The Clean Energy Transformation Lab

The Clean Energy Transformation Lab — CETlab (pronounced “set-lab”) — aims to transform how we generate, distribute, and use energy in ways that are cost-effective, environmentally sustainable, and socially equitable. The CETlab focuses on low carbon and just transitions in energy systems by applying energy systems modeling, empirical analyses, and social science research methods.

For mitigating climate change, global energy systems need to transform rapidly from fossil fuels to clean energy. This massive transformation faces significant technical, economic, environmental, and social challenges. How do we maintain the reliability of our electricity systems with large amounts of weather-dependent wind and solar, the most promising technology options for clean energy? What would be the cost and labor impacts of a clean energy transition? What would be the impacts on local criteria pollutants and which communities are affected and how? At the same time as we aim to decarbonize our energy systems, access to energy services remains inequitable across the world. How do we provide access to reliable and affordable energy to about a billion people who lack access to electricity and over 2.5 billion people who lack access to clean cooking fuels? These are some of the questions that we aim to answer at the CETlab.

Motivated graduate student applicants and potential postdoctoral scholars with a background in energy science are encouraged to reach out to Professor Ranjit Deshmukh. Occasionally, we haveresearch openings that we will post below. 

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Postdoctoral scholar opening (This position is no longer available)

CETlab invites applications for a full-time Postdoctoral Scholar position to lead research in modeling low-carbon electricity systems. Ongoing CETlab projects are focused on understanding and supporting clean energy transitions in the United States, India, and Sub-saharan Africa through modeling and development of decision-support tools. Lab projects include the Multi-criteria Analysis for Planning Renewable Energy (MapRE) initiative, a spatial analysis platform for planning renewable energy deployment, and GridPath, an electricity system planning and operations analysis platform. The postdoctoral scholar will lead at least two related research tracks modeling low-carbon electricity systems: the first track examines the low-carbon electricity sector transition and its equity impacts in India; the second track offers flexibility in designing a new project that contributes to the development and application of the GridPath capacity expansion and production cost modeling platform, with a potential application to the U.S. electricity system using open-source data sets.  
 
Applicants must hold a PhD in engineering, interdisciplinary energy studies, or a related field.
The ideal candidate will have domain knowledge in energy studies, power systems, renewable energy grid integration, and optimization models. Experience with managing, processing, and analyzing large datasets and strong programming skills especially in Python is preferred.
Interested candidates, please reach out directly to Professor Deshmukh.