Energy Economics and Decision Support
Achieving climate neutrality requires a significant transformation of the energy system. The remaining period of only 10-30 years emphasizes the urgency and necessity for effective, efficient and robust decisions, both in terms of regulatory efforts and private and corporate investment and business model decisions.
The Energy Economics and Decision Support Group develops scientifically founded computer models to support these decisions. The research focus is on the development of mathematical optimisation and simulation models for the quantitative analysis and design of national or regional energy systems and transformation paths. The research results provide stakeholders and decision-makers in politics, business and civil society with what-if impact assessments regarding technical, business-model-specific or political options for action.
Technical, economic, business, ecological, regulatory, social and stakeholder group-specific criteria are considered. As a result, consistent and cost-efficient energy target systems and paths as well as future-proof investment and business model options are identified and evaluated through multi-criteria analysis.
Methods:
- Development of energy system optimisation or simulation models
- Target system and path analysis
- Scenario development
- Multi-criteria evaluation
- Open source model and framework development for coupling and integration of optimisation and simulation models
- Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis
- Approaches for model and data reduction
- Development of tools for interactive stakeholder dialogues
- Participatory modelling and analysis within so called “Decision Theatres”
- Stakeholder group analysis
The innovative research results are presented, discussed and further developed in scientific communities such as the openmod initiative or ESSA.