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Staying Current
Our ongoing conversation about our work and the energy topics of the day — research highlights, analysis deep-dives, and fresh perspectives.
From Here to There: Modeling the Many Paths of Transmission Expansion
New GIS modeling from Evolved reveals a deeper landscape of viable transmission solutions instead of a single pathway.
Duration Is All You Need
Out of Battery; The Emerging Energy Adequacy Challenge
Evolved at CUD 2026
China-US Dialogue on Low-Carbon Power Development reveals common challenges
U.S. Data Center Emissions Through 2040
With demand outpacing clean energy, data center emissions could increase up to 110% in 4 years.
Winter Is the New Summer: The Seasonal Grid Stress Ahead
If the only things we can build are solar and data centers, grid planners are going to have a whole new season to worry about.
Modeling Oregon's Clean Energy Future
Evolved Energy Research served as the Oregon Department of Energy's modeling partner, helping shape and communicate a data-driven roadmap for Oregon's clean, affordable, and resilient energy future.
How OBBBA Rewrites America's Energy Transition
New modeling explores how U.S. power systems evolve through 2040 under a reversal of federal policy.
Guest Lecture: Modeling Energy System Futures with Ensemble
Co-founder, Ben Haley, presented an updated version of a policy analysis of the One Big Beautiful Act, this time using Ensemble, the cutting-edge modeling to generate alternatives methodology.
What Data Center Flexibility Really Costs
New modeling examines the costs of data center flexibility for operators and how optimal mixes of backup generation and storage shift as flexible load increases.
Modeling the Dynamics of EV Adoption: An Agent-Based Approach
Agent-Based Modeling can simulate heterogeneous household dynamics and neighborhood variables that influence EV adoption. We demonstrate these methods looking at EV adoption in California with and without the Inflation Reduction Act tax credits.
Unlocking Diverse Technology Futures for Net Zero Australia
Evolved unveils our cutting-edge modeling technique, Ensemble, to explore net zero pathways for Australia.
The Life and Death of a Well-Traveled Shrimp
(and Accounting for its Embodied Carbon)
Under Pressure: How Data Center Growth Strains the U.S. Electricity Grid
Explosive growth in data center and crypto demand is straining the U.S. grid, reviving coal, and driving up emissions--unless policymakers act fast.
News Roundup: Growing Media Impact of our OBBB Analysis
Media coverage of our OBBB analysis is accelerating--here's how Evolved and REPEAT are shaping national and regional conversations on clean energy rollback.
Impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill on the U.S. Energy Transition
EER's latest REPEAT modeling shows how the OBBB derails the energy transition by raising emissions, increasing household energy bills, and slowing clean energy investment.
Downscaling: Mapping the clean energy transition
Learn what Downscaling is, how it's used in energy modeling, and why it transforms how we interact with siting, transmission, and planning.
Spotlight: Benjamin Preneta
Senior Analyst and former Summer Fellow at Evolved, Benjamin Preneta, brings a cross-sector mindset and geospatial fluency to downscaling, a tool that helps turn big-picture energy plans into real-world actions.
In the Field: Evolved team in San Diego
Evolved folks from around North America gathered in San Diego to launch new projects and welcome new team members.
A Fork in the Road: Impacts of Federal Policy Repeal on the U.S. Energy Transition
Princeton and EER's most recent REPEAT Project report analyzes a potential repeal of current federal energy and climate policies, presenting a bleak outlook of significant increases to greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs.
Evolved Welcomes this Year's Summer Fellows
Our Summer Fellows have launched their respective research projects: developing an agent-based EV model, and forecasting in the era of data centers. Welcome aboard!
Navigating Uncertainty in Electricity Planning
The process of planning electric power systems has always been characterized by uncertainty, but several new forces have emerged that make the resource planning problem more challenging than in the recent past.
Biomass and Land Use in a Decarbonizing US Economy
A new working paper by the WRI, with analysis from Evolved
Scaling the Exploration of Energy Systems
Hear from our founders about what we are currently developing at Evolved for release over the coming year.
Planning the Grid with Next-Gen Cold Climate Heat Pumps
With new advancements in cold weather heat pumps, planners may need to revise their assumptions about load growth, fuel backup, and system investments.
Unlocking The Value of Vehicle-to-Grid in California
Vehicle-to-Grid integration (VGI) can be key for cost reduction and flexibility as California moves toward a decarbonized grid. This study quantifies the financial and operational benefits of VGI at various deployment scales.
In the Field: Guest Lecture at Columbia
Evolved's principal, Dr. Jeremy Hargreaves, and Senior Analyst, Benjamin Preneta, provided a guest lecture to the Columbia University Climate School, exploring the role of modeling and scenarios in energy transitions.
Advancing Energy Goals through Political Turbulence and Funding Uncertainty
Stable Policy, funding, and advocacy are critical to the future of clean energy, but are at risk. Where do we go from here?
Why Load Forecasting Must Evolve
The new electricity reality means that the era of passive energy planning is over. Here's how we move forward.
Spotlight: Ben Haley
Ben Haley gives a tour of the new San Diego office, explores his vision for the future of EER, and digs into the rapidly-changing energy sector.
Maine's Energy Transition: Analysis and Insight
Maine's "Pathways to 2040" report explores practical strategies for advancing clean energy while balancing cost and reliability. Learn more about the valuable insights that inform decision-making and support Maine's energy transition.
US ADP 2024: \"America's Energy Crossroads,\" a Webinar
The US ADP was released to the public in December, and it continues to serve as a trove of data and opportunity for net-zero projects.
Electrification in the Southwest Power Pool
In a detailed study commissioned by the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), Evolved Energy Research analyzed the potential impacts of electricity demand growth across sectors.
EU ADP 2024 Release: The Crew in Brussels
Evolved released our European Annual Decarbonization Perspective - a report with troves of modeling data related to net-zero pathways. What better way to launch our flagship product than speaking with audiences in Belgium's capital.
Enhancing Building Efficiency Modeling
Residential energy modeling is enhanced by analyzing building shell upgrades like windows, insulation, and air sealing. Using NREL data, we explore how location, building type, and age impact costs and savings, offering detailed insights into energy efficiency and pathways to decarbonization.
Climate Progress 2024: The REPEAT Project's Annual Emissions Update
Examining U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trends and Opportunities for a Net-Zero Future
Unleashing Geothermal Energy for Industrial Steam
Advancements in drilling and geothermal technology can make geothermal steam a cost-competitive solution for industrial decarbonization. This report demonstrates that geothermal steam can now be economically viable in industrial hubs across the United States.
How Flexible EV Charging Can Revolutionize Colorado's Energy System
Colorado's ambitious goals for vehicle electrification could get a major boost. Find out how flexible EV charging can lead to significant cost savings and a more resilient, decarbonized energy system.
Siting Renewables and Transmission
How fast-tracking renewable siting and transmission are central to America's clean energy future.
Hydrogen's Role in Washington's Energy Transition
Green Electrolytic Hydrogen and renewable fuels are pivotal to Washington's ambitious energy transformation. Here we uncover the economic pathways, modeling insights, and next steps for the deployment of hydrogen across the Evergreen State.
EER Releases US ADP 2023
EER's Annual Decarbonization Perspective 2023 (ADP) is the second in a series of annual updates on long-term deep decarbonization pathways for the United States. It provides detailed technical bluepri
Growing Solar, Protecting Nature
Mass Audubon and Harvard Forest recently released their report "Growing Solar, Protecting Nature," exploring strategies for limiting environmental impacts of ground-mount solar development in Massachu
DAC Technology Assessment
by Frederico de Lima Addressing climate change is likely to require CO2 Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies paired with the decarbonization of energy systems. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
U.S. Energy Park Potential
Expanding high-voltage transmission, which involves lengthy construction times, authorization by regional power authorities, and complex siting/permitting in the face of land-use restrictions and publ
Energy Earthshots Initiative Analysis
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched its Energy Earthshots Initiative in 2021 to drive innovation breakthroughs for technologies across the energy sector. The initiative currently includes agg
Science Publication: Impacts of the IRA
EER's work modeling the impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), as a part of the REPEAT project, together with analyses from 8 other models, has been published in the paper "Emissions and energy
Net-Zero Northwest
The Clean Energy Transition Institute (CETI) released the Net-Zero Northwest Energy Pathways and Health Impact analyses (Net-Zero Northwest), a comprehensive economic and technical analysis that outli
European ADP 2023
EER was in Brussels last week with Third Way's Carbon-Free Europe program presenting the results of our European Annual Decarbonization Perspective at the Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Science.
45V Tax Credit: Three-Pillars Impact Analysis
The IRA requires emissions from hydrogen production to be less than 0.45 kg CO2e/kg H2 in order to qualify for the full ($3.0/kg) 45V clean hydrogen production tax credit. This credit is extremely val
TNC Power of Place National
The effort to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions will drive significant changes to the U.S. energy system, including unprecedented growth in clean electricity generation. This rapid expansion, if
Net Zero Australia Study
Final results for the Net Zero Australia Project have now been released. The study models pathways to decarbonize the energy, industrial, and transport sectors in Australia while enhancing the natura
EER Study Supports PGE's 2023 CEP/IRP
Portland General Electric (PGE) recently filed its combined Clean Energy Plan (CEP) and Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). To support this effort, PGE retained EER to undertake an independent analysis ev
How Big is the IRA Down Payment toward Net Zero?
With last summer's passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the United States took the first real steps at the national level on a pathway to net zero. EER's experience modeling anticipated polic
Hydrogen Competition in the 2022 ADP
Particularly since the passage of IRA, we've received many questions about the appropriate applications for hydrogen to contribute to decarbonization. Opinions vary widely, with some touting the promi
California Scoping Plan Implementation
Last month California released the final 2022 Scoping Plan that lays out a path to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. It is an impressive achievement that describes, in a single document, multiple di
Achieving 100% Clean Energy in Wisconsin
The Achieving 100% Clean Energy in Wisconsin Report, produced by Evolved Energy Research (EER), GridLab, RENEW Wisconsin, and Clean Wisconsin, identifies strategies to rapidly draw down carbon emissio
Renewables Siting: Power of Place-West
Evolved Energy Research (EER) modeled the impacts of land-use restrictions on economy-wide decarbonization pathways in eleven Western States to gain insights into questions around siting renewable ene
Annual Decarbonization Perspective (ADP) 2022
This report inaugurates a series of annual updates that aim to move pathways analysis in the U.S. beyond isolated proofs-of-concept towards becoming a practical implementation tool for addressing next
Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act
Evolved Energy Research (EER), in collaboration with the ZERO Lab at Princeton University, modeled the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) recently passed by the US Senate. EER's work,
Low Carbon Fuels in Net-Zero Energy Systems
The U.S. and international research community consistently find that energy efficiency, clean electricity and electrification are essential and urgent "pillars" of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissi
Massachusetts' Clean Energy and Climate Plan
Last month, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs released the state's Energy and Climate Plan for 2025 and 2030 (2025/2030 CECP). The CECP establishes sector-specific
Carbon-Free Europe
EER worked with Third Way on launching Carbon-Free Europe, a new research initiative to inform communities, individuals, and policymakers about the necessary technologies and policies for a net-zero f
Carbon Management in Net-Zero Energy Systems
The EER team has released a white paper to advance understanding of carbon management's role in energy and industry to facilitate the U.S. achieving net-zero GHG emissions by mid-century. The analysi
Marginal Abatement Costs: A Systems Approach
Marginal abatement cost (MAC) curves have become the de facto starting point for comparing GHG emission reduction measures since being popularized more than a decade ago. While these analyses remain w
Prioritizing Innovation for Decarbonization
Achieving net-zero GHG emissions by mid-century requires a shift to low-carbon technologies throughout our energy system, many of which are not yet at significant commercial scale. This suggests that
AGU Advances: Carbon‐Neutral Pathways
The team at EER published a new paper today in the journal AGU Advances titled "Carbon‐Neutral Pathways for the United States." The work features the state-of-the-art in economy-wide, bottom-up, ener
Deep Decarbonization for Mexico
EER, in collaboration with Tempus Analítica (TA), has published a study on a whole-economy Deep Decarbonization Pathway for Mexico. The paper, available here, finds that while the existing climate pol
MA Decarbonization Roadmap
Today, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs released a Decarbonization Roadmap for the Commonwealth that is one of the most detailed and considered state decarbonizat
Princeton Net Zero America Project
Today, Princeton University released the interim report of their Net-Zero America Project (NZAP). This is the culmination of over two years of work and outlines feasible transitions to net-zero emissi
Policy for Electricity Decarbonization
EER releases a new national analysis on federal policy for a low-carbon, high-renewables electricity system that can enable economy-wide net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. This work explores the least-co
SDSN's Zero Carbon Action Plan
The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) launched the SDSN USA network in December 2018 to mobilize academic institutions throughout the country to work towards the U.N. sustainable develo
Decarbonizing the Sunshine State
Today, EER releases new analysis for the state of Florida outlining a detailed energy system transition strategy for the state that is compatible with returning atmospheric CO2 concentrations to 350 p
EER Supports NJ's Energy Master Plan
Evolved Energy Research, in partnership with Rocky Mountain Institute, supported the State of New Jersey in developing an Energy Master Plan that was released on January 27th 2020, setting the state o
Northwest Deep Decarbonization
The Clean Energy Transition Institute (CETI) released Meeting the Challenge of Our Time: Pathways to a Clean Energy Future for the Northwest, the first study to examine the technical and economic feas
350 ppm Pathways for the United States
Evolved Energy Research today released 350 ppm Pathways for the United States, its report on decarbonizing the U.S. economy consistent with returning the world's global atmospheric concentration of ca
Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization
The Environmental Law Institute is publishing Legal Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States (Michael B. Gerrard & John C. Dernbach eds.). The book is a playbook of state, local, federal,
Future of Electricity Markets
Electricity systems sit at the hub of decarbonization pathways and two broadly recognized strategies, electrification and increases in renewable generation, have far reaching consequences for electric
Electrification Futures
Evolved Energy Research is a co-author on a new report released by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) exploring the demand-side impacts of high electrification in the U.S. The report uses
Decarbonizing the Northeast
The Future of Energy Global Summit, New York - Evolved Energy Research is a partner on a new report released today in collaboration with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and Hy
PGE Decarbonization Study
We recently spoke at Portland General Electric's (PGE) Integrated Resource Planning Roundtable about our ongoing Decarbonization Study, which explores how PGE's service territory can transition toward
Electric Sector Coupling
I spoke recently at the International Conference on Energy Systems Integration held at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. The subject of the talk was the imperative to pursu
100% Renewables in Multnomah County
Evolved was recently asked to present at a forum in Portland, Oregon on the topic of Multnomah County's \"Journey to 100% Renewables.\" We spoke to lessons learned in other jurisdictions that have under
Decarbonization Not a Risky Business
Evolved Energy Research's work is featured in a new report titled \"From Risk to Return: Investing in a Clean Energy Economy.\" This report is from the Risky Business Project, an initiative founded by M
Jim Williams: USDDPP Talk
Professor Jim Williams, Director of the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project (DDPP) and Senior Fellow at EER gave an in-depth presentation on the findings of the U.S. DDPP team. The slides, video, an