Understanding Risks and Uncertainties in Energy and Climate Policy: Multidisciplinary Methods and Tools for a Low Carbon Society

This open access book analyzes and seeks to consolidate the use of robust quantitative tools and qualitative methods for the design and assessment of energy and climate policies. In particular, it examines energy and climate policy performance and associated risks, as well as public acceptance and portfolio analysis in climate policy, and presents methods for evaluating the costs and benefits of flexible policy implementation as well as new framings for business and market actors. In turn, it discusses the development of alternative policy pathways and the identification of optimal switching points, drawing on concrete examples to do so. Lastly, it discusses climate change mitigation policies’ implications for the agricultural, food, building, transportation, service and manufacturing sectors.

Dr. Haris Doukas is an Assistant Professor in the School of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). He has a degree in mechanical engineering (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki – AUTH, 2003) and a PhD in the area of decision support systems for the sustainable energy sector’s operation (ECE, NTUA, 2009). His scientific and research expertise includes the development of models and decision support systems for energy and environmental policy. He has participated as a scientific coordinator / senior researcher in the design of energy policies, programs promoting renewables and energy efficiency, and specific energy management actions at a local, national and European level. He has also participated in similar initiatives outside of Europe, for example in the countries of the Mediterranean basin and the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council. In these fields, he has published more than 100 papers in international scientific journals, and a book titled “Decision Support Policy Models for Energy and Environmental Systems”. He has also made numerous presentations in international conferences, and published several chapters and articles in technical books and magazines. Dr. Doukas is an Associate Editor of the Operational Research International Journal (ORIJ) of Springer, and participates as a member of the Editorial Board in journals related to the energy policy and operational research. Dr. Doukas has received awards for his work from the State Scholarship Foundation (IKY), the NTUA, the AUTH, the Technical Chamber of Greece (TCG) and the Hellenic Operational Research Society (HELORS).

Dr. Alexandros Flamos is an Associate Professor at the University of Piraeus (UNIPI), Director of the Technoeconomics of Energy Systems Laboratory (TEESlab) of UNIPI and Editor in Chief at the Energy Sources, Part B: Economics, Planning, and Policy (ESPB) scientific Journal (Taylor & Francis). He has a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and a PhD in the area of Decision Support Systems (DSS) applied in energy and environmental policy and planning. At UNIPI and at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) he teaches Energy Economics, Energy Technologies & Environment, Utilization of Renewable Energy Sources (RES), Management of Energy Sources, and Engineering Economics & Technoeconomics of Energy Systems at both under and post-graduate level. He has over 20 years of experience in the areas of DSS, Energy Management & Planning and Energy Modelling, and their applications for analysing energy policy scenarios, intra and cross-sectoral interactions of energy and climate policies, security of energy supply, business models, and energy pricing competitiveness. He is member of the research committee of UNIPI, and he has held the position of scientific coordinator / senior researcher in more than 30 European Commission (EC) funded projects (EC R&D FP5, FP6, FP7, H2020, IEE, MEDA, ENPI etc.) related to energy systems management, appraisal and planning. He has also worked a as consultant for projects funded by international donors (for example the European Investment Bank and EuropeAid). He has significant experience working as an Editor in Chief, Guest Editor and Editorial Board member for scientific journals. He also has published more than 100 papers in high impact international scientific journals (peer reviewed) and international conferences, and has been an invited speaker at major international energy policy events (MENAREC, Euro-Asia meetings, EU-GCC etc). 

Dr Jenny Lieu is a Research Fellow at SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit) in the University of Sussex (UofS). She is currently the Co-Principal Investigator for TRANSrisk (TR), an EU Horizon 2020 project that evaluates risks and uncertainties in low-carbon transition pathways at national, regional and global levels. She has a diverse research background in energy and climate policy and innovation studies. Some of the research areas she has worked in include: policy evaluation and policy mixes (APRAISE, Assessment of Policy Interrelationships and Impacts on Sustainability in Europe, EU 7^th Framework Programme);  integration of energy, environment and climate modelling with stakeholder engagement; oils sands development and First Nations communities in Alberta, Canada (TR); new urbanism in Calgary (TR), Canada (University of Calgary); policy learning and transfer in the development of China’s renewable energy policy (Tsinghua University); fast breeder reactors in the UK (UofS and EDF); gender issues in agriculture (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development); and biogas applications and Clean Development Mechanism (UofS). In addition to her research activities, Jenny has also provided consultancy services, producing strategic recommendations for energy and environmental infrastructure firms andconducting policy analysis for international institutions. She has also been a Co-Editor of a Routledge Energy Transition books series and is a guest editor for a special issue in the journal Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions.