Energy Transition

Projecting the future energy mix nationally and globally, and prospects for different sectors and technologies

The world’s growing appetite for energy, combined with concern about the risks of climate change, is leading nations to seek a technology mix that simultaneously lowers greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enables economic growth. The search for affordable, reliable, efficient, low‑carbon energy-at-scale involves a realistic assessment of the benefits and constraints of existing and new technologies, as well as their socioeconomic implications.

Our studies inform decision‑makers, enabling them to make sound, forward‑looking choices from an expansive menu of technology and policy options aimed at lowering GHG emissions. We project, under business as usual (BAU) and other policies, the future energy mix; performance of different sectors (e.g. mobility/transportation including electric vehicles, power, industrial, agriculture); and market penetration of technologies (e.g. carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), hydrogen, renewables, intermittency (batteries, demand response, electricity markets), and negative emissions technologies (BECCS, afforestation, reforestation and geoengineering)).

To learn how your organization can benefit from funding our research, please visit the Joint Program Sponsorship page. 

Publications

Book/Chapter

Morris, J. and J.M. Reilly (2025)
Uncertainty in Climate Change Research: An Integrated Approach, Springer Cham, ISBN: 978-3-031-85541-2, Chapter 16, pp. 163-176 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-85542-9)

News + Media

Podcast: How energy systems are shaped
In The News
MIT Energy Initiative

MIT Professor Jessika Trancik, a CS3 faculty affiliate, takes a big picture view of how energy systems are shaped and where there is opportunity to innovate (MIT Energy Initiative)

People

Research staff
Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy; MIT Energy Initiative
Research staff
Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy
Research staff
Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment; Aeronautics and Astronautics
Research staff
Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy; MIT Energy Initiative
Faculty
Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy; Sloan School of Management
Research staff
Center for Sustainability Science and Strategy; MIT Energy Initiative