The TIMES model
TIMES : The Integrated MARKAL-EFOM System
Powerful. Transparent. Proven.
TIMES is by far the most advanced optimization model generator for energy–climate analysis. Built and refined over decades by the IEA-ETSAP community, it merges engineering precision with economic rigour to deliver credible, policy-relevant insights across every stage of the energy system.
From data to decisions — efficiently.
The IEA-ETSAP toolchain is designed for efficiency. Large, complex datasets are processed through the TIMES model generator, solved with powerful optimization engines, and transformed into intuitive visualisations that reveal credible and actionable pathways.
Detail without compromise.
TIMES provides a transparent, technology-rich representation of the entire energy–economy–environment system — from primary resources to end-use services — enabling fine-grained scenario analysis while maintaining full traceability of assumptions and results.
Why
it matters.
Energy and climate policy decisions demand both depth and agility. The ETSAP methodology’s flexibility allows modellers to explore a wide range of scenarios accounting for uncertainty while maintaining optimality in every solution.
A global
standard.
Adopted in over 90 countries by leading research institutions, government agencies, and international organisations, TIMES has become the flagship open-source framework for integrated energy system optimisation.
The IEA-ETSAP tools give the methodology an edge.
The ETSAP tools make it possible to achieve the twin — and often conflicting — objectives of fine technical detail and high transparency. Their efficiency allows rapid evaluation of many scenarios, reducing the impact of uncertainty on results. Decades of refinement with a large and active community ensure the tools remain relevant, flexible, reliable, and applicable to diverse policy and technology contexts.
Introduction
to TIMES
The official TIMES documentation
Getting started with TIMES modelling
