Methods and Models

Our approach is holistic, ranging from engineering to economics and the social sciences and making use of multidisciplinary methods. These methods are drawn from the fields of social sciences and economics as well as from engineering, mathematical modelling and statistics, and environmental science. With this fundamental approach as our cornerstone, we perform sustainability assessments, create projections for policy decisions based on multiple criteria and stakeholders , and develop future scenarios.

We develop computer-based models at different levels of the relevant energy systems. These include process chain approaches, economic and technical energy models, and agent-based and multi-criteria models as a basis for decision-making. We also develop integrated modelling approaches to create scenarios based on socially feasible transformation pathways , take stakeholders’ preferences and behaviour patterns into consideration, and perform corresponding sustainability assessments. Our main focus here is the creation of modules to specify different stakeholder groups, take motivational factors into account, and identify economic, environmental, and social impacts, in addition to reliability and energy security. In carrying out sustainability assessments of transformation pathways and energy technologies, we seek to ensure a high level of transparency and objectivity.