People
The Energy Systems Analysis Group (ESAG) includes core members plus visiting researchers and students, in addition to collaborators worldwide. ESAG’s alumni (former students and postdoctoral fellows) work in industry, government, academia, and non-governmental organizations.
members
Eric D. Larson, Senior Research Engineer, Group Head (Larson full CV)
Larson’s research intersects engineering, environmental science, economics, and public policy. His energy systems modeling and analyses aim at identifying sustainable, engineering-based solutions to major energy-related problems. His work assesses resource, economic, and environmental implications of prospective technology developments and helps inform public and private decision-making in the U.S. and elsewhere. He has published extensively on the design and analysis of advanced biomass and fossil fuel conversion technologies with CO2 capture and storage. He was part of the Princeton team contributing to the National Research Council report, America’s Energy Future: Technology and Transformation (2009). He was a Co-Convening Lead Author of the fossil energy chapter of the major international study, The Global Energy Assessment (2012). He co-led Princeton’s Net-Zero America project (2021), and he is active in the global Rapid Switch initiative established by the Andlinger Center. Larson is an Affiliated Faculty member with the High Meadows Environmental Institute and the Center for Policy Research on Energy and Environment in the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton. He also holds an appointment as a senior scientist with Climate Central, a non-profit, non-partisan science and media organization that informs diverse audiences about climate change and potential solutions.
Chris Greig, Theodora D. ’78 & William H. Walton III ’74 Senior Research Scientist (Greig full CV)
Chris commenced a 25-year career in industry in 1986 as the co-founder of a successful process technology and contracting company, which he sold in 1999 to a major European engineering company. From 1999 to 2011, he held senior project and executive roles in the construction and energy resources sectors, including as CEO of ZeroGen, a large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. In 2011 he joined the faculty of the University of Queensland (Australia), where he led both the UQ Energy Initiative and the Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation. He also served as Chairman of the Energy Policy Institute of Australia, Deputy Chairman of Gladstone Ports Corporation, and Non-Executive Director of two ASX listed engineering companies. He was a Gerhard R. Andlinger Visiting Fellow in Energy and Environment at the Andlinger Center from 2018 to 2020 and joined Princeton University as a Senior Research Scientist in August 2020. He also holds an Adjunct Professorship at UQ. Chris has a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from UQ and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. His research interests lie in energy transitions, economics and policy, energy for development, mega-project implementation, and CO2 capture and storage systems.
Fangwei Cheng, Associate Research Scholar (Cheng CV)
Fangwei’s research interests include energy system modeling, life cycle assessment, and techno-economic assessment of low and negative carbon-emission technologies. She is currently part of both the Zero carbon Energy systems Research and Optimization (ZERO) Lab and the Energy Systems Analysis Group. She obtained a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Wuhan Institute of Technology, an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Missouri, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Virginia. For her Ph.D. dissertation, she integrated machine learning, life cycle assessment, and techno-economic assessment to evaluate different negative-emission technologies.
Dominic Davis, Associate Research Scholar (Davis CV)
Dominic is a mechanical engineer whose research focuses on emissions abatement pathways within our energy and transport systems, using technical and economic systems analysis. His interest lies in identifying and overcoming bottlenecks to energy-system transitions. Previously, Dominic was a Research Fellow at the Melbourne Energy Institute at the University of Melbourne, Australia. While there he made significant contributions to the Net Zero Australia study and undertook research on electricity system and market modeling and analysis. Dominic completed PhD and undergraduate studies at the University of Adelaide, Australia. His doctoral research investigated solar thermal technologies with potential application in power generation, thermal storage, and mineral processing.
Loïc De Weerdt, Postdoctoral Research Associate (De Weerdt CV)
Loïc’s research interests include the transition towards a carbon-neutral circular economy, techno-economic evaluations of green microgrids, investments under various types of uncertainty, social welfare maximization, waste management, and sustainable development. He has a Ph.D. in Applied Economics from the University of Antwerp (Belgium) and undergraduate degrees in environmental economics and in European Union law. For his Ph.D. dissertation, he analyzed the market acceptance of circular plastics in Europe. Previously, he was also a member of the Flemish Circular Economy Policy Research Center, a hub of researchers that focus on policy-oriented research questions.
Tubagus Aryandi Gunawan, Postdoctoral Research Associate (Gunawan CV)
Arya’s research includes designing, modeling, optimization, and analysis across a wide range of energy technologies and systems. He is interested in the techno-economic-environmental performances of current and future clean energy supply chains. He obtained a BEng in chemical engineering from the University of Indonesia, an MSc in energy engineering from the Technical University of Berlin, and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the National University of Ireland (Galway). As part of his Ph.D. dissertation, he developed an online decision support tool for deploying renewable hydrogen in large cities across Northwest Europe. He additionally was involved with the modeling of solar-based synthetic liquid fuels production at the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
Ganesh Hegde, Postdoctoral Research Associate (Hegde CV)
Ganesh’s research interests include energy system modeling, energy inequality, policy analysis, and understanding technology-development linkages. He is currently working on India’s energy pathways for achieving Net-Zero carbon emissions. Ganesh has a master’s degree in Power and Energy System Engineering from Bangalore University and a Ph.D. from IIT Bombay. His Ph.D. dissertation explores rural electrification policy evolution in India while analyzing electricity consumption inequalities in the country. He is an amateur chess and badminton player, an avid reader, and an outdoor enthusiast.
Cecelia Isaac, Associate Professional Specialist (Isaac CV)
Cecelia is a GIS researcher and analyst. She focuses on critical infrastructure with an emphasis on the electrical grid. Her past projects include research into social segregation as it relates to resident wellbeing in metropolitan areas, political campaign messaging by region, and hurricane recovery in Gulf states. She has a B.A. in English and Chinese from the University at Albany, SUNY and an M.S. in Geographic Information Science from the University of Minnesota. Previously, she worked at U-Spatial as GIS coordinator on hazard mitigation reporting for Minnesota counties. At Princeton, she supports ESAG as well as the Zero carbon Energy systems Research and Optimization (ZERO) Lab.
Hongxi Luo, Postdoctoral Research Associate (Luo CV)
Hongxi’s research interests include process modeling, life cycle assessment, and techno-economic assessment of energy systems. He is currently working on the assessments of different thermochemical conversion of biomass coupled with carbon capture and storage to mitigate climate change. Hongxi received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Missouri – Columbia and East China University of Science and Technology, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia. Previously, Hongxi worked as a R&D manager to optimize the environmental and economic performances of full-scale sludge pyrolysis plants and develop practical applications of sludge-derived biochar in the context of circular economy.
Aniruddh Mohan, Andlinger Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow (Mohan CV)
Aniruddh studies the role of emerging technologies in transport, electricity, and carbon removal for achieving deep decarbonization. He has a Ph.D. in Engineering & Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University and masters and undergraduate degrees from the University of Cambridge and the University of Manchester respectively. His doctoral dissertation highlighted the trade-offs between automation and electrification for light vehicles and the societal costs and benefits of electrifying ride-hailing services. Previously, he was an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation International Climate Protection Fellow at the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy in Germany.
Andrew Pascale, Research Scholar (Pascale CV)
Andrew is an experienced research and technical specialist in high resolution energy transitions. He was a key researcher on Princeton’s Net-Zero America study and subsequently on the Net-Zero Australia study. His key contributions to these landmark studies included acquisition and organization of datasets to run the suite of macroscale energy systems models, interpretation and assessment of model results, and high-resolution downscaling of transitions to individual asset siting across all sectors. Andrew has undergraduate engineering and arts degrees from the University of Notre Dame, a PhD from the University of Queensland, and real-world field experience in humanitarian aid and the execution of small-scale clean energy projects in Southeast Asia.
collaborators
Consonni, Stefano
Stefano Consonni is a professor at the Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Visitor-in-residence appointments with ESAG in 2002, 2007, and 2018.
Kreutz, Thomas G.
Tom Kreutz was the senior energy systems modeler with ESAG for two decades before his retirement in 2019. Kreutz’s interests are in modeling advanced energy conversion systems, in particular: production of hydrogen, electricity, and CO2 (for sequestration) from coal, residential scale, natural gas-fired PEM fuel cell cogeneration, fuel cell hybrid vehicles: power system design and vehicle performance modeling, reforming liquid fuels to hydrogen for mobile and stationary power applications, gasification of biomass and black liquor for combined cycle generation of electric power, and fuel cells, gas turbines, and hybrid/combined cycles for electric power generation. (Kreutz full CV)
Li, Zheng
Zheng Li is the dean of the Department of Thermal Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
In residence with ESAG in September 2001 and January 2002 (Visiting Scholar).
Mayfield, Erin
Erin is the Hodgson Family Assistant Professor of Engineering at Dartmouth College (as of September 2021).
In residence with ESAG: June 2019 – July 2021 (Postdoctoral Research Associate)
Socolow, Robert H.
Socolow, Professor Emeritus of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is interested in the characteristics of a global energy system responsive to global and local environmental and security constraints. His specific areas of interest include carbon dioxide capture from fossil fuels and storage in geological formations, nuclear power, energy efficiency in buildings, and the acceleration of deployment of advanced technologies in developing countries.
Williams, Robert H.
Robert H. Williams founded and led the Energy Systems Analysis Group during a 41-year career at Princeton University that concluded in early 2017. He is currently Senior Research Scientist, Emeritus, Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. He is interested in fuel cells for transportation and stationary power applications, advanced gas turbine technologies for power generation, advanced technologies for producing hydrogen and other clean synthetic fuels from carbonaceous feedstocks, fuels decarbonization, and CO2 sequestration, various renewable energy technologies, and nuclear energy (mainly proliferation and economic aspects). (Williams full CV)
alumni
These individuals have had past association with the Energy Systems Analysis Group. Under each name, the years spent as part of the ESAG and position in the Group or at Princeton University are given, followed by the last known institutional affiliation.
Clinton J. Andrews
1992–1997, Assistant Professor, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.
Rutgers University, Boustein School, Urban Planning and Policy Development Program
Michael J. Antal
1975–1982, Assistant Professor, Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department.
University of Hawaii, Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Birgir Arnason
1983 MSE, Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
Samuel F. Baldwin
1986–1989?, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies.
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewables.
David L. Bohac
19?? MSE, Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department.
Energy Conservation Center?, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Valentina Bosetti
2008–2009 Visiting Fellow, Princeton Environmental Institute, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, Italy
Herbert F. Bormann
19??–19??, Visiting Senior Research Scientist, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies
Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies?
Michiel Carbo
2008–2009, Visiting Graduate Student, Energy Systems Analysis Group
Biomass, Coal and Environmental Research Department at the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN)
Alfred Cavallo
1992–1997, Research Associate, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies. USDOE Lab, New York City
Fuat Celik
2002–2003, Research Associate, Princeton Environmental Institute, UC Berkley, Chemical Engineering Department
Haiping Chen
2010, Visiting Scholar, Energy Systems Analysis Group
Haiping Chen is a professor in the Energy and Power Engineering Department, North China Electric Power University, Beijing
Jeffrey S. Chen
1995 MSE, Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
Lazard, Minneapolis
Stefano Consonni
1992 PhD., Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
Politecnico di Milano, Departimento di Energetica
Ben Court
2007–2011 PhD. MAE Princeton, Boston Consulting Group, Paris
Ali Daraeepour
2018–2021, Post-doctoral fellow
Data science manager, Fluence
Ogunlade R. Davidson
19??–19??, Visiting Researcher, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies
University of Cape Town, Energy Development Research Center
John M. DeCicco
1988 Ph.D., Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
Environmental Defense, Washington, DC
Luca DeLorenzo
2004 MSE Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department. BP, England
Mark A. Delucchi
1990?–1991?, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies
University of California – Davis, Institute for Transportation Studies
David Denkenberger
2003 MSE, Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, Colorado
Richard (Rick) Diamond
10/86 – 6/87; Soc of Bldg Sci Educators Amer Lung Assoc Environ Wrkg Grp Harvard Grad Sch Design
Fred Dryer
Professor emeritus of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University
Educational Foundation Distinguished Research Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of South Carolina
Richard Duke
Gautum S. Dutt
1976–1986, Research Engineer, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies
National University of Argentina, Buenos Aires
Giulia Fiorese
2007 Visiting graduate student, Princeton Environmental Institute
Post-doctoral researcher at Dipartamento di Elettronica e Informazione, Politecnico di Milano, and FEEM, Milano
Xiangbo Guo
2010, Visiting Scholar, Energy Systems Analysis Group
SINOPEC’s Research Institute for Petroleum Processing, Beijing
Ilkka Hannula
In residence with the ESAG: February 2011-January 2012 (Visiting Graduate Student)
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland; International Energy Agency
Pedro Haro
In residence with ESAG: September 2017 – February 2018 (Fulbright post-doctoral fellow)
Bioenergy Group, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Seville (Spain)
Simone Hochgreb
1991 Ph.D., Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
Cambridge University, England
Laura Iwan
1997 MSE, Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
Ballard, Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia
Haiming Jin
1997–1998, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies
SNC-Lavelin, Houston
Sivan Kartha
1994–1997, Post Doctoral Fellow, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies
Stockholm Environmental Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
Ryan E. Katofsky
1993 MSE, Princeton, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
Navigant Consulting, Inc., Burlington, Massachusetts
Willett Kempton
1985 –1992, Research Anthropologist, Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, Princeton
University of Delaware, College of Earth, Ocean and Environment
Anthony Ku
2021–2022, Andlinger Center Non-Resident Visiting Fellow
Independent consultant
Joe Lane
In residence with ESAG: August 2019 – July 2021 (Associate Research Scholar)
University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Andrea Lanzini
2010–2011, Visiting Graduate Student, Energy Systems Analysis Group
Assistant professor, the Energy Department of Politecnico di Torino (Italy)
Qiang Li
2012–2013, Visiting Scholar, Energy Systems Analysis Group
SINOPEC’s Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, Beijing
Yuancheng Lin
2023, Visiting student research collaborator
Tsinghua University
Guangjian Liu
2008–2010, Research Associate, Energy Systems Analysis Group
Assistant professor, North China Electric Power University, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Beijing, China
Emanuele Martelli
In residence with ESAG: March 2007- August 2007, March 2009 (Visiting Researcher)
Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Luca Mastropasqua
2018, Visiting post-doctoral fellow, Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment
GECOS, Energy Department, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Hans Meerman
2013–2017, Research associate, Energy Systems Analysis Group
Lars J. Nilsson
1994–1995, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies
University of Lund, Department of Energy and Environmental Systems Studies
Joan M. Ogden
1986–2003, Research Scientist, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies and Princeton Environmental Institute. Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Policy as well as an appointment in the Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis
Andrew Pascale
2019–2021, Post-doctoral fellow
Research Scientist, The University of Queensland
Maurizio Spinelli
2014, Visiting Graduate Student, Energy Systems Analysis Group
Supramaniam Srinivasan
1997–2002, Visiting Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Energy & Environmental Studies. Srinivasan’s research was in basic and applied electrochemistry, bioelectrochemistry, and electrochemical energy conversion and storage Deceased
Samir Succar
2003–2008, Princeton, Electrical Engineering Department. NRDC, NY
Massimo Tavoni
2008–2010, Senior Researcher, Princeton Environmental Institute and Energy Systems Analysis Group
Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM)
Ernst Worrell
1995–1996, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Center for Energy & Environmental Studies.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California
Yuan Xu
2006–2010, Ph.D., Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Industrial Performance Center
Yuan Xue
200? MSE Princeton Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department
Chaun Zhang
2019–2021, Post-doctoral fellow
Assistant Professor, Peking University
Zhe Zhou
2010 Visiting graduate student, Princeton Environmental Institute
Ph.D. candidate, Thermal Engineering Department, Tsinghua Unversity, China