Energy Use Impacts on the Environment (EnerGEO)

EnerGEO assessed the current and future impact of energy use on the environment by linking environmental observation systems with the processes involved in exploiting energy resources.

© John Wollwerth | Dreamstime.com

© John Wollwerth | Dreamstime.com

Overview

The EnerGEO project used models to study the interactions between the land use and energy sectors, between bioenergy technologies and air pollution, as well as the water demands of new energy technologies. The goal was to link large-scale energy models projecting medium- to long-run developments with more detailed models to improve projections, policy recommendations, and environmental assessments.

With the International Energy Agency estimating that global energy demand will increase from 40-50% by 2030 (compared to 2003), scientists and policymakers are looking at the sustainability of the current energy system and the environmental pressures that might result from the development of future energy systems.

IIASA Research

To meet EnerGEO’s goal of creating comprehensive energy systems assessment tools, IIASA researchers integrated IIASA-based models such as MESSAGE and RAINS/GAINS with the high-resolution models of project partners.

IIASA models such as GLOBIOM and G4M were also used to improve input data for medium- to long-run assessments. The EnerGEO model cluster was designed to work as part of the broader Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) program.


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Last edited: 12 November 2012

CONTACT DETAILS

Michael Obersteiner

Principal Research Scholar Exploratory Modeling of Human-natural Systems Research Group - Advancing Systems Analysis Program

Timeframe

01.11.2009 - 31.10.2013

Related Links

Progress Report 2012: GEO/GEOSS Earth Observation Policy

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313