Applications based on the IEA-ETSAP methodology are thorough and reliable

The IEA-ETSAP community is keenly aware of this and therefore the IEA-ETSAP methodology makes it possible for the assumptions to be known in fine detail and the output data to be visualized by well evolved means that make it easy to understand for people who are not researchers themselves.

Though the IEA-ETSAP methodology has the feature that the process can also be understood in great depth by non-technical persons its capabilities are not restricted by it. It can do very fine analysis say for example to compare two scenarios that have only subtle differences.

The IEA-ETSAP Tools give the methodology an edge

The tools that help researchers implement the IEA-ETSAP methodology are key to its widespread success. The tools help in achieving the twin and potentially conflicting objectives of enabling fine detailing while maintaining high levels of transparency.

This challenging objective is worthwhile to achieve because the IEA-ETSAP methodology is often applied to issues that are critical for the future of our planet. For example for energy production, green house gas emitting technologies and nuclear technologies both have their advantages and disadvantages. Striking the right balance is very important. This can only be done when the tools are capable to working with different scenarios with equal ease.

The efficiency of the tools makes it possible to mitigate the effect of the inherent uncertainties involved. The efficiency of compiling the input data, processing it and interpreting the results makes it possible to relatively quickly evaluate a wide range of scenarios to provide for the uncertainties involved. This makes a confident final decision possible because the effect of uncertainty has been taken into account.

IEA-ETSAP methodology is explicitly designed for long-term energy-environment modeling in the context of climate change. It has a long history of usage so tools have got perfected over the years. The community is large, so tool development has been driven by various types of researchers. The IEA-ETSAP methodology utilizes very flexible tools which can be used in diverse areas.

The IEA-ETSAP methodology embraces past present & emerging technologies

Understanding and assigning parameters to the various past, existing and emerging technologies can be a big challenge for a person doing energy scenario modeling. A great strength of the IEA-ETSAP methodology is that these technologies have already been well understood and defined in detail. This is in terms of key parameters that are of consequence while doing a research.

This does away with the need to start from scratch while undertaking a study using the IEA-ETSAP methodology. Studies can therefore have lower costs and shorter durations. The details of each technology are available in an open source format so if for a study some parameters need to be changed that is possible as well. This allows the researcher all the flexibility required while maintaining very high levels of convenience.

New technologies are added regularly to the set of technologies and researchers can work on scenarios that involve taking into account recent technological developments.

IEA-ETSAP Methodology Training Worldwide

ETSAP offers training courses on building TIMES energy models with the VEDA or ANSWER users' interfaces.

The base training course is offered twice a year next to ETSAP Workshop (dates and location depends from the ETSAP workshop). In the Base level course (3 days) the trainees learn to build a simple TIMES model, to run scenarios and to read the technical economic results.

Each course is free of charge for ETSAP Contracting Parties.

Participants of companies, institutions & universities pay €1200, €1000 & €750 per person per course. Payment is only possible through bank transfer.

Zurich Workshop Highlights

• Energy Research at the Paul Scherrer Institut
• Energy Research and the Swiss Energy Strategy 2050
• Linkage of TIMES with Power Dispatch Models and Network Optimization
• IEA Bioenergy TCP: preparing the role of bioenergy in the future energy system
• Overview of Swiss activities in the IEA-TCP Bioenegy
• Overview of Bioenergy Scenarios in TIMES modelling
• Economic Assessment of Low-Emission Development Scenarios for Ukraine
• Update on Australian TIMES Model Development
• Results of the Workshop on Sustainability Performance of the Energy Systems
• Utilization of excess heat for district heating in the future Danish energy system
• Working with TIMES and Monte Carlo in a Policy Setting

Detailed and lucid documentation enables knowledge to spread efficiently

The IEA-ETSAP methodology is greatly helped by the excellent documentation that is available. This documentation reveals the real world issues that being addressed using the IEA-ETSAP methodology and not just the technical details of the research. This makes the documentation very useful for policy makers who will have the opportunity to review how similar research has been done in the past.

It may also be possible to compare two different approaches to a problem by reviewing the documentation of the past studies. And if an approach has worked well in one part of the world the excellent and reliable documentation makes it possible to use the approach in other parts of the world by making the required changes.

Ongoing Projects

• The IEA-ETSAP methodology will be able to deliver better global energy modeling scenarios
• The TIMES model is being enhanced to handle intermittent sources of electricity, like wind and solar
• Heat and electricity storage mechanisms are being developed further
• The IEA-ETSAP methodology allows explicit;treatment of uncertainty using stochastic programming
• Several groups are working on linking TIMES with macroeconomic models