We know how to save the climate in mathematical models. Can we do it in the real world?

The POLET (Perspectives on technOLogical change and Energy Transitions) research group explores this question by analyzing change and continuity in energy systems.

We strive for rigorous, accessible and informative scholarship that facilitates a dialogue between energy system modellers, socio-technical transition scholars, political scientists and historians.

POLET team in 2024

Research themes

 

Contexts

We analyse how transitions happen in diverse national contexts and in different historical settings.

Read our publications and projects about different contexts.

Technologies

We focus on technologies that make difference for climate mitigation.

Read our publications and projects about fossil fuels, new renewables, and nuclear power.

Concepts

We aim to develop theories of energy transitions that would allow us to analyse the feasibility of climate change.

Our conceptual work covers energy security, theories of energy transitions and feasibility of climate action.

Futures

Tackling climate change requires action which will shape our future.

We analyse scenarios of climate mitigation to identify historical precedents for climate action.

 Projects

Projects
NEW STEPS
NEW STEPS

Ongoing

NEW STEPS aims to compare and analyse technologies and policies that can realistically expand Sweden’s low-carbon electricity supply.

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MISTRA Electric
MISTRA Electric

Ongoing

MISTRA Electric aims to identify feasible pathways to low-carbon electrification of industry, heating and transport in Sweden in order to achieve the national net-zero emissions vision by 2045.

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MANIFEST
MANIFEST

Ongoing

MANIFEST (Mechanisms and Actors of Feasible Energy Transitions) aims to develop a new scientific understanding of the feasibility of climate action by unpacking the mechanisms of decarbonizing the electricity sector worldwide.

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CINTRAN
CINTRAN

Ongoing

CINTRAN (Carbon Intensive Regions in Transition - Unravelling the Challenges of Structural Change) aims to understand the structural change of carbon-intensive regions across Europe. Our team is developing a diagnostic approach to analyze the feasibility of low-carbon transitions in coal-dependent regions.

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ENGAGE
ENGAGE

2019-2023

ENGAGE (Exploring National and Global Actions to reduce Greenhouse gas Emissions) explores the feasibility of pathways that can meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement. It is operated by a global consortium of nearly 30 partners including Central European University, which co-leads the work on defining feasibility of climate mitigation based on empirical evidence.

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Contractions
Contractions

2017-2022

Contractions (Analyzing past and future energy industry contractions: Towards a better understanding of the flip-side of energy transitions) analyses the mechanisms and the historic rates of decline of energy industries and comparing these to the decline rates expected in the future energy transitions.

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Publications

Publications
Major step up in carbon capture and storage needed to keep warming below 2 °C

J. Jewell & T. Kazlou. (2024). Major step up in carbon capture and storage needed to keep warming below 2 °C. Nature Climate Change. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02112-0

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Feasible deployment of carbon capture and storage and the requirements of climate targets

T. Kazlou, A. Cherp & J. Jewell. (2024). Feasible deployment of carbon capture and storage and the requirements of climate targets. Nature Climate Change. Open Access. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02104-0

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Technology and policy co-evolution: the case of solar power in India 2010-2024

S.Bhowmik,A. Cherp, V.Vinichenko (pre-print). Technology and policy co-evolution: the case of solar power in India. POLET Working Paper series 2024-4

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Compensating affected parties necessary for rapid coal phase-out but expensive if extended to major emitters

L. Nacke, V. Vinichenko, A. Cherp, A. Jakhmola & J. Jewell. (2024). Compensating affected parties necessary for rapid coal phase-out but expensive if extended to major emitters. Nature Communications. Open Access. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47667-w

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Have climate policies accelerated energy transitions? Historical evolution of electricity mix in the G7 and the EU compared to net-zero targets

M. Suzuki, J. Jewell & A. Cherp. (2023). Have climate policies accelerated energy transitions? Historical evolution of electricity mix in the G7 and the EU compared to net-zero targets. Energy Research & Social Science. Open Access. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2023.103281

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Do policy targets change technology growth trajectories? Understanding the steady growth of onshore wind in Europe

Vetier, M., Pavlenko, A., Jewell, J., Cherp, A. and V. Vinichenko (pre-print). Do policy targets change technology growth trajectories? Understanding the steady growth of onshore wind in Europe. POLET Working Paper series 2024-3

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Blog & News

Blog & News
MISTRA Electrification Annual Meeting 2024
MISTRA Electrification Annual Meeting 2024

Marta Vetier and Jessica Jewell shared POLET’s research advances with Swedish energy scientists, industrial actors and policy-makers at MISTRA Electrification meeting.

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Masahiro Suzuki defends his PhD and receives two scientific awards
Masahiro Suzuki defends his PhD and receives two scientific awards

Masahiro Suzuki defended his PhD summa cum laude at Central European University and receives two scientific awards for his research.

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POLET at the International Energy Workshop 2024: Future growth of wind and solar power projected by historical national experience
POLET at the International Energy Workshop 2024: Future growth of wind and solar power projected by historical national experience

Avi Jakhmola presented a method for projecting global technology growth using evidence from national deployment at the International Energy Workshop 2024 in Bonn, Germany

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POLET at the 3rd International Conference on Negative CO2 Emissions: Feasible deployment of carbon capture and storage and the requirements of climate targets
POLET at the 3rd International Conference on Negative CO2 Emissions: Feasible deployment of carbon capture and storage and the requirements of climate targets

Tsimafei Kazlou presented POLET research on the feasibility of carbon capture and storage technologies at the 3rd International Conference on Negative CO2 Emissions 2024 in Oxford, UK

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POLET at IST2024: Four phases of technology growth and the price tag for just transitions
POLET at IST2024: Four phases of technology growth and the price tag for just transitions

Jessica Jewell and Lola Nacke presented POLET research on the phases of technology growth and on feasible and just energy transitions at the International Sustainability Transitions Conference 2024 in Oslo, Norway

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POLET session at What Works Climate Solutions Summit 2024
POLET session at What Works Climate Solutions Summit 2024

POLET research group hosts session on accelerating energy transitions at What Works Climate Solutions Summit 2024 in Berlin

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PhD or post-doc position at Chalmers University
PhD or post-doc position at Chalmers University

POLET is recruiting either a PhD student or a Postdoctoral researcher to examine the interplay between energy policies. Come join us! Applications should be received by April 7th, 2024.

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Accelerating Ambitious and Just Coal Phase-outs online event
Accelerating Ambitious and Just Coal Phase-outs online event

Lola Nacke will be presenting her work on financial compensation for coal phase-out at a CINTRAN Coal + Regions in transitions event on Wednesday, 7 February 2024 at 11:00 – 12:00 CET — register here!

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