ECE Departmental Seminar 

Modeling the energy-X (air-water- health) nexus challenges in clean power transition

Prof. Gang He

Stony Brook University, Department of Technology and Society

Friday, 4/20/18, 11:00am
Light Engineering 250

Abstract: Power generation accounts for more than 40 percent of global carbon emissions. Without a fundamental transition to clean power, there is less chance the world can achieve the decarbonization goal, given projections that electricity use will continue to grow by 80 percent in the next two decades. This is especially true for China as coal provides three quarters of its electricity. China’s power sector is in the midst of fast development, and today’s investment decisions will have a large impact on the country’s ability to achieve and coordinate its environmental and carbon mitigation goals. SWITCH-China model is developed to model the energy, air pollution, and water nexus challenges at high resolution to reflect the need of integration of variable renewable energy into the analysis. Modeling is a “facilitator” which helps understand how technologies, policies, and investment decisions can be coupled, and enables a strategic thinking on the transition to a low carbon power system that meet the climate, air, and water constraints at the same time. Concerted action is needed to develop such a system, including introducing a meaningful carbon price, coordinating the investment decisions, and building the necessary infrastructure for moving energy around.

Bio: Dr. Gang He is an Assistant Professor on energy policy in the Department of Technology and Society at Stony Brook University, as well as a Guest Faculty in the China Energy Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. His work focuses on energy modeling, energy economics, energy and climate change policy. He also studies other issues related to global climate change and the development of lower-carbon energy sources. He had worked for Stanford University Program on Energy and Sustainable Development from 2008 to 2010 and was a Cynthia Helms Fellow at World Resources Institute in 2008. He received his Ph.D. in Energy and Resources at University of California, Berkeley, He also holds an M.A. from Columbia University on Climate and Society and a B.S. from Peking University on Geography. Website: http://www.ganghe.net