student Julia Szinai, ERG Alumnus Anand Gopal, and two other co-authors from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab have recently published a collaborative research paper on ScienceDirect.
ERG Dan Kammen was recently quoted on KQED criticing the Trump Administration's decision to appoint "former PG&E attorney to head the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s regional office in San Francisco."
ERG Alumnus Evan Mills' research on the carbon emissions of gaming systems was recently cited on Grist. The article, titled "How the Xbox stands between Microsoft and its climate goals", uses Mills' research to display how gaming consoles like the Xbox have a significant impact on annual emissions.
ERG professor Dan Kammen recently published a collaborative article on the Beam discussing the challenge of not only providing clean cooking energy services as a basic necessity, but how new technological improvements like the biomass improved cookstove can be more efficiently implemented.
ERG student José Daniel Lara and ERG professor Daniel Kammen, in collaboration with forest researchers in UC Berkeley's department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, recently published "Characterization of the woody biomass feedstock potential resulting from California’s drought" in Nature, Scientific Reports.
Valeri Vasquez, an ERG graduate student, has recently returned with the largest-ever delegation of 100 women from a month long expedition in Antarctica. Their journey to the frozen continent was part of an initiative to bring more women into STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math and medical fields), fighting climate change and women empowerment.
In a new study done by ERG's Dan Kammen and a team of researchers, analysis shows that global warming crisis is worse than previously thought. However, their research also shows how it is completely possible for countries to achieve an increased and sustainable rate of decarbonisation through more aggressive policies against climate change.
ERG emeritus professor Jack M. Hollander passed away on November 10, 2019 at age 92.
ERG’s Dan Kammen and RAEL investigate how the benefits of solar energy is not distributed equally among individuals, and how there are racial disparities especially in rooftop solar PV deployment in the United States. This article, published on The Beam, provides numerous statistical and graphic evidence supporting the need for more inclusive energy infrastructure policy. […]
Daniel Kammen discusses how power shutoffs and evacuations may become the the new normal as climate change continues to spark deadlier wildfires year after year.
Alexandra von Meier, an ERG Alumna and director in the California Institute for Energy and Environment’s Electric Grid program area, discusses how locally sourced power, compared to shutting off power, can better prevent wildfires.
Climate of Change is an event dedicated to empowering action on climate change; twelve experts, including Daniel Kammen, were invited to speak on the behalf of such a pressing issue. Hosted at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center, these speakers will discuss a wide range of topics that dedicate to the overarching theme of […]
In an recent article on Science, Kammen contributes insight on the possibilities of harnessing renewable energy through various techniques.
Several ERGies recently contributed articles to an IEEE Special Issue on "Electricity for All: Issues, Challenges, and Solutions for Energy-Disadvantaged Communities."
ERG alum, Dr. Patrick Gonzalez presents scientific findings to Representative Mike Quigley and other members of the U.S. House of Representatives Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Members in the U.S. Capitol
A recent report released from the United Nations details the threat that climate change and human activities pose to hundreds of thousands of plant and animal species and their biodiversity. Professor Dan Kammen, appearing on KQED, details the intricate and intertwined relationship between humans and other species on the planet and how this impacts the future of […]
Recent ERG alum Noah Kittner (MS ’15, PhD ’18) and professor Dan Kammen, along with Stanford postdoc Rafael Schmitt and UC Berkeley professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Matt Kondolf, published an article this week in Nature. They argue that solar and wind energies are key to maintaining both environmental and human health in […]
Data, Environment and Society (ENERES 131) Professor Duncan Callaway Lecture (#33105) TT 9:30 – 11am Labs (#33106) M 10am – 12pm or (#33276) W 10am – 12pm This course will teach students to build, estimate and interpret models that describe phenomena in the broad area of energy and environmental decision-making. Students leave the course as both […]
As part of April’s Cool Campus Challenge, ERG alumnus Chris Jones (MS ’05, PhD ’14), now director of the CoolClimate Network, sat down with student reporters from the Goldman School of Public Policy to discuss the CoolClimate Calculator. The CoolClimate Calculator is an online tool developed by the Renewable & Appropriate Energy Laboratory that allows […]
Sam Arons (MS ’07) and Joshua Apte (PhD ’13) were named as the 2019 “Grist 50” — a list of the most innovative and influential leaders in sustainability. Grist is an online environmental magazine and annually releases a list of high achieving “world fixers”. As the director of sustainability at Lyft, Arons is working toward […]
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office has released three appointments to the new Commission on Catastrophic Wildfire Cost and Recovery, which includes ERG alumna Carla Peterman (PhD ’17). Peterman served as a commissioner on the California Public Utilities Commission from 2013 to 2018. She will be joined on the five-person commission by former California Insurance Commissioner David […]
“If you want to see where global warming is happening, look in our oceans,” said Zeke Hausfather, a graduate student in the Energy and Resources Group at UC Berkeley and co-author of the paper. “Ocean heating is a very important indicator of climate change, and we have robust evidence that it is warming more rapidly than we thought.”
A new study by researchers at UC Berkeley and Tufts University shows fewer rooftop solar photovoltaics installations exist in African-American and Hispanic-dominant neighborhoods than in white-dominant neighborhoods, even when controlling for household income and home ownership. It was published in Nature Sustainability. The study was conducted by Deborah Sunter (former postdoctoral scholar in Dan Kammen’s […]
NPR’s Michel Martin interviewed ERG Professor Dan Kammen on the U.N. climate talks December, 2018 in Poland. “Unfortunately, because the U.S. backed out, that’s left a number of holes. Essentially, the Paris conference was such a success because countries have been ramping up clean energy and becoming less expensive. But the U.S. and China, the […]
InFEWS fellowships are granted to students whose PhD research aims to provide lasting environmental solutions and alleviate poverty in the world’s poorest regions. The Blum Center for Developing Economies recently sat down with four of its current InFEWS fellows to talk about the global challenges they are addressing, including ERG PhD student Chris Hyun: “I […]
The case competition, hosted Nov. 6 by the MBA Energy Club at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, required a team of three to five graduate students to compare the electrical infrastructure, regulatory environment, and competitive landscapes in Benin and neighboring Nigeria and recommend a go-to-market strategy for one of those nations based on their findings. […]
“So while President Macron has highlighted the need for funds to invest in clean energy, that is not actually what was planned,” Mr. Kammen said.
It is with a very heavy heart that I have to pass on the news that University of California Berkeley Energy and Resources Group (ERG) core faculty emeritus Gene Rochlin passed away this weekend.
Nikky Avila (PhD ’18) was recently featured on the podcast “Somebody Call a Doctor.” Avila discusses how distributed energy technologies are disrupting conventional electricity planning paradigms and enabling social innovation. She also shares how working with Professor Charisma Acey and engaging in Vietnam and Kenya transformed the way she thinks about energy planning. Nkiruka (Nikky) Avila […]
Nature Energy recently published research by ERG PhD Student Jonathan Lee and Professor Duncan Callaway quantifying the cost of reliability for decentralized solar and battery systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Their research finds that falling costs of solar photovoltaics and lithium-ion batteries is enabling decentralized solar plus storage systems to be increasingly cost-competitive with traditional electricity […]
As the November 6, 2018 midterm elections approach, the Energy and Resources Group faculty, students, and alumni are taking action to increase voter participation. We encourage all voices to be heard in our democracy, and invite all to vote to support leaders and policies that lead to a sustainable environment and a just society. Voting […]
ERG alumni Ranjit Deshmukh, Ana Mileva, and Grace Wu recently published their research on alternatives to the hydroelectric power Inga III Dam in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The team explores the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of possible renewable energy options, which offer lower economic, social, and environmental risks. “Given these [environmental and social] shortcomings, developing […]
For over one million Rohingya refugees living in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, water and sanitation, health, and shelter are crucial issues. ERG PhD student Samira Siddique examines the importance of access to sustainable energy as well, which is often neglected in emergency situations like the Rohingya crisis. “Historically, there has not been a systematic approach […]
Energy and Resources Group Professor and Chair, Daniel Kammen advocates for passage of the “100 Percent Clean Energy Act” (Senate Bill 100) and the green energy economic opportunities that California and US should not miss.
The Energy and Resources Group has announced two new courses this fall addressing current, timely topics in energy and environment. Registration is open.
The University of Maryland has named ERG alumnus Steve Fetter as Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School.
Lyft announced its plans last month to purchase carbon offsets to cancel out the carbon emissions created by its drivers. It’s also part of a larger strategy to lessen Lyft’s carbon footprint and to provide a billion rides a year via autonomous electric vehicles by 2025. “Some energy experts have applauded the announcement, while suggesting […]
Have you ever wondered which states in the U.S. are the most environmentally conscious? The least? “In order to highlight the greenest states and call out those doing a poor job of caring for the environment, WalletHub compared each of the 50 states on 23 key metrics. Our data set ranges from LEED-certified buildings per […]
“What would it look like if all Yellow Cabs in Manhattan were replaced with self-driving electric taxis? How much battery range would they need, and where would you put charging stations? How much would it cost to ride in a robotaxi, and what would the environmental impact be?” These are the questions posed by ERG […]
A team of scientists at the University of Utah as well as several other universities decided to take a closer look at the effects of expanding suburban communities near Salt Lake City, UT over the past decade. The atmospheric researchers found that “carbon dioxide emissions increased as suburban areas developed to the southwest of Salt […]
The U.S. government recently congratulated the government of Kosovo for signing a contract with American multi-national corporation Contour Global to build a new 500 MW coal-fired power plant. Kosovo highlights the potential of this plant to relieve a long history of energy insecurity, and provide for better health and economic prosperity. However, ERG Chair Dan […]
Mexico City is one of the most congested cities in the world, and it’s taking a toll on the health of its citizens and the environment. Sergio Castellanos, a postdoctoral scholar with Energy and Resources Group, along with Dan Kammen and other researchers from UC Berkeley and the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change […]
ERG alumni Chris and Chom Greacen explain the vision and execution that brought to life the Common Ground community on Lopez Island, WA. Read about the project’s origins and objectives, efficiency and affordability, solar energy, and community. “In 2006, a group of local residents set a goal of creating net-zero-energy (NZE) straw-bale homes as part of […]
As the world moves away from using traditional fossil fuels and towards sources of renewable energy like wind and solar, securing cost-effective ways to store this electricity is essential. ERG Chair Dan Kammen and PhD student Noah Kittner discuss the evolution occurring in battery storage today, and suggest innovative options to aid in the clean energy […]
The College of Environmental Design (CED) at UC Berkeley spotlighted the innovative Oakland EcoBlock project this week, lead by CED professor Harrison Fraker and ERG chair Dan Kammen. The project, which was featured as one of Scientific American’s Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2017, intends to adapt and apply existing renewable technologies to a neighborhood […]
Recently, scientists from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that 2017 was among the warmest years in history. While the two agencies approach global temperature measurements differently, both confirmed that “the 2017 results make the past four years the hottest period in their 138-year archive.” ERG’s Zeke Hausfather, a PhD student studying climate […]
In a Knowledge @ Wharton public policy podcast, Dan Kammen joins Eric Orts, legal studies and business ethics professor, and director of the school’s Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership. Kammen and Orts discuss the implications of environmental policy decisions made in 2017, and consider sustainability options for businesses as well as federal and state governments in the […]
The European Union has set ambitious goals for its renewable energy portfolio in order to drastically reduce emissions by 2030. However, the current version of its plan essentially allows for the deforestation and burning of trees, as a coal alternative, in order to produce energy. A recent report published in The Guardian, co-authored by ERG […]
With global temperatures increasing, researchers analyze the effects of temperature differences on wind patterns. Multiple studies confirm the possibility of wind resources declining across the Northern Hemisphere, reducing the energy potential of wind turbines. Familiar with the studies, Dan Kammen adds that the phenomenon is “a disturbing but entirely expected consequence of climate change.” However, […]
The College of Natural Resources has issued its Fall 2017 Breakthroughs magazine, featuring research from many ERG students and faculty. From Chris Jones and Dan Kammen’s comprehensive carbon footprint calculator to Duncan Callaway’s efforts to improve the way rooftop solar and electric vehicles are integrated into the grid, ERG remains at the forefront of climate research […]
In the Fall 2017 issue of the College of Natural Resources’ Breakthroughs magazine, Dan Kammen is spotlighted for the innovative ways in which he has merged science with environmental policy. Read about Dan’s inspiration to become involved with climate science and policy, his start at Energy and Resources Group, former science envoy work in the Middle […]
The Oakland EcoBlock Project is an urban sustainability experiment that focuses on reducing the footprint of a typical neighborhood block. As a mini-grid system for shared energy and water in a low-income community, it has the potential to encourage more efficient resource usage and shared clean transportation, and to promote far broader social and racial […]
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the University of California system with the Excellence in Green Power Use Award for its investments in renewable energy, and continued progress toward reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. The EPA aims to recognize organizations that “both exceed the minimum benchmark requirements for green power usage and […]
ERG Professor Dan Kammen was quoted in CarbonBrief this week, reinforcing the International Energy Agency’s assertion that renewable energy is emerging as a cheaper and more socially responsible alternative to coal in providing electricity to the 1.1 billion people who still lack energy access. “Coal doesn’t even deliver the thing for which it’s really been touted for, […]
Last week, Dan Kammen, Diego Ponce de Leon, and Peter Marsters published their analysis of the environmental, social, economic, and community impacts of the shale industry on Mexico. The team also discussed lessons that can be learned from the recent ‘shale boom’ in the United States. The analysis seeks to inform mainly Mexican policy makers, […]
Image: Renewable Riches: How Wind and Solar Could Power DRC and South Africa (2017) Ana Mileva, Ranjit Deshmukh, and Grace Wu discuss The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) position to harness reliable renewable energy. “In the analysis Renewable Riches, researchers from the University of California’s Energy and Resources Group modeled the DRC’s best wind and solar […]
Photo: Lizette Kabré After a few hectic weeks in the news, Energy and Resources Professor Dan Kammen reflects on his resignation as State Department Science Envoy and highlights the continued importance of renewable energy sources. Read his most recent statements to UC Berkeley News and Vox. Kammen has also commented on the effects of climate change […]
Noah Kittner and Dan Kammen's new paper, "Energy storage deployment and innovation for the clean energy transition," was published in Nature Energy on July 31, 2017
We are pleased to announce the appointment of the new Energy and Resources Group Chair, Professor Daniel M. Kammen. His appointment began July 1, 2017. Daniel Kammen is a Professor of Energy with appointments in the Energy and Resources Group, The Goldman School of Public Policy, and the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. […]
If you live in the South, climate change could kill your economy.
“The fossil-free economy is already profitable.”
Neighborhood efforts to reduce fossil fuel and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions, could go beyond serving as a model for sustainability by providing local construction jobs and revitalizing entire communities.
ERG Professor Dan Kammen and graduate student Zeke Hausfather respond to President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement
ERG Ph.D. candidate Grace Wu is featured in this IEEE Spectrum article on a tool called Multicriteria Analysis for Planning Renewable Energy (MapRE)
ERG associate professor Duncan Callaway co-authored this post with ARE associate professor Meredith Fowlie for the Energy Institute at Haas blog on grid dis-integration and the potential economic effects of grid defection.
ERG PhD students Ranjit Deshmukh and Grace Wu discuss their research on cost-efficient renewable energy solutions to meet Africa's energy demands with Berkeley Lab.
ERG Professor Duncan Callaway comments on renewable energy in Africa, noting the advancements in solar technology in Crescent Vale News.
Last week, ERG PhD student José Daniel Lara spoke in Costa Rica at the TEDx Pura Vida 2017 event. Lara’s talk focused on the urgency for Costa Rica to integrate solar energy to power daily life. He added that the country has the potential to take the lead in renewable energy because. He explained, “In the 20th century, Costa Rica […]
ERG Professor Emeritus John Holdren is featured in the Cape Cod Wave.
Arthur Hinton Rosenfeld, a close friend to many in the ERG community, passed away Friday, January 27, 2017. He was 90 years old. “Art Rosenfeld helped make California the world leader in energy efficiency,” said Gov. Jerry Brown in a statement. “His path-breaking ideas transformed our energy sector from one of massive waste to increasingly […]
ERG professor Dan Kammen commented in this MIT Technology Review article on reports that the Trump administration intends to shut down or slash resources for select Department of Energy programs.
The Energy and Resources Group is delighted to announce the arrival of new core faculty member Lara Kueppers.
Daniel Kammen comments for Scientific American on the opportunities scientists think they can seize with the appointment of Trump's climate skeptics.
ERG student Emily Woods, CTO and Co-founder of Sanivation, discusses her start-up which converts uses human waste to an affordable and environmentally friendly fuel source.
ERG professor Daniel Kammen is quoted in two Scientific American articles on the COP22 and his reactions Trump's victory.
Nine experts, including ERG Professor Daniel Kammen, reflect on where researchers should direct their efforts during the next US administration.
ERG Graduate Students Ranjit Deshmukh and Grace Wu's research on renewable energy in Africa was highlighted in a news article in Nature.
ERG Professor Daniel Kammen discusses how renewable energy offers a road out of poverty, while coal condemns people to it.
Alumna Astrid Scholz (PhD 2001, Energy and Resources Group) seeks to disrupt the social-change industry with Sphaera Solutions.
The Tiny House in My Backyard (THIMBY) team won several categories in the 2016 Sacramento Municipal District Tiny House Competition.
ERG professor Dan Kammen and associate professor Isha Ray are highlighted in a UC Berkeley News article on a new NSF grant towards a STEM Training for Actionable Research and Global Impact program with a focus on Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems.
ERG professor Dan Kammen commented for the Washington Post on the uncertainty of negative emissions as a viable fix for the planet's warming.
ERG alumni Peter Gleick (M.S. '80, Ph.D. '86) and Heather Cooley (M.S. '04) are featured on NewsDeeply's roundup of CA leaders at the nexus of water, energy and climate.
Congratulations to ERG postdoctoral fellow Nikky Avila, who was recently awarded the 2016 Rosenfeld Fellowship.
ERG PhD candidate Jalel Sager, coauthored an article on President Obama's visit to Laos this week.
Solar Industry Magazine has announced a partnership between the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) and nonprofit solar installer GRID Alternatives. RAEL is a unique new research, development, project implementation, and community outreach facility founded by ERG’s Daniel Kammen and is based at the University of California, Berkeley in the Energy and Resources Group and Department […]
Elon Musk described the rationale for Tesla to acquire SolarCity and create the “world’s only vertically integrated energy company.’’ - New York Times
Two articles on the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory website featured the current work of ERG alumni Ryan Wiser (M.S. '96, Ph.D. '02) and Andrew Jones (M.S. '07, Ph.D. '12).
The Tiny House in My Backyard (THIMBY) is an interdisciplinary team of UC Berkeley graduate and undergraduate students working together to design and build an affordable, off-grid, 100% solar-powered “tiny” house. The construction of their first “tiny” house began on May 23rd when the support for the unit’s water tanks was established. Since then, the […]
New Sun Road is a California technology company directed by ERGie Jalel Sager (MS’11 , PhD’15). They are committed to implementing solutions to climate change and global energy poverty, provide electricity to communities, health clinics, and education centers in remote and challenging environments. New Sun Road designs, builds and installs SolPower™ micro-grid systems with broadband […]
“Research at the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory [ERG Professor Daniel Kammen’s lab] at the University of California Berkeley highlights that while cities currently contribute to global climate change by emitting the majority of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, they could become the building blocks of sustainability. In this week’s inaugural special issue of Science Magazine on […]
"ERG grad student Emily Woods took 2nd place in the 'Scaling up Big Ideas' category with her project 'Feces to Fuel.'"
ERG professor Dan Kammen spoke on a Cornell University panel on the potential of nuclear power to address global climate change.
The New York Times featured ERG PhD student Nate Aden in an article on Decoupling Economic Growth from Carbon Emissions.
Commitments by two groups within ERG were included in the White House Summit on Water last week
ERG Professor Daniel Kammen has been appointed as one of five U.S. Science Envoys by the US State Department.
ERG professor Dan Kammen discusses the new construction of an Oakland cargo terminal that could be used to export Utah coal with KQED News.
ERG alum Christopher Jones comments on suburban sprawl and carbon footprints.
ERG PhD students Diego Ponce de Leon Barido and Josiah Johnston published a blog post in National Geographic on renewable energy investments in Nicaragua.
ERG is offering four of its most popular courses this summer! Enroll Today!
ERG PhD student José Lara was interviewed for BBC on Costa Rica and its green energy policy.
ERG grad student Britt Shaw, along with ERG alumna Rebekah Shirley and Professor Dan Kammen, spoke on clean energy earlier this month at the Commonwealth Club's event "Accelerating the Clean Energy Revolution Worldwide."
ERG PhD student Zeke Hausfather examines threats to the Clean Power Plan that the EPA might have overlooked.
ERG PhD students Ranjit Deshmukh and Grace Wu share their research on Africa's leap toward clean and affordable energy with World Policy.
Rebecca Shaw, MA 1992 Energy Resources Group, Ph.D. 1997 ERG, is featured in Berkeley's College of Natural Resources Breakthroughs magazine.
Emily Woods makes Forbes 30 Under 30 list for her leadership as co-founder of Sanivation, converting human waste into a sustainable fuel source. See the full story and the rest of the list here.
The first-of-its-kind interactive map was produced by the University of California, Berkeley’s CoolClimate Network and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and covers census block groups –neighborhoods of several hundred to a few thousand households – in the nine-county area. Neighborhoods with relatively high emissions for any component of their carbon footprints show up […]
The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris has begun and will continue until December 11th. Energy and Resources Group faculty, students and alumni will be playing an active role at the conference and the many peripheral activities.
Dan Kammen comments for the Washington Past on negative emission technology as a key to keep warming to two degrees, without major emissions cuts before the year 2020.
ERG student John Romankiewicz and ERG alumni Joanna Lewis share their research on China's energy targets and the transparency in international negotiations with Science.
ERG Ph.D. scholars Ranjit Deshmukh and Grace Wu discuss their report on “Designing Low Carbon Electricity Futures for African and Other Developing Economies”
ERG Ph.D candidate, Daniel Sanchez, shares his research on capturing, sequestering and burning carbon with GreenBiz.
Congratulations to ERG postdoctoral fellow Peter Alstone, who was recently announced a winner of the 2015 ITRI-Rosenfeld Postdoctoral Fellowship.
ERG professor Dan Kammen looks at impacts of proposed new CPUC rules.
Postdoctoral scholar, Rebecca Hernandez, discusses her study on the ecological footprint of solar power development with Scientific American.
Postdoctoral scholar, Rebecca Hernandez, comments on California's utility-scale solar projects.
Professor Daniel Kammen shares his thoughts on California's energy revolution with the New York Times.
ERG grad student Ian Bolliger talks about Cal team's tiny house project in Richmond.
ERG Professor John Harte was featured on Environmental Health News speaking of how the implementation of sustainable energy will play an important role in future food security.
ERG Professor Daniel Kammen was featured in two magazine publications regarding Obama's Clean Power Plan and the impacts it might have on the U.S. population.
ERG & RAEL students present and engage at scientific conference “Our Common Future under Climate Change” ahead of COP21
As an alternative to the current Baram Dam project, Professor Daniel Kammen presented the benefits of using renewable energy instead of mega hydro-dams at a press conference held at Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia.
ERG Professor Duncan Callaway and and ERG student Michael Cohen's (MS '12) release report on Economic Effects of Distributed PV Generation on California's Distribution System.
ERG students Anne-Perrine Avrin (MS'15) will be presenting her research at the Our Common Future Under Climate Change conference held in Paris, France from 7-10 July 2015.
DOE's Wind Program honors ERG graduate student for impact on wind power advocacy
3 current Switzer fellows, 2 more NSF fellows, and more. See the list of awards ERG students have received.
PhD candidate Jalel Sager, Austin Cappon (ERG minor) and Jonathon Lee to pilot solar microgrid design this spring
Dr. Dan Kammen on how CA's new GHG reduction targets are not only good for the state but also international talks
Dr. Dan Kammen speaks with Sea Change Radio on getting energy sustainably to those without access.
How Zimmerman (MS'08), ERGies and colleagues started to "save the planet" by getting Cal capped
John Holdren's "tricks of the trade" presentation plus photos during the ERG Big Event.
New book by Dove and Kammen released this week.
ERG team study showing how off-grid power can improve equality in energy access published in Nature Climate Change. Interview with lead author Peter Alstone.
Heather Cooley (MS'04) and PhD candidate Julian Fulton release California water footprint report from Pacific Institute.
ERG postdoctoral fellow Hernandez with Hoffacker and Field from Stanford publish in Nature Climate Change.
"We wanted to help policymakers and members of the general public understand that household heating with biomass is a complicated issue," says ERG PhD candidate Zoë Chafe.
Paper published in Nature by Daniel Feldman and other LBL scientists, including ERG core faculty Margaret Torn.
ERG PhD candidate Chris Jones explains household electricity consumption.
ERG PhD candidate studies the impact of rising sea levels on coastal life.
Paper by ERG team published in Nature Climate Change this month.
Dr. Dan Kammen in Al Jazeera reminds us not to forget US and China's strategic climate partnership.
Data provided by Joseph Kantenbacher, ERG PhD candidate, underpins an analysis showing how it is that significantly less energy is used by Americans on Super Bowl Sunday.
Listen to the discussion on Governor Browns ambitions energy plan with Dan Kammen and Peter Miller.
ERG PhD candidate, Joseph Kantenbacher (MS'09), reveals how we can lower carbon emissions by doing things we enjoy.
Dr. Kammen interviewed in FuturArc about seeing buildings as systems.
ERG alum measures air quality while riding rickshaws in Delhi.
In Spring 2015, ERG offers an interdisciplinary, graduate-level survey of historical & current efforts to regulate GHG emissions in the US.
"When the two biggest emitters and two biggest economies jointly do it, it will ideally transform the entire debate..."
Dr. Isha Ray at UN Headquarters discussing report on gender equality.
NBC interview of Dr. Kammen on new technology not meeting green expectations.
SWITCH model selected as a "Project to Watch" by the UN's Big Data Climate Challenge.
"If the United States does not [limit carbon emissions], it is unlikely that other major emitters in the world — China, India, Russia, Europe, Japan — will do so either."
Kammen speaks at Schwarzenegger's climate pep rally where both parties agree that it's time to fight the dark side.
He transitioned from physics to ecology. And at ERG, he's not the only one.
3-day certificate course Oct 3-5, offering a practical perspective on the economic effects of climate and energy policy.
Professor John Harte and three ERG students are "Hacking the Climate" with featured articles in the popular online publication.
UC President forms Global Climate Leadership Council including UC professors and climate experts.
The New York Times calls the EPA's emission proposals "modest." Professor Dan Kammen points out the challenge.
Watch White House scientists, including Dr. Cyrus Wadia (ERG MS'06, PhD'08), talk about the White House's shift toward renewables.
Rebekah Shirley (ERG PhD) and Professor Dan Kammen show how small-scale energy can work in the Pacific Islands.
Scholars from ERG and Carnegie Mellon report on the "vicious cycles" of rural microgrids.
President Obama's top science advisor and ERG Co-founder, John Holdren, is confident that America's next energy plan "will make a difference."
“People who go out and actually measure methane pretty consistently find more emissions than we expect," claims Adam Brandt, ERG Alum and assistant professor at Stanford.
From the bottom up : how small power producers and mini-grids can deliver electrification and renewable energy in Africa
Chris Jones (ERG PhD) and Prof. Dan Kammen point out that U.S. households are responsible for about 20% of annual worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, which are driving climate change.
Harrison Fraker receives 2014 Topaz Medallion for Excellence in Architectural Education.
ERG's Kammen and Haas' Wolfram don't exactly see eye-to-eye on energy in NPR interview.
Jalel Sager (PhD candidate) and Austin Cappon (Minor) head to Nairobi, Kenya to pick up UN prize for a sustainable energy development project in Vietnam.
ERG Ph.D. student and co-founder of StreetLight Data, Laura Schewel, talks about startups in the Bay Area in the October 14, 2013 issue of the New Yorker.